Killing Me Softly explores how it is all too easy to harm someone even in the absence of any malicious intent. It serves to point out that kindness is surprisingly deadly – a paradox that perfectly describes caring for gold fish. While it’s true that far too many fishkeepers don’t even know the first thing about properly [caring for gold fish], a select few are so overly obsessed with doing so that their efforts become more destructive than constructive.
How is that even possible?
Consider the fact that there is an embarrassment of information on [caring for gold fish] in books and Internet articles. Also consider the tendency of those who have practically made a career out of taking care of gold fish to explore every possible way to make the lives of their fish easier, regardless of how absurd or unnecessary the method seems to be. Finally, consider how likely it is that these gung-ho fishkeepers won’t stop what they’re doing no matter what anyone says, because they equate stopping with giving up on their gold fish.
After taking everything into consideration, chances are you’ll be more open to the possibility that there are people out there who stuff their charges with enough gold fish food in each meal to last them days, who clean the gold fish tank every few hours (in spite of the excessive number of filters that line the walls and corners of the aquarium), and who actually take their fish out of the tank to hold them, kiss them, and even hug them.
What these people fail to understand is that taking care of gold fish properly doesn’t mean having to obsess over them. In fact, their over-the-top efforts do more harm than good. Deaths may result from too much gold fish food, from too much antibiotics in the gold fish tank, or from the crushing pressure that comes with human affection.
What these people need to understand is that patience and moderation, as opposed to restlessness and exaggeration, are key to keeping their gold fish alive and well. Caring for gold fish is all well and good, but not when surviving your love becomes a struggle.
