Metaphorically speaking, according to Weller (2022), the only way to control the covid-19 pandemic pre-vaccine rollout is to “take away the virus’s food supply.” The direct meaning of this metaphor is to remove anything the virus may feed off of to prevent its spread and progress. The covid-19 virus spread rapidly among humans and developed and evolved through its proliferation. To cut off its “food supply” means to cut off close contact between humans to prevent the virus from being passed around and essentially allowed to “feed” off them.
The use of the metaphor by Weller (2022) is inspired by the theory in the film Jaws, that sharks are attracted to humans swimming in water and the disturbance this causes, making a shark attack inevitable. In the movie, it is suggested the only way to control sharks is to kill them or cut off their food supply. Thus, Weller (2022) compares the covid-19 pandemic to the Jaws shark theory, that the only way the virus can be controlled since it is not known how to kill it is to cut off its food supply.
The reason I selected this metaphor is because of its relevance to not only what I study being a microbiology student, but additionally to society and education as we have all been drastically affected by the covid-19 pandemic. The selected metaphor describes a way to help control the spread of covid-19 in a broad sense, however, it also gives room for further interpretation and thought on the implication of what it is suggesting. That is an additional reason why I chose to analyze this metaphor, because of its depth.
What I mean by the metaphor inspiring further thought is that because it is suggesting cutting off contact between humans, one might consider the implications of this and how certain things will be affected, specifically and significantly, education. Educational institutions are an ideal breeding ground for a virus as there are so many different networks the virus can be transmitted through. Students are attending different classes, seeing different friends, are involved in different activities and sports, and additionally have many more opportunities to connect with other humans and thus spread the virus. Cutting off these avenues transforms one’s educational experience entirely.
To cut off covid-19’s “food supply” back in 2020 schools switched to remote teaching and learning, influencing the future of education. Although now in 2023 we are transitioning back to in-person education, the aftermath of switching to completely online school during the pandemic has significantly impacted the way education looks moving forward. Many teachers and professors are now choosing to keep their teaching online as they have developed proficiency and a preference for remote methods. Online education has made immense progress because of the covid-19 pandemic as it forced the world to adapt to the online world and develop the proper tools and resources, paving the way for future online education.
Because of my background in studying microbiology and immunology, I believe the metaphor to be an appropriate statement that cutting off the “food supply” for covid-19 was essential to help prevent the spread of the virus. If humans are not in contact with one another, they cannot transmit the virus among themselves, thus decreasing overall transmission and spread. Although I believe the metaphor to be a correct notion, it does not consider or address the fact that what it is suggesting actually needs to be put into practice. Many individuals ignored covid-19 restrictions and continued to engage in social gatherings thus providing a mass “food supply” for the virus. The social habits of humans are an important factor when considering this metaphor as well as human beliefs. Some individuals ignored covid restrictions because they desired social interaction, while others simply believed the virus to be a hoax. So although I believe the metaphor to be an appropriate statement, one must consider the social implications of Weller (2022)’s statement.
The impact this metaphor may have on individuals is likely minimal. There is so much information going around regarding covid-19 and people are going to believe what they want. Because this metaphor is based on a fictional movie it does not possess much credibility and thus would not be likely to cause any major policy changes. It is a widespread statement that “cutting off the viruses’s food supply” will help prevent the spread of covid-19, however, this world discussion was not influenced by Weller (2022)’s metaphor, and his thoughts were likely based on all of the information on covid-19 already out there.
I picked this specific activity because metaphors are a powerful tool in all fields of education. They help to explain phenomena, behaviors, situations, etc. in simpler terms and provide further context in the form of comparisons. Using a metaphor to compare one situation to another is helpful because it provides an alternative explanation for what may be a complex topic. The analysis of metaphors is especially useful in education because it can open up discussions and provides learning opportunities due to the development of thoughts and opinions on the metaphor’s direct topic and surrounding information.
This activity aligns with my learning goals because it allowed me to consider different methods of learning. In science I generally do not think to use metaphors or research them, however, they can be powerful tools to help explain difficult topics. Additionally, making an infographic for this activity helped me develop further proficiency in presenting information in a clear and concise way online.
Through my critical review of this metaphor, I was able to reflect on how useful different methods of teaching and conveying information online can be, as well as how important it is to adapt to new digital networks for learning in light of education increasingly being delivered online since covid-19. This aligned with my learning goals of seeking out different methods of teaching and learning that may enhance education in the future. Additionally, I learned that metaphors are a useful way to open up discussions and generate deeper thought on certain topics because although metaphors encompass one topic, they frequently have deeper meanings and implications as well. Thus, metaphors often provoke thought, discussion, and curiosity on further topics, giving the potential for one to gain knowledge and enrich learning. In the future, I can see metaphors being beneficial to my own learning and teaching by causing me to go deeper in my analyses and research on topics.
