Shark Shield: The costly alternative to common sense.

Such is the impression left by the article titled “Shark Shield ‘saves lives,’ published in an August issue of the Sunday Times.

From what I believe, this is a press release that was written following the recent waves of Australian shark attacks to introduce a new device that (according to the article) deters them.

As a means of generating good publicity, the product and its description could have sold itself to even the most difficult of skeptics; had it not been the method of how the promotion article was written for it.

The article starts off strong, successfully utilizing the tragic story of recent shark victim, Nick Edwards as a means of pulling the reader’s heart strings. He then writes a series of recounts of previous shark victim’s recounts.

The journalist then employs brand reinforcement by introducing the company manager of Shark Shield, known simply as “Mr. Gapp to comment indirectly on theses shark victim’s recounts, and how his state of the art device could have saved their limbs. He then attempts to persuade readers into considering the efficiency of the device by rendering feeble descriptions like: “sends out waves in the water that upsets sharks” when describing its mechanics.

Despite the vague explanation, the article begins to offer the reader a sense of confidence to the product until it segues into Surfing WA Chief, Mark Lane’s spiel on how to avoid shark encounters by offering no brainer advice like “don’t surf during dusk or dawn,” “don’t swim near bait fish or seals” and to finish it off “The ONLY way to avoid shark attacks is not to surf.”

To me, the shark repellent device- the fundamental grounds of the article becomes an afterthought.

Although I understand that it is not a journalist’s profession to “sell” or be bias in their recounts, it is obvious that the article was not written in its entirety as it seems not much research or direction was put into the article before its print.

This can be seen as the main body of the article was written entirely out of dialogue and carried no substantial explanation as to HOW the Shark shield, saves lives.

Even the headline, ‘Shark Shield” ‘Saves Lives’” gives readers doubts, as “saves lives” was plant in the viewers minds as a mere marketing quote as opposed to a headline-worthy fact.

At the end of day, I put myself in the shoes of the reader and questioned: Do I want a Shark Shield? Can my occasional visit to the beach be insured with six hundred dollars worth of scrap metal that (and I quote) “sends upsetting waves to sharks?” Is there even incentive to this article? Following a great deal of intense contemplation on what was delivered, I could conclude on one thing, whatever what the incentive of the writer, im with Chief Lane on this one; if you don’t want to be eaten by a shark.

Life is not a waiting room.

My high school experience, like my disposable teenage years, was epic chaos. As mentioned in my previous entries for perhaps the five hundredth and sixty sixth time, THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUR PARENTS DECIDE TO HAVE A MESSY DIVORCE.

Between jet setting to San Francisco and Perth constantly, high school became an insignificant blur.
But I won’t dismiss my instable education choices solely on the state of parental affairs. Being a Libran I’ll admit, I’m indecisive, easily deterred and rash.
So came the time I was able to become emancipated from both my parents and was finally able to steer my life in a direction I wanted, I foolishly based my option for tertiary studies in Business and Hotel Management on a couple of memorable trips to Vegas. A diploma later, la de dah. I manage a hotel. But when you gradually begin to develop a severe sociopathic twitch in your left eye every time someone approaches you, you KNOW that hospitality is NOT FOR YOU.

It was time for a career change.

I recall before I signing on to study PR, meeting Keith Critchett. I was explaining to him my current situation of choosing between an internship as a Business Analyst at IBM or returning to studies. He casually asked me what fields I would be interested in working in and it was almost subconscious when I absent mindedly uttered “…Public Relations.” Funnily enough, he noted that he was the lecturer of the PR department! He then preceded on and asked the life altering question, "What do you want in life?" Instantly the image of one of my favorite albums by the band Senses Fail labeled: “Life is not a waiting room” came to mind. In that moment it dawned on me; you can’t sit in self asserted limbo and expect life to go in the right direction on its own.

I don’t want to lament on a life, unfulfilled which is why I have a duty to myself to live it.

And what an amazing experience it has been since taking Central on board. I'm putting it down to the fact that I was young and dumb in the past, but now, I can truly appreciate what a passion in learning can bring! More and more each day I feel fortunate to be bestowed with an opportunity to work with people from all facets of life, lecturers that are industry professionals in their fields, class mates with different aspirations and goals all with individual traits and talents that I can be confident in regarding as future partners in the workforce.

It’s taken me a long time to decide on what field of work I want to do but now, it seems that with every class I experience, the place I want to be in life is not far out of reach on the horizon.

Coco Chanel once quoted: "There are people with money, and there are people who are rich."

I WANT TO BE BOTH.

I don’t want a job that will slowly envelope me in brain atrophy.

I want a CAREER that can enrich me with more than monetary means (cancel that, the money thing is a big factor,) but I feel life will carry more meaning if I had passion and a sense of purpose in the profession I choose.

Strewth to anyone who says your profession doesn’t determine who you are.
That’s why I intend to finish this course above and beyond what is expected of ME, because at the end of the day, there isn’t anyone pushing me to feel accomplished but ME (and my insufferable desire to own a jet.)

Ideally, I would love to work in the music industry or be a columnist in a magazine. But I am also open to a lot of different industries and am willing to take on extra studies if need be for areas such as mining, government and charities. If I am lucky enough to get an internship after Diploma at Central, I will be happy to work part time and attend Curtin University to get my PHD in Communications and or Marketing. My goal is to be a “Doctor” without all the messy, bloody stuff.

And who knows? Come post retirement, I would love to become a lecturer myself in reverence to the people who enabled me to buy my own jet.

Professor Wendy; I like the sound of that.