Why I'm Not Worried About "Monsters of God"
Like most of you, I’ve seen the discussion surrounding the upcoming documentary Monsters of God, presumably set to explore, and perhaps not always favorably, the world of Herpetoculture. Judging by the trailers and promotional material, it appears to follow a structure similar to Tiger King (from the same filmmakers), centering on a handful of the hobby’s most recognizable and unconventional personalities.
I understand why many people are concerned. Media shapes public perception, and documentaries can influence how the public thinks about an activity or community.
That said, I think there are a few reasons to remain measured rather than alarmed.
Whether you enjoyed it or not, Tiger King became a genuine cultural phenomenon. Yet I don’t think most viewers concluded that the average person with a house cat had much in common with someone privately keeping tigers. Most people seemed capable of recognizing that the documentary was examining an unusual corner of an already unusual world, populated by some of its most dramatic personalities.
My expectation is that Monster of God will be received in much the same way. If its focus is giant constrictors, venomous reptiles, and the individuals who make compelling television, that is unlikely to become the public’s mental model of the family down the street with a bearded dragon, leopard gecko, or box turtle. Most people intuitively understand that documentaries often concentrate on the extremes of a distribution rather than its center.
It’s also my understanding that the film’s director is himself a reptile keeper, with an interest in tortoises. Whether that ultimately influences the tone of the documentary remains to be seen, but it is at least a reminder that we should avoid reaching conclusions before the work itself has been released.
Finally, reptiles exist within a fundamentally different legal and cultural landscape than privately owned big cats. Herpetoculture rests on many decades of captive breeding, veterinary medicine, educational outreach, established husbandry practices, and a mature commercial ecosystem that ranges from independent specialty stores to national retailers such as Petco and PetSmart. Millions of people responsibly keep reptiles and amphibians, and that broad foundation makes the hobby considerably more robust than many discussions surrounding this documentary seem to imply.
Perhaps the most rational approach is also the simplest: watch the documentary, evaluate it on its merits, and resist the temptation to assume either the best or the worst before seeing it. If it proves balanced, that’s worth acknowledging. If it proves sensationalized, the most effective response won’t be panic or outrage; it will be continuing to demonstrate, through our own standards and conduct, what responsible Herpetoculture actually looks like.