"We are born without the fear of nature. Young children are fascinated with life around them, equally intrigued by a caterpillar or a dog. The fear of most creatures is instilled in us later in life by overly protective parents or teachers, peer pressure, and misguided media. By the age of ten most children either love or hate insects and other tiny organisms, and these feelings usually stay with them for the rest of their lives. I could never understand why small animals, including most amphibians and reptiles, evoke such polarized feelings. After all, how many people hate jaguars or elephants, things that can really hurt you? I think it can be explained in part by what psychologists call “prepared learning”—we are quick to learn the fear of snakes because millions of years of human evolution have favored individuals inclined to avoid them, even if most snakes are not venomous. But what about moths, spiders, or beetles? Why do most people find these animals repulsive, yet happily gorge on lobsters?"
The above, my friends, is an Excerpt from the Prologue in this great book: "
The Smaller Majority
"
I managed to get "
The Smaller Majority" book with the help of a friend from Singapore :). Just reading the excerpt of the "The Smaller Majority" book already convinced me that it's a book worth getting. The great thing about this book is, it's not just about slr macro photography, it's about understanding and loving "The Smaller Majority"!
Well, don't just take my words for it. Read the excerpt yourself, and browse other pages too while you are at it :)
Lots of great images in it.
You can browse a few other pages of "The Smaller Majority" book too
here.
You might also want to check out Sir David Attenborough's ending speech in this wonderful insect documentary:
Life In The Undergrowth.
