An Unconventional and Foolish Fear

An Unconventional and Foolish Fear

By Chao Jimmy Wu

Created For International Baccalaureate CAS Project (Project Tigrosa) 12 January 201 An Unconventional and Foolish Fear

An Unconventional and Foolish Fear

Negative connotation has had its toll on the survival of arachnids and other arthropods. We strive to protect the mammals, the birds, and the reptiles that are in danger of becoming extinct. o!ever, !e as humans have forgotten the true rulers and runners of our planet. "veryday, our lives have become tangled !ithin a mess of technology, economy, and personal struggle. #hat leads to a lessening of resources and available time. $ppeal, too, is a significant factor !hich belies our very existence. We see the adorable and attractive tigers, pandas and parrots% ho!ever, !e set ignorance to those that appear less admirable% such as the scorpions, beetles and spiders. Why is this fair& #he ans!er is that it is not.

While many celebrities, the media, and even schooling express to people of all ages about the negativity of insects and arachnids, !e have so much to learn from them. Just 'no!ing that a spider has the ability to give restrictive, charismatic, and giving maternal care closes the distance bet!een us, the primates, and the arthropods. While many obdurate people argue that spiders are simply revolting, venomous, fearful and serve no purpose, the truth is never so much the opposite. (or example, of the over )*** species of spider native to North $merica, only four to five of them are able to deliver a medically significant bite. +et despite the lo! ratio, !e as people have over reacted to our spider neighbors. No!, pest control programs have extended their control of coc'roaches, flies, and mos,uitoes to spiders. -uch a shameless act on our part for !e have destroyed our best friends, best protectors, and best forms of control.

Without spiders, our real pest populations !ill rise, our crops be become damaged, our prices !ill rise and our economy !ill fall. With this, hunger !ill continue to gro! beyond !hat is controllable by people. Without spiders alone, it is estimated that humans cannot survive for more than five years simply from the overpopulation of other pests. #hin' about that. Would anyone !ant a pest ridden

An Unconventional and Foolish Fear

!orld !ithout any form of green& While !e simply cannot rule out the importance of other arachnids and insects, spiders have become a symbol of hatred and fear. We see people abdicating their destruction rather than nurturing their existence. o! can !e live !ith ourselves 'no!ing that !e are 'illing and detesting on our friends !ho had and have !or'ed so hard to allo! us to survive& We complain that our homes are being invaded by arthropods, yet they !ere here first. We !ere the invaders. We !ere the attac'ers and !e !ere the ones !ho encroached upon their homes. -o !hy is it that !e should be the ones complaining about them !anting to return to their native lands again. especially since they are our very lifeline for our survival and our existence& -o next time you see a spider, please consider !hat it has done for you and !hat it W/00 do for you before stepping or s!atting it to its death. . Chao Jimmy Wu