Animals Quote by Jacques-Yves Cousteau
““To restate an old law - when a man bites a fish, that's good, but when a fish bites a man, that's bad. This is one way of saying it's all right if man kills an animal, but if an animal attacks man, the act is reprehensible. The animal is labelled "killer," something to be feared, hated, shunned, punished, even killed by man. How dangerous are those sea animals with bad reputations? A few actually kill. A few maim. Some are poisonous when eaten by man. Most sting, stab,or poison and cause mild to severe discomfort to man. Yet man is one of the larger beings that sea creatures encounter, and these poisons usually can't kill him. Very often these poisons are used defensively against predators and offensively in food gathering. There are a few animals that have won themselves a bad reputation even though they have little or no effect on man. They have won their rating through man's interpretation of their attitude towards lower animals. These animals have been seen feeding in what appears to be a savage manner. But this behavior may perhaps be comparable to a man tearing the flesh off a chicken leg with his teeth.””
About This Quote
Source Documentary: The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau, 1976
Human judgments label animals as dangerous based on fear, not actual threat, revealing bias in how we perceive nature.
In simple terms: We fear animals because of reputation, not real danger.
Key Takeaway
Challenge assumptions about animal danger.
Themes
bias
perception
human-animal relations
misinterpretation
ecology
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
ethical
environmental
When to use this quote
- Wildlife education
- conservation policy
- media reporting
- personal encounters
Key Concepts
Cognitive bias
anthropomorphism
risk assessment
Questions to Reflect On
- How do reputations affect wildlife protection?
- What evidence should guide our fear?
A Different Perspective
Reputation can distort safety decisions.
