I’ve Never Gone Fishing
That doesn’t mean that I don’t want to; it seems like genuinely one of the most relaxing and engaging things that I could do (especially when I just need a de-stressor), but I’ve just never got the energy to. Plus I’m broke lmao.
Everyone knows what a fish is, and everyone knows what fishing is; I shouldn’t have to explain that to you. Humanity has known how to fish for thousands of years, and we’ve invited new methods of fishing that don’t even require the use of bait, but for this metaphor to work, imagine that we’re using the barebone method of how to catch a fish.
1: The Fisherman
2: The Fishing Rod
3: The Bait
So lets compare ourselves to the fish. Fish lack of cerebral cortex (or at least not as large) which is the outer layer of a brain responsible for high-level functions, and a human’s is significantly larger. We have developed the ability to use complex language and symbolic reasoning for communication, creating, solving problems, etc., in ways that fish can not. A fish lives in a “sensory bubble” with their awareness tuned into movement, vibration, and light. Essentially, they’re not good at seeing/understanding abstract concepts; they can’t perceive “the hook” hidden behind the bait.
But wait a minute… despite us having a much broader awareness, we also tend to have “blind spots”. Cognitive biases, emotional reasoning, selective attention, ignorance, etc., have made us miss the “hook” behind temptations. So with all of that being said…
How come we fall for bait sometimes like a fish?
It’s a singular or combination of factors given on the situation. Our intellect is complex, therefore, we as people are complex. Without even looking at a research article, it’s pretty obvious that one reason is more frequently seen than the other. However, I still believe it’s important to talk about the few that I’m thinking of right now.
Reason #1: Hitting a Low Point
It wouldn’t be unrealistic to imagine that somebody would take up any offer if it could get them out of the current situation they’re in.
Think about it. You feel like you’ve hit a rock bottom in whatever circumstance, so what else could get your any lower? Similar to Netflix show “Squid Game” on how they took advantage of peoples’ low-points in life, battling gambling addiction, financial struggles, making up for losses, etc., this is the exact same situation.
Preying on and making a profit out of your desires is the fisherman’s only goal, and they’ve been fishing for a while. I’ve personally had this happen to me, and I’d rather not talk about it too much. I wish the only best for you; no one deserves to be caught like this.
Reason #2: How was I Supposed To Know?
Not gonna lie, I don’t really got anything to say about this. Sometimes you roll escalators, sometimes you roll eels, swing and a miss, hard loss, missed the layup, ggs go next, you win some you lose some, rolled a critical fail, came outta nowhere,
Reason #3: Fraudulent Podiums and the Hypnotizing Marketing
Just like how fish are drawn to shiny lures, there are a lot of communities of people who are drawn towards fulfilling a “trend”.
I could go on and on about this, but think back to the Stanley cup trend and how infatuated people were for a metal mug. Mothers, fathers, and children blitzing into Target stores just to feel like they belong to a “community” or a trend of some sort; their friends at school didn’t have one, but they did. Who cared if it costs $30 – $45 dollars? As long as you had one, you were on the pedestal at the time. Everyone could marvel at your “self-righteous” financial decision based on a feeling… a feeling that lasted as long as the trend last.
I don’t really have social media so I don’t know how good the marketing for it was, but they had to of hit a jackpot when that craze was going on. Matter of fact, let me list down all the trends and items I could think of that people were/are going crazy for.
- Labubu
- Dubai Chocolate
- Professionally Ripped Jeans
- Sometimes this was so excessive in high school that I would see their whole leg
- Plastic Surgery
- This has has a LOT more nuanced to this and involves way more factors than I can count
- Mukbangs
- Beanie Babies
- Pokemon Cards
- GOOD LOOOOOOOOORD I CAN NOT STAND THIS! I PLAYED POKEMON AS A KID. I have so many cards during the time that I would be called a nerd and all of that. Now all of the sudden grown adults are fighting kids for these paper holographic things; it makes me cringe so badly. I don’t plan on giving my rare ones away as I hold them dear to my memories, but people aren’t buying them for the same reason I was anymore.
- Video Game Gun, Knife, Character, etc. skins
- Shoes and Clothes
I could really go on forever, but you get the point. Whether it be obsessive fandoms, celebrity endorsements, marketing strategies, artificial scarcity, hijacking your reward system, the fisherman uses as many baits as possible and leaves the hook dangling in the water. Then pleasant aromas intoxicate the lake, and before long, they’re walking home with a truckload of fish.
Reason #4: The Emotional Toolbox
This one may even be more deceptive than the previous ones.
We all have emotions, and that’s what the fisherman loves. The split second we’re not on guard, they use that opportunity to toy with us. You can be mentally sharp and resilient until they start to get impatient, but our emotions can cause a turbulence in our decision making and reasoning. Pride, fear, envy, greed, all of the feelings on the spectrum shape our choices just as much as hunger or curiosity shapes a fish’s. Even with all of our intelligence, we can be “hooked” by emotional bait
Surrendering to the clickbait thumbnail, giving into the rage bait, succumbing to your own wishes, flattering lies, manipulative advertisements, all of this overrides logic. The fish sees food and reacts, and sometimes we see opportunity and feel before we think. Our intelligence may have evolved tremendously, but our emotions are still ancient and deeply instinctual.
Closing Statement:
There are most certainly more reasons than this on how someone bit the bait. It’s an inevitability, but to avoid being consistently “reeled in” we need to become aware of our impulses. Unlike a fish, humans have the ability to pause, reflect, and question what we’re drawn to. Admit and identify the situations where you got caught and reeled in, and reflect on them. When we begin to recognize what’s pulling you in, whether it’s greed, curiosity, fear, the situation you’re going through, etc., we able to separate the bait from the hook
Don’t get it twisted though; this really isn’t about suppressing emotion, but checking the line before we bite. When something looks TOO good, feels TOO urgent, or promises instant gratification, 9/10 that’s a sign to slow down and think. Reflection, skepticism, and emotional regulation are the mental equivalents of clear water. You need to see what’s really there before you react.
Taking this into consideration trains your awareness, to use our evolved intelligence not to just think, but to feel wisely. Once we learn to recognize those tugs, start questioning the bait, and where the bait even came from, we slowly stop being the fish.
Sincerely,
Cravings and Comfort
Cravings & Comfort 