In Praise of Jaws

40 years ago this week, Jaws premiered. 

Many items of popular culture and many moments in history have changed our culture and perhaps our human behavior.

Nirvana changed rock and roll.  Apple changed the way we think of technology. Star Wars changed science fiction.  9-11 changed our world view.

And Jaws changed the way we view ourselves in the ocean - if not any body of water. 

Here's what I mean.

In a pre-Jaws world , people knew about sharks and knew about the potential dangers.  But when they went into the surf or dove into a deep lake for that matter, the thought of sharks was in the far background.  They were more concerned with the concept of going swimming too soon after a large meal.

After Jaws, everything changed.  When you went into the water, you were hyper aware of the horizon four inches below your eyes as you tread water.  Why?  Because you were casually, but methodically, scanning the surface for the fin.  Your toes and the heal of your foot acted like finely tuned electronic sensors, acutely probing for a minor brush of sandpapered skin.

Before Jaws, if you heard someone scream or shriek in the surf, you were instantly sure they were drowning.  After Jaws, you were instantly sure they were being ripped in half by a great white.

No matter what, whether it was the cold ocean off of the California coast, a warm beach in the Bahamas, a lake in Nebraska or even a lap pool in New York...our relationship with being immersed in water changed 40 years ago - thanks to that Shark you don't even see until the 81st minute of the film..