Menu

Beware of the mermaid syndrome

Posted by James, 03 Oct

Half human, half fish she may be, but irresistibly beautiful. Going by the fairy tale The Little Mermaid, mermaids lived under water and every so often came to the surface to lure sailors to the depths of the ocean. Their weapon: their enthralling faces and sexy voices. Let’s not forget the tragic consequences seeing as men couldn’t breathe under water.

In the Coastal town of Kenya in Africa, there are similar stories to the mermaid mythology of intoxicatingly attractive women with hooves for feet. The men who get spellbound in their beauty have found themselves naked atop some isolated coconut tree, after being woken up by the ocean breeze on their naked behinds. :lol: (I had to laugh out loud coz my narrator finished off with “true story.”)

Find your soulmate on InterracialDatingCentral

Join Free

Coming to reality, we have mermaids; the irresistible woman with catastrophic consequences when you fall for her. She oozes temptation that seems so heavenly. Not the typical beauty…stunning! Just like the mermaids. And when she walks, sirens and car alarms go off. And what separates them from the typical beauties is their innocence. It’s like they are unaware of the effect they have on us.

Men have gotten into the claws of these innocent, irresistible women. They get hooked on. They even dump their wives or fiancés and propose to the ‘mermaids.’ Then comes the brutal wake up call! The woman isn’t as innocent. Every man in the bar seems to know your ‘fiancé’ a little too well. Everyone is flirting with her and she seems to be basking in adulation. The façade shatters. The man realizes he is just another sucker who served the purpose.

The seductress has always captivated men. And there are different stories of how men have been duped by their killer looks. Every culture has its version … Cleopatra, The Little Mermaid, Madonna, Marilyn Monroe. And who are most vulnerable? Married men!

Remember Eve’s damning apple? It’s another analogy. Everything is so fine until you take a small bite and suddenly…clarity dawns on you. Not everything is what it seems. Looks sure do kill. Watch out!

Related Stories

More Advice Articles

30 responses to "Beware of the mermaid syndrome"

Leave a reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

  1.   GlossyKitty says:
    Posted: 02 Jun 12

    This sounds like nothing more than the classic case of the "femme fatale"

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  2.   Mayittaliz23 says:
    Posted: 26 Feb 12

    The Kenya example worries me. I am from Kenya but does it mean I should be branded mermaid before being given a chance? Not all girls are opportunistic. I have seen those pairs locally, a sixty or older foreign guy with a teenage girl. Seriously? Do you expect her to love you?? She has little idea what love is in the first place... I'd warn the people visiting to avoid the pretty little ones at the coast,they are called beach girls. They will give you all the loving you need as long as you keep the money coming, they will rip you off and leave you empty at heart and in the pocket. Take your time to find a nice girl who actually works for a living and is educated. Otherwise Kenyan beach girls will make a living out of you.

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  3.   sunflower211 says:
    Posted: 28 Jun 11

    Mermaids are not just in the sea but they are on dating websites also posing as sweet,innocent,vulnerable things when in reality they are nothing but a monster! They entice men with careful words and promises they never intend to deliver. The men don't realize this until it's too late. I don't feel sorry for the men because while they were drooling over the "mermaids" the real and genuine women were being overlooked! FYI: Eve did not eat an apple. The bible never says what fruit she took a bite out of.

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  4.   fkoi says:
    Posted: 21 Feb 10

    Loved your post Ms. Osunbaby. Especially point 2). Substitute every female reference in the article with an ethnic group and this blog would be on fire. The male writers who have written histories have been trying to blame The Fall on wily females since before these stories were written. Either men have to accept responsibility for their own foibles or accept that these sirens are only doing God's work so that the weak men can repent of their sins. It is also interesting that many marine biologists attribute the myth of the mermaid to manatee sightings or some like creature. Now a manatee's mama sure loves her baby but... Remember, getting up that coconut tree butt-naked may be fun, but getting back down can be a real problem.

