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Skeptical Bigfoot Articles

William Parcher said:
One huge element that is missing from the whole Bigfoot thing are confessions and stories from admitted Bigfoot hoaxers and liars.
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You don't want the Bigfooters to find out you are a hoaxer... you REALLY don't want them to find out.
 
HarryHenderson said:
Thank you! FINALLY! Another Bigfoot thread! Sheesh, we've been waiting and waiting and for like a couple hours or so, but absolutely nada NOTHING. And then POOF, just like that thar she blows. Like the time when PetesPeat posted the realization we had completely forgot about the plastic inner lining zipper in the upper left sleeve of Patterson's first trial suit, the one he used solely to scare his local Yakima neighbors. It was immediately back to the forum drawing board for ALL of us. We didn't know where to go or who to talk to anymore. The confusion was unbearable. For a moment there it was like maybe Bigfoot actually did exist. We figured it out of course, it was a broke Pitman arm on Patterson's '69 Firebird. But still, I remember the fallout. It was brutal! I still call William Parcher, William Parcher and Drew, Drew because of it.

It happens that way sometimes though. You close your eyes and you wish and you wish for something 'til you can't wish fer it no more, and then, if you were good, and if you wished enough, and if you really believe, it all really does come true. I wished like that for a new Bigfoot thread and I'll be dog gonned here it lay. And hey I'm just the messenger. It's like a new law or something. I read about it on the Internet. JREF I think.

Regardless, from all of us down here at NEWSe7en! Bigfoot headquarters, thank you to you and your crew for making it happen. :p
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If you ask nicely I'll start another one just for you.
 
William Parcher said:
Skeptics make the mistake of thinking that the Bigfoot issue is just a question of the existence or nonexistence of a hypothetical animal. The problem is that believers don't treat it as simply that. The problem is that Bigfoot makes them feel good. Feel smart. Feel empowered. Feel privileged. Feel closer to their God. Etc.
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Exactly. Although on the surface it may appear irrational to be a bigfoot proponent, that is only when you don't understand their objectives.

There is a rational mathematics involved here where one of the important elements is how easy it is to be a bigfoot proponent. Attaining normal goals takes a lot of hard work over a long period of time.

To enter the club with bigfoot, all you need to do for example is lie about having had an encounter. There are only a handful of manipulative strategies you need to operate with in peddling the bigfoot myth and any fool can learn them.
 
AlaskaBushPilot said:
Exactly. Although on the surface it may appear irrational to be a bigfoot proponent, that is only when you don't understand their objectives.

There is a rational mathematics involved here where one of the important elements is how easy it is to be a bigfoot proponent. Attaining normal goals takes a lot of hard work over a long period of time.

To enter the club with bigfoot, all you need to do for example is lie about having had an encounter. There are only a handful of manipulative strategies you need to operate with in peddling the bigfoot myth and any fool can learn them.
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I, for one, always look forward to your posts, ABP. Your analysis usually riles me up to break several MA agreements as they relate to the BF threads, and that never helps move discussion forward.

Any way you could detail you experience with manipulative techiniques, perhaps in a new thread, if thats called for? Doesn't have to be all-encompassing, but something that develops over time, as a resource?

Ultimately, I know the problem is mine. So no pressure here. I have learned to abide. But I do look forward to your posts on the subject of manipulative tactics.
 
dmaker said:
I love stick structures. Nothing says cozy in -30 weather like sitting beneath two crossed branches.
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You know D, its not the physical structure of the sticks that create the warmth...its how they align with the magnetic fields and Nazca lines and Stonehenge and pyramids and such that creates a warming force field.

As far as the BFF thing, unless you have time to waste, don't bother.
 
Northern Lights said:
I agree with everything you said in this post. Well done.

What I find disappointing is that this subject turns into a contest where a winner must be declared, and thumping of chests can occur. Personally, I would much rather have it be a collaborative effort whereas we work together, but it is what it is.
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I don't think that Bigfoot knowers and Bigfoot denialists can work together for anything.

I would imagine that the Knower seeks scientific confirmation. But what does the Denialist seek?
 
Northern Lights said:
Converts.
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I do not deny BF exists because I am trying to convince BF believers that they should let go of their beliefs and join me and my ilk.

I deny BF exists because he doesn't, unless and until you or anyone else can prove otherwise.

