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Why Do Skeptics Take Bigfoot Seriously?


Guest OntarioSquatch

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Guest OntarioSquatch

I know there are many proponents who take Bigfoot seriously, but then there are also those who say such a thing can't exist and is a waste of time, but at the same time they devote hours each and every day to the subject. How come?

Edited by OntarioSquatch
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Well, because there are a lot of people that find it fun to tackle the subject in all seriousness...and, there are some that just like to tell people off and think that they're always 100% right. That's the way I see it.

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new version of an old question, i did something similar when i started in BFF 1.0.

some seem to view skepticism as a calling to spread the word, & forums such as these give them an audience,allowing them to show us the error of our ways.

but for most, i'd say it's the love of a good argument that they take so seriously,more so than BF.

so, since you can't really prove something doesn't exist & nobody has proven publicly that BF does exist...... you get the perfect topic for decades worth of circular arguments & forum fun.

maybe more of the skeptically minded here should join the PMP & jump in the tar pit discussion, seems to be a noticeable shortage of them there.

Edited by slicktrick
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Guest Roberty-Bob

Because I don't see any reason why it couldn't exist, just that I haven't seen any evidence that proves - for me, personally - that it does exist. I've been fascinated with the big guy since I saw "The Legend of Boggy Creek" at a drive-in when I was 11 years old. I love the mythology, the campfire tales nature of it all. And I'm also fascinated with people who claim to have clear and unencumbered sightings, with no doubt in their minds to what they saw. People who seem earnest and sincere and level-headed. So I pay attention to the subject, refuse to call anyone a liar (while knowing full well people do it all the time - just for kicks even), and maintain the right to expect better evidence.

If the big guy is real, for those of you that have seen one I don't know whether to envy you or feel sorry for you. I think we all, at one time or another, have had the frustrating feeling of knowing you were 100% right on something and have been treated dismissively or laughed at. Sucks, don't it? I have no interest in making fun of anyone or scoffing at them. I have no interest in arguing with anyone - believe me there are a LOT of things I have less belief in than BF, and so have no interest in reading about or arguing over the merits of them. But I do BF, and it's simple as that.

So I will take it seriously, even if I'm not a believer. Like a lot of so-called "fringe" interests, there is a sliding scale of credibility for me. When I see things like the pics of the "Jacob's bear" that certain people are so convinced is a BF when it clearly looks like a mangy bear to me, it makes it harder for me to take the subject seriously. But the sincerity of a lot of you here, and the fact that the PGF still makes the on the back of my neck stand up, keeps me interested.

I've said it before and will continue to say it from the bottom of my heart: I'm rooting for you guys - you BF detectives. I truly am. PROVE it to me.

Edited by Roberty-Bob
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I know there are many proponents who take Bigfoot seriously, but then there are also those who say such a thing can't exist and is a waste of time, but at the same time they devote hours each and every day to the subject. How come?

I've been wondering exactly the same thing last couple of days.

Is it something in the air ... or just a pure boredom with the repetitious invalidations?

Perhaps the Skoftics are not wasting their time on Bigfoot. They are wasting their time on us Proponents. :declare:

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Similar questions have been asked on here before.

I have always been interested in mysterious subjects including sasquatch.

When my one grandmother gave me a copy of John Green's On the track of sasquatch back in 1975 (I still have the book) I was convinced that sasquatch existed and we would prove it in just a few years.

I grew up in a rural area of BC and hunted for sasquatch whenever I could, before I had my license I would hike, ride the trails on my mini-bike or pedal bike.

At 16 I started 4x4'ing as well

I started deer hunting in elementary school with my dad and always looked for sasquatch sign when hunting.

At some point in my early 20's I realized I no longer believed in the existence of sasquatch.

Even while raising a family I kept a casual interest in it, but more so because I still liked to research all things mysterious.

A couple of years ago I saw Thomas Steenburg's landrover driving around town and it reminded me of my interest.

So I started devoting more time to the subject, I've even started looking for them again

I do not believe that sasquatch exist or for that matter ever existed in the New World, but I would love to be proven wrong

As far as you proponents go, and please don't take this the wrong way

I really don't care if you believe in sasquatch or not, just as you shouldn't care that I don't believe

I enjoy looking at the evidence and evaluating it for myself

I regularly meet in person with a small group of researchers all of whom believe that sasquatch exist

I don't think they understand why I don't think the PGF video is real, but we all enjoy researching the subject and discussing what we have found

Edited by MagniAesir
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Ontario, do you question why mulder is here? He said he likes the "debate" over bigfoot more than the resolution. Does him being a "proponent" absolve him from questioning?

