A New (Crazy) Study Says Humans Should Appreciate Sharks More

A new study says that humans would appreciate sharks more if we just took the time to realize that they have feelings too.

Yeah, sorry I'm going to have to pass.

According to The California Shark Beach Safety Program, researchers said that they've found that if people are taught that sharks can think, feel and reason, that we would suddenly have a different opinion of them.

There have been an increase in shark attacks in recent weeks. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

"JUST BE NICE TO THEM!"

"Sharks suffer a bad reputation," said Gabriella Hancock, who is an assistant professor at Cal State Long Beach. “Everybody remembers those one or two shark incidents that they see on the news, but they don’t take into consideration the tens of millions of people that go into the ocean every day and don’t even see a shark."

Uhm, what?

I'm sorry but just because I don't encounter something every single day, doesn't mean that I shouldn't be terrified or concerned about it. Hey, I haven't seen a tornado lately either but if one's coming I'll probably head elsewhere. And this might come as a shock because I live in New York City, although it's called a "concrete jungle," that doesn't mean I'm regularly encountering any lions or panthers. (Cougars however...)

MULTIPLE SHARK ATTACKS IN RECENT WEEKS

"You’re more likely to be killed by lightning, more likely to be killed by hornets, wasps, and bees. You’re more likely to be killed by your own dog," Hancock continued. “They’re (seen as) bloodthirsty man eaters. They’re out to get you every time you’re in the water, but they don’t actually pose a great threat to us right now."

Always good when a study literally includes a for "right now" part to it. I haven't seen that much spin since since Dr. Fauci.

In a not-so-funny but ironic twist, Hancock's comments came just a few weeks before this past week's slew of shark attacks across the east coast. Four swimmers were bit last week off the shores of New York City alone with multiple shark encounters in Florida as well.

The program says that they hope that the study's findings will help in shark conservation as well as people donating more to shark-supporting projects.

Listen, I'll donate a quarter or whatever the next time I'm at my local deli to your cause, but please don't try and reason that sharks are 'just misunderstood.'