Dolphin Address 34
December 12, 2004
Aware (as happens to be the name of the Irish association of manic-depressed patients)
If you want to be kept informed about the cutting edge developments in Cetacean science you do well to subscribe to 'Marmam', which stands for 'Marine Mammals'. (send an e-mail to
listserv@uvvm.uvic.ca saying 'subscribe marmam, your first name, your last name')
Do not, however, expect any interest in the phenomenon of 'friendly dolphins'. These are considered to be freak incidents that are not representing the species. Entries on the subject are not posted and any initiative to invite response is therefore worthless.
It was somewhat to my surprise that I received an e-mail from an American clinical psychologist announcing a week's journey to Ireland to investigate the occurrence of friendly wild dolphins. On a chance meeting in a howling rainstorm I questioned the sender for the underlying urge, but was waved with arguments that were mostly befitting a biologist's point of view. I got the uneasy feeling there was an angle at stake that was not being revealed to prevent interaction with the measurement procedure.
As I do not feel restrained by scientific etiquette I feel free to express my wariness. I sense the scientific scalpel about to lacerate the emotive powers of those who devote the larger part of their spiritual awareness to dolphins. The list of people targeted clearly indicates so.
I do not wish to strive against any form of interest into the complementary phenomenon of 'flippies', but the appearance of it being candid sort of worries me. Common procedure in scientific research is that a theory is formulated from empathy and falsified on fact. In practice this often leads to the selection of supporting evidence. I think I should be told under which presuppositions I am expected to cooperate. When I feel to be way warded into circumstantial fairy tales I choke on my marbles and rather spin them on my website. Not that I control them there, but at least I know which way I toss them.
Jan Ploeg, Killohill, December 12th 2004
print version