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  5.   osunbaby says:
    Posted: 20 Sep 09

    1) "In the Coastal town of Kenya in Africa..." Kenya is a country in Africa, not a town. Look at your map. 2) This article had a grain of truth like a grain of sand, pearlised into spectacular nonsense. What a wholly inadequate commentary, with gaps in observation and poorly drawn analogies. There are other mermaid deities in Africa that don't have anything to do with 'man eating'. Yemoja/Yemaya/Iemanja/Yemonja and Mami Wata... look it up. In a relationship, both people are responsible for their conduct. If you are married, and you get hooked by a 'mermaid'... you were down there looking for a hook and you are mentally, spiritually and emotionally weak and lacking in character. That's all there is to it... Think you on this: Maybe this sort of woman exists merely to expose you for the shallow bit of fluff you are. :steupse:

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  6.   Ichibod says:
    Posted: 17 Jun 09

    Mermaid Syndrome is a metaphore that describes anything that draws away a man's attention from purpose or goals. The mermaid is portrayed as a beautiful woman because it is something that all men can relate to on many different levels but does not have to be a women. Sailors on the high seas for no reason? Not harldy. But what ever the reason, purpose, mission, or job the mermaid caused the sailors to stray from the path. Women who beg the question, "Well what about men who blah blah blah, and do this, that, and the other to women?", evidently never heard myths regarding Incubi and Succubi. The Incubus (male) and the Succubus (female) preyed upon the opposite sexes for many of the same reasons we claim men and woman do today. The incubus takes advantage of sleeping women to father children and for other perveted pleasures while the succubus preys upon sleeping men to draw out there life energy. These demons were never spoken of one without the other over a millenium ago yet in 2009 a blog contains so many 'What about men' questions and props to the mermaid from women in the blog who evidently fell victim to a merman at some point in there lives. Props to the merman perhaps? Everybody plays a fool. Out of 25 posts, 3 are from men (including myself) and 22 are from women (and only one of those made any sense regarding the topic (ddlight)). There is absolutely nothing wrong with what NYBIGDADDY said. Every comment directed toward him accused him of having feelings or motives that he clearly was not trying to convey. He said: "I never said that I/we as men should act on our feelings just that they are there. The original question was about The Mermaid Syndrome. How can a man get caught up by a mermaid. Feminine wilds abound." What's so hard to understand about that? "That said, don’t get me wrong, there are many people out there that prey on the opposite sex for their own gain." Seems like he recognizes that men at times are equally quilty of this behavior. Did those words somehow jump off of your screen when you first read his post? The problem I see in a lot of these blogs is that people don't read. Mzfierce, good to see you again. Your situation is somewhat different seeing that you were really an innocent victim. Maybe you fell too deeply for him, but at the same time he was living a double life. Don't you just hate the way love tends to hurt sometimes.

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  7.   mzfierce says:
    Posted: 04 Apr 09

    I can share a very discerning experience similar to this scenario, except, it was the other way around. A married man pursued me with all his might. I was attracted to him, let him into my life and then when he couldn't keep up with our relationship, he left me in the dust. I was unaware of his marriage but became suspicious after he started making excuses why we couldn't meet, how something came up and we would make plans to get together and he wouldn't show up. One day, his phone dialed my number by accident and you can just imagine how much I learned being on the other end of the receiver...including, about his lie that he only had one child...LOSER!!! I still think about him often and it hurts.

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  8.   stillahippie says:
    Posted: 24 Feb 09

    Well said, Babycherub. This post is so misogynistic and idiotic. I'm kind of amazed it is STILL on this website. By the way, women or men who act like "Mermaids" of "Mermen" are most likely acting out on a sexual addiction. That kind of behavior (desparately needing outside sexual attention from every man or woman in the bar) is often indicative of someone who was sexually abused early in life and still acting out sexually in an addictive, compulsive way. As for the men or women who leave their spouse for these "Mer-people", they are acting out in a sexually addictive way also. Instead of pointing the finger of blame on "Mer-People", perhaps a visit to the therapist is in order here!

