Why Do People Hate Snakes?

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   hecate-horusposted 11 years ago

   Why Do People Hate Snakes?
   
   I won't accept, "because they are icky."  I want you to search your soul and come up with valid reasons. "Because they are slimy" doesn't count either, because snakes aren't slimy!

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2. 0

   JThomp42posted 11 years ago

   I don't hate snakes at all. As a matter of fact I wrote a Hub on the Burmese python in which I owned for years. He grew to around 12 feet before I sold him. I do have to admit I would rather not be around venomous snakes fo apparent reasons.
   
   http://jthomp42.hubpages.com/hub/Burmese-Python

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   1. 65

      hecate-horusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I agree, venomous snakes are not something I would like to run into!

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      JThomp42posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Absolutely not.

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3. 79

   rcrumpleposted 11 years ago

   Having worked with venomous for decades, I don't.  Yet, in having talked to many during that time, here are the most popular answers I've found:  1)  They're sneaky, 2) They're evil (religious reasoning), 3) They're slimy, 4) Everyone I know hates them (environmental conditioning), 5) They're not good for anything, 6) They can kill you, 7) You don't notice them until it's too late, 8) They killed my pet, 9) I got bit once, and 10) I've been chased by them.
   Of course, knowledge would help debate many of these as several are completely false.  Yet, like spiders and heights, certain phobias are simply more acceptable to society as a norm than others.  This is, of course, demonstrated by the all too overused saying, "The only good snake is a dead snake!"  So sad!

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   1. 65

      hecate-horusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I love this answer!  (I cringe when people use that saying. Snakes are beautiful creatures, IMO.)

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      JThomp42posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Why do you work with venomous snakes?

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   3. 79

      rcrumpleposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      It was a volunteer position at one time, and a hobby at others.  Also, conservation efforts in relocating those that came in accidental contact with man.  A heart attack as ended it all, I'm afraid, as the chance of survival dwindles, if bitten.

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4. 77

   Nettlemereposted 11 years ago

   There's a theory it's sort of ingrained in a primeval part of our brain, so perhaps initially people see a snake and get that automatic reflex fear shudder, but then instead of questioning whether that was a reasonable response in a modern supposedly rational human being they try to justify it using any one of the reasons rcrumple has given. Personally I'm a whole lot more frightened of people than I am of snakes.

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