Why is there such a resurgence of interest in mermaids?

Question

First off, this isn't a rant. It's an honest-to-goodness question so please no snarky remarks or rants.

It just baffles me why everyday at yahoo answers there are a bunch of questions about how to become a mermaid, how to acquire mermaid powers, mermaid genealogy and that kind of stuff. Mostly from the tween crowd. What's with the surge of interest in mermaids? Is there some show that's influencing these kids? Or some sort of mermaid sighting? I thought mermaids were popular only when Disney's The Little Mermaid came out back in the late 80's.

I'm not from the U.S. and in my country, I have yet to hear of a person wanting to be a mermaid.

Answer 1

mermaids are completely real, and very few people want to be one, its the ones that put questions on here. if people have enough faith in becoming one, they will, upon also believing in God.

Answer 2

They came into resurgance in 1984 with "Splash" and Darryl Hannah.

Ariel caught everyone by surprise and really started the vogue of mermaids

I think what it is relates to fantasy in general, along with fairies and witches, but mermaids are more lithe

Answer 3

I find these questions interesting, and read them frequently. Every time I do, one of the answerers says that the asker has been watching too much H2O.  I don't believe this, however.  Most of them deny watching the show, and it isn't popular.  I don't know that it even comes on at a regular time.  People are just looking for any old excuse about it.  There is a new Little Mermaid movie from Disney, but that's targeted at, like 5-8 year olds, not tweens.  And don't even consider a three year old movie like Aquamarine spurs sudden interest like this.

I fail to see why it matters why they're doing this.  I mean, what girl wouldn't love to be a mermaid?  Perhaps mermaids are just reappearing in the collective subconscious. . .  Whether or not you believe in mermaids, it seems as though we have a group of young people with much interest in the ocean who may do much to clean it up when they get older.  They could lead us to an environmental revolution?  What is your problem with these mermaid lovers, honestly?

Answer 4

we just had a new little mermaid come out and then there is this tv show on about mermaids and how they are normal teens in till night falls, I think its called H2O. Then there was Aquamarin which was a movie about memaids.

I agree too, a lot of tweens want to be memaids. I belive that some people may be linage to memaids but you can acquire the powers and what not.

Answer 5

there are no such things as mermaids. on history channel and every else i have heard the pioneers simply mistaked manatees as being a humans with a over sized fish tale instead of legs.

Answer 6

Perhaps this market for books along the lines of "How to become a White Witch" has become saturated, and publishers such as Llewellyn(?) (who have produced a FEW half-decent books on occult matters) are trying to find a new line

Perhaps try to suspend your rational judgement for a minute and think what it would be like to be a mermaid....

Perhaps this kind of escapism or play, is a way of finding out about /exploring the world. Looking at things in a new light, often brings up new solutions.

---

I to have only come across the mermaid phenomena on-line.

Answer 7

Derrell Hanna?

Answer 8

I'm glad that someone asked this question, I have a hard time reading questions like "How do I become a mermaid?", or more to point, I have a hard time with the sociological ramifications of such questions. There are, nor have there ever been, and such thing as mermaids, you cannot become one, period. And speaking of movies, there was a movie with a mermaid in it that came out a couple of years ago, but I doubt that would spur so many odd questions regarding mythical creatures. It's sad that we have to tell people that the things they see in movies don't exist (ie, mermaids, vampires, zombies...), but alas, I don't really know either why there are so many questions like this.  

Answer 9

Two words: Americans, Little mermaid.

Honestly i was thinking the same thing.

Answer 10

i did not read your whole question, but i have not heard of anyone wanting to become one, though i think they are possible. only 38% of the ocean has been explored. truth is stranger than fiction