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  9.   Babycherub says:
    Posted: 23 Feb 09

    I find the post appalling and degrading as women being compared to fantasy characters of folk tales and myths. Men and Women are both equally to blame if they are in it for a game.

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  10.   cw says:
    Posted: 25 Dec 08

    What Boh said is extremely profound...People often chase things which do not exist...i.e., perfection...

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  11.   sassykae says:
    Posted: 13 Dec 08

    This is interesting, to characterize an adult (male) as incapable of being able to make a decision using the sounds principles they practice in life. It's depressing to see that in this day and age we still relinquish blame for bad decisions on the fact that the "mermaid" was too beautiful and "I just couldn't resist". Betrayal is despicable not matter the beauty of the recepient.

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  12.   MariaMFA says:
    Posted: 18 Oct 08

    LOL!! It's always the woman's fault... Please... LOL- If you fall for another pretty face and you are that weak, then you probably made a mistake being with the person you are with or married, in the first place. If it doesn't work out with the mermaid, you wish you had the old relationship back (comfort factor). But you will probably "fall in love" again with another mermaid and the cycle continues... It takes a lot of courage to break off a relationship and find the "right" person. If you aren't honest in your current relationship, then you are positioned to keep only finding "mermaids" as you are not free to truly find the person that's better suited for you. PEACE!!

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  13.   morninflower says:
    Posted: 15 Oct 08

    Oh lawdy lawd! I guess I should add this to my profile? being that I am of Kenyan Heritage and all? perhaps this will up my "stock value"! "Mermaid on the loose - be warned - you may end up naked ..perched high up on a coconut tree" :) :) lol! this article is hilarious! - but in all seriousness though; I would hope that we all fall in love for the right reasons :)!

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  14.   boh says:
    Posted: 14 Oct 08

    Uh people there are no such things as mermaids. These were ancient stories told by sailors that had probably been in one storm too many. When you've been out as sea as long as most of them had. Almost anything can look like a woman ie..Dolphins. As far as to what the author was relating to. Try picking better women next time. Or staying with the one your with. If you feel that that is over then move on. You can have it one way or the other not both.

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  15.   msbayousexy says:
    Posted: 12 Oct 08

    I believe that people get used all the time. We aren't interested in people being around us if they can't contribute some kind of way. We are like that with our spouses, family, friends, etc. To me it is no different for a single female that wants what she wants. I do agree that we all can be a little scandalous at times. We usually have our own best interests at hand. I won't sit here and try and act as if I am better than these "mermaids" because I am not. I don't believe in mermaids. We all at one point or another exhibit the same type of behavior in one way or another to someone. The NY guy is talking out his you know what because he wants to say that men can't help the way that they are, well okay then, women are supposed too have so much control over there feelings and actions? Also if you want to comment on a subject, then comment on all of it,if you feel you have to defend what you wrote. For example, you said that men's first instinct is self-preservation, now if this is true and the man is married, wouldnt his first thought after seeing a mermaid and admiring her would be that it is not worth it to put his health or the woman he is supposed to spend the rest of his life for at risk?....... Second, why do we go out of our way to look attractive for men? Personally I don't, I can walk out in sweats and men are all over me. Wake up "Mr NY I hate living in NY" you are probably one of the main reasons a lot of women who have low self esteem believe in al these products. Do you mean to tell me that women who likes to flaunt and fix up themselves to seem more appealing to men are worse than men who spend just as much to enlarge certain areas of their bodies as well? I might be that "mermaid" that you need to watch out for Mr NY because if you havent noticed yet, it's a dog eat dog world. Only the strong survive, so if you want to continue to say its a "mermaid" thing and categorize women for not letting men like you step over them and reversing the roles that is exactly what you will get in the long run.

