• Fondots@lemmy.world
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      11 days ago

      I’m up voting because that’s exactly what this thread is for

      But man, do I think that’s a stupid take.

      I’m not gonna say you need to become a good swimmer and do it regularly with great form, or even enjoy doing it at all.

      But I think everyone should learn at least how to do an acceptable doggy paddle, tread water, and float. Swimming should really be regarded as a basic life skill like basic first aid or knowing that you should get the hell out of a burning building.

      Do you ever find yourself near any lakes or rivers, the ocean, swimming pools, etc? Walking along them, riding over them on a bridge in a car or train, etc. Then there’s a chance you could end up in that water, and if you can’t swim you stand a very real chance of dying, and possibly of dragging someone down with you if they jump in to help.

      Hell, even if you don’t live anywhere near a body of water, flash floods can happen in some pretty unlikely places, including in the middle of a desert.

      Unless you have some physical disabilities that genuinely prevent you from swimming, you can probably get the basics down in less than an hour, then you can get out of the pool and hopefully never need to use those skills again if you really don’t like it.

    • AA5B@lemmy.world
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      10 days ago

      That opinion definitely fits this thread …. But I wanted to add that the college I went to is one of the few that still requires passing a swimming test for all incoming freshmen. It used to be considered an important life skill to at least not die if you end up in the water, but I guess most people don’t think that’s important anymore

    • starman2112@sh.itjust.works
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      10 days ago

      I don’t need to learn to swim, I have thalassophobia. My plan if I ever fall into deep water is to die from a heart attack before I drown

      • BryyM@lemmy.world
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        11 days ago

        I am number three, it is quite easy to learn and it can save your life.

        • daggermoon@piefed.world
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          11 days ago

          I’m scared to learn. Mostly because of trauma.

          Edit: I just remembered this clip from the movie WarGames and I relate.

          • BryyM@lemmy.world
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            11 days ago

            Well, you don’t have to be in water to learn the basics. If you have a chair you can lay down on your stomach and practice doing the paddling with your feet, and both the crawl/breaststroke movements until you feel confident that you do know them

            • daggermoon@piefed.world
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              11 days ago

              I’ll look into it. Thank you. I don’t have the means to learn for real right now but I intend to one day. Hopefully it won’t be so long.

        • Ecco the dolphin@lemmy.ml
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          10 days ago

          Oh. I misunderstood. “Learn to swim” didn’t read as a survival thing to me, I assumed it meant “swim quickly for sport” not “avoid drowning”. I took it for granted not everyone knows how to do this.

          The down votes are still funny.