GUILTY AS
CHARGED
Take a look at these fish. They belong to a group called
"Everyone Anonymous". Almost all the fish in the sea belong
to this not-so-exclusive group. They distinguish themselves
by always doing the same thing as everyone else. They swim
in the same direction, they turn together, dive together, and
surface together. They look exactly alike, and when the fish
police put them in a line up, they can't pick out the good fish
from the bad. There's nothing to distinguish one fish from
the other since they all look and act the same.
Being a member of "Everyone Anonymous" does have its perks.
There's apparent safety in numbers, and that may keep them
from being eaten. On the other hand, their clone-like
behavior may actually attract predators who have a sixth sense
that allows them to detect weakness and easy prey.
If being like everyone else guaranteed a great life, then
membership in "Everyone Anonymous" would be a good idea, but the
opposite is true. These drones lead dull predictable
preprogrammed lives. The script for life has already been
written, and the outcome is sure. They will never have a
real life because they are always doing exactly what everyone else
is doing. They will never think an original thought or dream
great dreams.Every
time I see a school of fish, I think about my life. I ask
myself If I am a member of "Everyone Anonymous." When my
life is over and on judgment day I stand in the final line up with
all the rest, I hope millions of people can point their finger at
me, pick me out of the line up, and say, "He's the one. That's definitely him. He's
different from the rest. He didn't conform, and he lived his
dreams. He's guilty as charged."
That's my master plan. I want to be guilty of living my
dreams.
I photographed this school
of fish at Phi Phi Island in Thailand. Thousands of minnows
constantly milled around close to shore tempting me to dive in and
see how many I could catch with my bare hands. Not many, I
suspect.
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