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  16.   1rockgodess says:
    Posted: 10 Oct 08

    Sorry meant to say wat they see aint what they're gonna get...

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  17.   1rockgodess says:
    Posted: 10 Oct 08

    well said missyW.... only it's d case of what they (men) ain't what they gonna get..ha! ha! ha! and d spouse might be broken but it is said, "he who laffs lat, laughs best." peace there's only 1rockgodess.

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  18.   missyW says:
    Posted: 09 Oct 08

    I guess that just goes to show how shallow men can be...they only look for the "Miss America" float in every parade, instead of being interested in a woman because of her inner beauty and and her beautiful mind. There are so many really great women at there with everything going for them, who are passed by because most men are looking for the proverbial "mermaid." So I say to all of you mermaids out there "Heres to you all!!!, Give Em Hell"

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  19.   NYBIGDADDY says:
    Posted: 08 Oct 08

    I really think that you have my thoughts wrong. Ms stillahippie, I never said that I/we as men should act on our feelings just that they are there. The original question was about The Mermaid Syndrome. How can a man get caught up by a mermaid. Feminine wilds abound. There many topics in books and magazines about how to hone those skills. We as men don't have those same topics in our magazines. That said, don't get me wrong, there are many people out there that prey on the opposite sex for their own gain. That is one of the main reasons that I want to leave NY. If you read MY profile you'll see that this is NOT the way that I want to live. But the topic of this blog is to discuss our feelings and opinions on The Mermaid Syndrome. And finally, yes there ARE male AND female mermaids.

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  20.   stillahippie says:
    Posted: 08 Oct 08

    Wow, I'm glad that most of the world does not share the same misogynistic theology that NYBIGDADDY does, or attractive women everywhere will be burnt at the stake, "in the name or God". Many indigenous spiritual beliefs (yes, I'm part Native) believe in a Creator that is male and female and mysteriously BEYOND gender. In addition they believe in kindness and common sense. Don't cheat on your spouse. It is okay to admire and appreciate a beautiful woman or a handsome man. However, is it your Higher Power's (God, Great Spirit, Allah, whatever you say) will for you to dump your spouse in a month and be with the beautiful person?? Probably not. And yes, BOTH men and women can't stop their feelings of attraction to someone who is beautiful. But it is the domain of adulthood to know how to appropriately act or NOT ACT on those feelings of attraction. (DUH) So don't demonize women who are beautiful. If they lie, manipulate, cheat, and steal, you can loudly object, and we women will do the same for man who behave badly. All of this is just common sense, and kindness. stillahippie

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  21.   NYBIGDADDY says:
    Posted: 07 Oct 08

    I think that there is a fundamental difference in the understanding of men and women. The primary instinct in a man is self-preservation, the second is procreation. GOD put that in to populate HIS world. ( I believe women have this as well) I believe that the nurturing instinct is stronger in a woman. We CAN'T help ourselves in being attracted to a woman (or different women) But then why do women go out of their way to be attractive to men? " Vanity thy name is woman" Their is that mermaid (to different degrees) in EVERY woman. Someone said this once and I agree "Men use romance to get sex and women use sex to get romance"

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  22.   cocobaker813 says:
    Posted: 07 Oct 08

    Ok, there are "mermaids" out there who lure men in , wring them up, and leave them a shell of their former selves. I've even seen a few of them at work. But what about the man who(as James has asserted)is married yet chasing the mermaid? Why shouldn't his downfall be the universe delivering the smackdown for his straying outside his vows? What do we call the man who is doing the exact same thing "mermaids" do? Because there are men out there who live off a woman and expect her to pay for his every whim. The reason why "mermaid/men" exist are in the tales; the lure was so good, they didn't bother to check out anything, then it was too late when they got closer and really saw the real deal. Too many times as a younger woman, I saw the style but not the substance. Nowadays, the substance has to outshine the style.

