fake vs real

Imagine the JAWS music in your head.
Duh-nuh…duh-nuh….duh-nuh…dun-nuh.

That movie terrified me as a kid. I was afraid to swim in my grandparents’ pool — and yes, I mean their pool. Shadows from wayward birds spooked me while snorkeling in the deep end. And for reasons I still can’t fully explain, I insisted we get one of those giant inflatable sharks for the pool that summer.

JAWS seeped into my brain and made me afraid of shadows. Years later, surfing in Newport Beach, I’d mistake dolphins for sharks. John Williams scored that iconic music — the same composer behind Indiana Jones and what most people know as the Olympic anthem — and that “duh-nuh…duh-nuh” will be instantly recognized by any kid from the 70s, 80s, or 90s. Jury’s still out on the 2000s crowd.

My dad gave me these socks, and they’ve had me looking back — which seems to be a big part of being in midlife. They’re a reminder of how easily influenced I am. We are. By fake sharks. We don’t handle fake well when it comes wrapped in Hollywood theatrics and an epic soundtrack. Fakery grabs hold and doesn’t let go, because there’s always merch to sell the dream — or the horror.

Fake can be fun. But it’s a poor substitute for reality and truth. And I worry we’re losing the human ability to tell the difference.

True: These are socks depicting a Hollywood shark.
Fake: That shark is real and still out there, gunning for toes.
True: I was afraid of sharks because I didn’t understand them.
Fake: All sharks are dangerous and will try to eat you in any body of water — including pools.

Empathy plays a role in both true and fake realities. When we watch movies, we identify with characters, choose sides, wonder what comes next. We get curious about them and their circumstances. The problem is that same trait makes us vulnerable to titillated trances — raging against truth because it’s boring, uncomfortable, and inconvenient. Humans flow toward where the dopamine is cheapest and covered in cheese dust. But we’ll also chase dopamine that’s harder to get — when it’s worth something. Think of all those athletes that chased the Olympic dreams…they put aside fake and cheap goals in pursuit of their truth, the reality they wanted to have.

I choose silly socks, acknowledging childhood shark fears, and working through discomfort to get to the truth. To get to the rich, shareable dopamine.