I have never had the impression, after years lurking this corner of BF threads, that anyone has actively tried to 'convert' a believer. I have seen some let go of their belief in bigfoot, but there was no coersion, just a light-bulb moment of clarity.

I have observed claims of existence being countered with rational arguments. To call that conversion is to discount a person's ability to change one's mind due to a preponderance, or in this case, lack of, evidence.

As a matter of fact, if a clear BF believer were to log onto these boards one day and declare they had 'converted' to denialist, I would be not be very enthused. That indicates they are simply taking their irrationality with them to another 'side' of the argument.

I'd much rather they said: 'Realized this morning that none of it adds up. I'm letting go of bigfoot until I see some evidence.' That person is not converted. They are just thinking about it all nice and hard, in the spirit of this forum.
 
Northern Lights said:
Converts.
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I do not seek converts. Then again I don't consider myself a "denialist".

I'm still interested in useable evidence, though I admit that I have no expectation of ever being introduced to any.

My purpose is to see that there is at least some counter pressure on the hoax and the profiteers.

I have no illusions of converting anyone or of stopping the hoax or the profiteers.

All you have to do is look at Rick Dyer and see the believers following him again, to realize there is little hope of ending the fantasy or ending the parting of fools and their money over bigfoot.

If I cause someone to see through the hoax, that's fine, but it is not really my goal, and I doubt I have ever had that effect.
 
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It's nice to think that a skeptical viewpoint would have some effect on the bigfoot enthusiast mindset, but there's no data to suggest such a thing. If you wander over to the BFF, eliminate the bs-ers, the con artists, and the simpletons, you're left with a number of people who exhibit some mental health issues and seem to have chosen the rabbit hole with no bigfoot at the bottom. It's too bad because for the most part, no one there will suggest a mental health professional but instead, a premium membership.
 
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I have suggested mental health checkups in the past for some folks. That's a fast way to warning points and/or banning.
 
William Parcher said:
What would be required for you to now come to believe that Bigfoot does not exist?
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If I were purely an internet researcher, having never gone out into the field then I probably would agree that it doesn't exist, but that's not the case. It's my personal experiences that have derived my conclusions, so I can't think of anything that anyone could say that would change my mind.

I use this forum to vet some of my experiences which I believe helps me. I don't expect others to accept my conclusions because I haven't been able to provide anything more than stories to this point, but I'm still trying to obtain better and better evidence. We'll see if someday I'm successful.
 
Northern Lights said:
If I were purely an internet researcher, having never gone out into the field then I probably would agree that it doesn't exist, but that's not the case. It's my personal experiences that have derived my conclusions, so I can't think of anything that anyone could say that would change my mind.

I use this forum to vet some of my experiences which I believe helps me. I don't expect others to accept my conclusions because I haven't been able to provide anything more than stories to this point, but I'm still trying to obtain better and better evidence. We'll see if someday I'm successful.
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Is your "field experience" that story about the thermal image?
 
Northern Lights said:
If I were purely an internet researcher, having never gone out into the field then I probably would agree that it doesn't exist, but that's not the case. It's my personal experiences that have derived my conclusions, so I can't think of anything that anyone could say that would change my mind.

I use this forum to vet some of my experiences which I believe helps me. I don't expect others to accept my conclusions because I haven't been able to provide anything more than stories to this point, but I'm still trying to obtain better and better evidence. We'll see if someday I'm successful.
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I'm willing to bet you any amount of money, gummy bears, or jelly beans, that you'll never have anything more than stories, NL, and it's not because you're not the Indiana Jones of Bigfootin', it's because the 'Squatch isn't out there, he's in your mind-telly, your think-box, your ole noggin'.

I don't know what kind of experience you've had, or more to the point, what kind of experience you THINK you've had, but I can safely say that you'll always keep finding the evidence that you need to keep believing. I honestly am baffled as to how being an "internet researcher" can hinder ones pursuit of something like Bigfoot, when the internet is the only legit place where we can actually find such a nonsensical and useless creature.

There's (a few) people in the UK that actually believe Yeti's exist in Scotland, Wales and even parts of England, even as close to me as Tarbock! People will believe what they choose to believe, regardless of never ever having anything more than what you have, stories. Stories are great, they're great to pass around the campfire with a few toasted marshmallows, but when the smoke clears, all that's left is the storyteller and his audience.

I'd be 100% willing to eat humble-pie if you could find something more realistic than stories, because if I wanted useless fiction, I'd read the Daily Mail.
 
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