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  23.   1rockgodess says:
    Posted: 06 Oct 08

    er! Ever heard, "what goes around comes around?" ;)

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  24.   ddlight says:
    Posted: 06 Oct 08

    .....OMG...now I have read everything...first of all if the male that is oh so vulnerable and un-responsible wouldn't woo the mermaid to pay attention to him the poor fool would never fall into the arms of probably what might have been a good start to the relationship "if" he would have only been honest and up front with a small bit of Integrity....!!! If we ladies don't do a good job screening these men that want to live it to the MAX we would be used and abused at every chance given....not that there aren't some wonderful and honest men around..because there are.....but most of those kind and caring men...don't look like Hercules....and flaunt it about everywhere...

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  25.   teestar says:
    Posted: 06 Oct 08

    What about the men? Oh, it was written by a man. That sob story is on both sides of the coin. I as a woman, have felt foolish and embarrassed for trusting a man. I realized that it was all a set-up from the beginning. I found that I was being stalked for years by the person that I actually married. And he abused me mentally and physically and blamed me for his past troubles. Anyways, we're all vulnerable to preditors like that out there. You can't put the blame on one gender; both gender's are responsible for that type of behavior they exhibit. Women aren't the only gold-diggers; women aren't the only one's who'd trick someone into marriage; women aren't the only ones who commit infedelity and women aren't the only one's who's known at the bars. I call this the 'courage the cowardly dog' syndrome. Where both men and women muster up the courage to rather blame the other as oppose to taking a good look at themselves, and place some (most times all) blame and responsibility there.

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  26.   1rockgodess says:
    Posted: 06 Oct 08

    What goes around comes around.. ever heard dat? :) ofcourse you have!

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  27.   1rockgodess says:
    Posted: 06 Oct 08

    what goes around comes aroud...ever heard dat? :) of course you have!

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  28.   NYBIGDADDY says:
    Posted: 05 Oct 08

    I believe this to be true more often than not. I've met many women (especially here in NY ) that have ulterior motives. There was even a story in the news recently that had a man that met a woman on a populer site. When he went to meet this woman he was met by two men with guns. SCARY. Beautiful women abound. The thing about meeting in public places protect the men as well as the women.

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  29.   pepsi5451 says:
    Posted: 05 Oct 08

    First, any woman or human being with hooved feet would scare the daylights out of me. No spell is that great that you can overlook that. Second, yes, if he's married and cheating....then I guess the Mermaid was his karma. Can't cheat Murphy.

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment
  30.   2bfabu says:
    Posted: 04 Oct 08

    Give me a break! Are you kidding me??? First, there are so many men who have duped women, we've all stopped counting. Second, the writer mentioned that most of these men, were married...they needed to be duped! They were cheating on their wives! Poor them? Again, give me a break!

    Like or Dislike: or 0 (0)
    Reply to this comment

Advice

Find your soulmate on InterracialDatingCentral

Join Free

Coaching Testimonial

"My online love inspiration angel"

Submitted by: Patricia, USA, 21

To be honest, in the beginning, I thought it would be a waste of time. But since I've never seen a similar service in any other dating site, I decided to give it a try.

I always "thought" my profile was on point and I did not need any help to correct my page. I always had in my profile if someone is not attracted to my profile, then that's "their" loss.

BOY WAS I WRONG!!

I will never forget my first time using the Coaching Service I was introduced to my personal Dating Coach. Let me put it this way, if it was not for her I would have given up long time ago (even though I'm a new member).

She taught me so many things and gave me good advice, I did not want to stop chatting with her at all.

She opened my eyes to many possibilities when finding love. She is definitely an inspiration and I appreciate a whole lot. She is more than a Dating Coach to me; she is more of a close friend/guide to me. She is definitely my "online love-inspiration angel".

Find out more

Most Popular

Your Comments

Site links