The Errant Æsthete

With a plot worthy of Pirates of the Caribbean, The New Yorker tells the bombastic story of Paul Watson, founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society — a vigilante organization formed “to protect the world’s marine life from the destructive habits and the voracious appetites of humankind.” Watson engages in high-seas battles against whale-hunting ships, and has earned support from everyone from Martin Sheen to the Dalai Lama. While the article paints Watson as a heroic activist, it also makes you wonder just how far his love for whales might go.