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The debate is FUN. Many people question things that they do not know, or are secretly drawn to for one reason or another.

Even if the doubters continue to doubt, they are still accepted into the community.

Community and "love" from that and I use love in the loosest sense of the term is a vital part of being human.

St. G-

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Guest Theagenes

Because I don't see any reason why it couldn't exist, just that I haven't seen any evidence that proves - for me, personally - that it does exist. I've been fascinated with the big guy since I saw "The Legend of Boggy Creek" at a drive-in when I was 11 years old. I love the mythology, the campfire tales nature of it all. And I'm also fascinated with people who claim to have clear and unencumbered sightings, with no doubt in their minds to what they saw. People who seem earnest and sincere and level-headed. So I pay attention to the subject, refuse to call anyone a liar (while knowing full well people do it all the time - just for kicks even), and maintain the right to expect better evidence.

If the big guy is real, for those of you that have seen one I don't know whether to envy you or feel sorry for you. I think we all, at one time or another, have had the frustrating feeling of knowing you were 100% right on something and have been treated dismissively or laughed at. Sucks, don't it? I have no interest in making fun of anyone or scoffing at them. I have no interest in arguing with anyone - believe me there are a LOT of things I have less belief in than BF, and so have no interest in reading about or arguing over the merits of them. But I do BF, and it's simple as that.

So I will take it seriously, even if I'm not a believer. Like a lot of so-called "fringe" interests, there is a sliding scale of credibility for me. When I see things like the pics of the "Jacob's bear" that certain people are so convinced is a BF when it clearly looks like a mangy bear to me, it makes it harder for me to take the subject seriously. But the sincerity of a lot of you here, and the fact that the PGF still makes the on the back of my neck stand up, keeps me interested.

I've said it before and will continue to say it from the bottom of my heart: I'm rooting for you guys - you BF detectives. I truly am. PROVE it to me.

This very much sums up my experience and reason for being here as well.

First of all I'm not a big fan of all the labels and they seem to be somewhat loaded terms around here. I would describe myself as more agnostic on the existence of BF though I take a skeptical approach when it comes to looking the evidence.

I've always been interested in the mysterious, the paranormal, alternative history, and other Fortean fun. But while I enjoy speculating and discussing these things, I need to be convinced with solid evidence. I always try to keep an open mind and not dismiss anything out of hand. It would be the height of arrogance to think we know everything there is to know about the world and the universe. Personally I think a world with a few mysteries left in it is a much more fun and interseting place. :)

I don't understand why people think that you can't take a skeptical approach and yet still be fascinated by subjects like BF.

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Guest Cervelo

IMO they could exist and that's based on some personal experince.

But I also think 99.9% of the evidence malarkey.

Edited by Cervelo
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I have no experience, but have no doubt of their existence, but agree most of the evidence is dubious. Some skeptics just enjoy the debate, but from what I have seen, the skeptics here want the proof and the debate to be over. The real fun will be the next debate. What are they? What attributes can be ascribed to them?

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Guest Cervelo

For me it's three pronged.

First I want to see one if I did, I most likley would post here little if ever.

Second there's a wide gulf between personal conviction and scientific proof which many of the most vocal proponents here don't seem to grasps at times.

I could really careless if they are proven scientifically, but the evidence so far will not stand the test that all others have passed, nor should the criteria be changed for Bigfoot.

Third having spent a good portion of my life enjoying the outdoors and having numerous "what heck moments".

Some quite bizzare but not biggie related, (some could be) but all anecdotal in nature.

I find some the evidence proffered extremely misleading for those that may not have a lot of outdoors experience, kinda like Finding Bigfoot, eveything in the woods is squatchy!

The aspect of this that does get my dander up, is what I would consider fear mongering, Missing 411 is a great example of complete BS.

The second most dangerous thing out there when your out and about is yourself and the first was the drive to the trailhead.

So there's this skeptics opinion for what it's worth but based on my 40 some years of kicking around the woods, seen some cool stuff but nothing very convincing IMO.

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I know there are many proponents who take Bigfoot seriously, but then there are also those who say such a thing can't exist and is a waste of time, but at the same time they devote hours each and every day to the subject. How come?

It's a subject that they know nobody at this stage can prove so they utilize it to substantiate they're own ideals that there is no bigfoot.

Why people waste so much time on something they think doesn't exist also shows me that they don't have much else going on in their lives.

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