How things have changed

[Tjack]

The Blue Hole in Belize is accessible to large dive boats due to a cut in the reef blasted out by Cousteau to provide access for the Calypso. Bias for Whales over Sharks led to Cousteau's actions in his film.

Aldo Leopold began his career doing Wolf eradication in the American west, but soon saw the error of his ways. He went on to become a leader of the environmental movement.

Learning from ones mistakes is critical to growth as a person and a people. Redemption comes from the strength to admit
ones failings.

 

[kingairpilot]

Teddy Roosevelt is remembered as a wonderful conservationist, and he was. However, if you go to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, half the exhibits in there contain the notation..."Shot by Theodore Roosevelt". He was a "Great White Hunter" who cared so much for the animals that he hunted, he made major strides in protecting them. Ironic? Yes, but not unusual.

 

[Akimbo]

…They were diving, deep diving and doing wreck penetration basically just with a bottle of air and a regulator. No wetsuit, gauges, BCD, nothing! Part of their studies consisted of blowing up coral reef with dynamite because it's easy to collect the fish that way, running over a baby whale with the Calypso, killing like 30 sharks feeding on the dead whale "to avenge it" because "they are the divers worst enemies" and riding on a poor turtle until it couldn't swim no more. Seriously, WTF, that's not the way I used to remember Cousteau!

I wouldn’t be too confident that today’s perceptions and understandings will prove any better. Every action has consequences and the conclusions humans draw are all too often deemed incorrect and ignorant in the future. All we can do is use our best judgment based on our limited understanding. Save any wrath for people who intentionally do what they know is wrong.

I think it is fair to say Cousteau and the majority of historic figures don’t meet that standard, on balance.

 

[black_sea]

It's cute how the Cousteau foundation does not talk about that embarassing movie with all the whale and shark killing.
But you know what, it was a different time, they were entering the big unknown- the ocean- and they were learning as they went along.

I wonder how many animals we are killing today by the simple act of having children or buying a new car.
We are all responsible for the state of the planet, and altough I do not approve of Cousteau's actions in the early stage of his career, I think his state of mind reflected the opinions of progressive thinkers at the time, and in later years, he did his fair share about raising awareness about environmental conservation.
By the way, the Beebe book is avialable online for free
Half mile down / - Biodiversity Heritage Library
Half mile down : Beebe, William, 1877-1962 : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive

 

[drbill]

One must keep the time context in mind when one looks at diving equipment and attitudes towards marine life back in the 50s and 60s. It is so easy to judge by today's standards, but we lacked much of the equipment divers take for granted today. The environmental movement didn't really start peaking until the late 60s. Cousteau grew in his understanding of "The Silent World" (pretty noisy if you ask me) and evolved into one of the greatest voices for the protection of the marine environment.

 

[drbill]

It's cute how the Cousteau foundation does not talk about that embarassing movie with all the whale and shark killing.
But you know what, it was a different time, they were entering the big unknown- the ocean- and they were learning as they went along.

Having been a friend of Jean-Michel Cousteau and Dr. Richard "Murf" Murphy since the mid-70s, I know from personal experience that they are very cognizant of the mistakes JMC's father made in his early years. The global attention to the marine world triggered by Cousteau's later works more than made up for any mistakes early on... as you suggest.

 

[black_sea]

Dr Bill - I have to agree and disagree at the same time. There is a book about sharks released in the 70s or so, written by Jean-Michel Cousteau and he describes a lot of their shark interactions, including the "whale and shark murder spree" , but he conveniently glases over the sharke massacre by the crew, just that the sharks were attacking the dead whale cub.
I can look up the title if you like.
But really, like you said, it has all been made up for.
And then look at me, when I was in my early teens and I was with my father in Indonesia, we ate shark fin soup all the time, and I bought a stuffed turtle and puffer fish. This is more than 20 years ago now, but it is still a shame, so who am I to judge Cousteau.

 

[circusoflife]

digging this thread...

we ain't seen nothing yet though...lots of changes coming just down the road in terms of how we perceive our oceans and wildlife...and our place among them... stay tuned...