Guest Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 Telling family and friends is sometimes hard but once in a while amazing things happen... My recently religious parents (they found religion about 10 years ago) don't want to accept that a Bigfoot exists because it conflicts with their beliefs, but my Mom is always looking for the next Bigfoot book to buy me as a gift. And my Dad and I love to get in to debates over the possibility of Bigfoot, and it's awesome because I always win with the simple argument that "you can never prove something doesn't exist" because that is the same argument he uses to defend his belief in a god or gods or whatever it is he believes. My wife teases me about Bigfoot all the time, and has gotten her friends to tease me too, but in the process some of her friends and family have come out of the closet and shared their interest in Bigfoot with me. Lastly, when I was applying to be a Police Officer I had to go through a series of tests and interviews, and during one of the 4 hour long interviews I was asked "what was the last book I read" (they ask questions like that just to get a basis to judge my responses for other more serious questions), and I hesitantly responded by saying I had just finished a book about Bigfoot. Well, to my surprise that was the best thing I could have said because the old retired Police Officer who was interviewing me had a degree in Anthropology and had a huge interest in Bigfoot as well. After that we hit it off and I aced the interview. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Holliday Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 as a general rule keeping it to yourself , imo , is the best bet. a mild mention of one of the popular BF shows or some youtube clip is usually enough to get others to " show their hand " ....... you can figure out then whether to discuss it any further with them. family is one thing, but mentioning it at work is a gamble at best, imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Migrantworkers Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 All you can ever truly be is yourself...and be true to that If there is an opportunity to talk about the subject you do so...but only at the level of the group...you listen and understand...you give your reasoning for your position without attacking those in opposition You let everyone see that you are simply open to the possibility and that you enjoy doing so...they may think you are wasting your time but they will be able to respect your thoughts and feelings at the least...at most someone will join you to talk more as the conversation drifts towards other subjects Or maybe you will follow the drifting conversation and a few days later receive a phone call or email from someone who wants to learn more But you can't expect someone to listen until you have shown them that you can first...you can't expect an entire group of family or friends to suddenly believe as you do until you at least show them some of what you have done and the fun you had in doing it Good luck in the field and at the next dinner table sit down Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelefoot Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 Me and Dad used to get into big debates about various things all the time. One debate that was ongoing was whether or not dogs can think. He refused to believe they did anything other than just react. But he has changed his tune on that one. So, of course I was ready for a debate regarding BF. I made the mistake of bringing it up to my Dad back in the early days of the Ketchum project. I had high hopes that the DNA would soon prove me right. Needless to say, I have let the subject drop now for fear that Dad will ask what ever happened with the DNA project that was supposed to prove BF's existence? I'll just wait until someone drags a body in so I can be the one who says, I told you so! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 Seeing as a lot of people I know believe in things from God to ghosts to UFOs, the idea of bigfoot is nothing outlandish in comparison and I tell people that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DWA Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 (edited) Seeing as a lot of people I know believe in things from God to ghosts to UFOs, the idea of bigfoot is nothing outlandish in comparison and I tell people that. ^^^That. Edited December 29, 2014 by DWA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lake County Bigfooot Posted December 29, 2014 Author Share Posted December 29, 2014 Imagine the people that will come out of the woodwork when there is scientific evidence of this creature, it will be astounding to hear how many people saw things they would not dare tell others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunflower Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 I am on the opposite side of your conundrum. I was such a skeptic and so cynical that my brother & sister were the ones who told me that something big, hairy and black jumped over the hood of their Pontiac on their way home one November night in 1978. There were other things happening but truthfully I was so busy with work and half a dozen other things going on at the time that for quite a while I doubted them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DWA Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 Imagine the people that will come out of the woodwork when there is scientific evidence of this creature, it will be astounding to hear how many people saw things they would not dare tell others. ^^^And count on it, that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkGlasgow Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 Enjoying this thread. I too get teased by family members for my interest in this subject but it's always in good humour and allows me address the usual fallacies that surround BF. So much so that I wouldn't venture to suggest that my family are fully on-board with the prospect but are certainly open to the possibility. Would I have the same conversations at work? Certainly not. Unfortunately given my responsibilities I'll have to keep interest in this subject under my hat I'm afraid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salubrious Posted December 30, 2014 Moderator Share Posted December 30, 2014 My friends at work (which is to say- everyone) all know about my BF story. I don't catch a lot of grief about it. I sign their paychecks. It probably helps that I hold a couple of patents and founded the company- if I am a nutcase (and from knowing me they know I am a bit eccentric) at least I'm one that can do things well enough that others can make a living on it. BF is just par for the course, comes with the territory. One outcome is that I usually get a new BF air freshener for Christmas or my birthday. I've told a lot of people over the years. I've learned to give them the freedom to not believe by making it clear that I don't care if they believe or not. I do tell them something I've said here a lot; 'it does not matter what anyone thinks, and no worries going through your life thinking they do or don't exist- it likely won't make any difference. If on the off chance things are different, just be prepared to have whatever you think go out the window in a heartbeat' or something like that. I'm not waiting for recognition. I'm confident that two generations from now people will still be discussing this on whatever passes for forums at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 I can relate to you Lake County Bigfoot- Lets say that my husband almost left me when he found out about my "Bigfoot Passion" I won't go into details, but it was not good. He told his friends and family that I was out in the woods "looking for the bogeyman" and it was so embarrassing. After 10 years, he has pretty much excepted it but I do not talk to him about it. It is good I have a couple friends that are into BF and will go out in the field and go camping with me, so I don't care what anyone thinks anymore.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 The sad fact as well is that most people don't have much of a clue about the subject of bigfoot and are totally uninformed about it and they have false perceptions if they think about it/if the subject comes up. I have found that the more people get informed the less they are likely to treat it as a joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beerhunter Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Not to jack this tread, but I told my brother about a paranormal event in the house we grew up in. He straight up said it was BS, but then my two daughters told him the same exact details of the event. It was hard for him to believe since he wasn't there at the time. I assume even group sightings of BF won't sway a non believer unless they are a witness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DWA Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 (edited) The sad fact as well is that most people don't have much of a clue about the subject of bigfoot and are totally uninformed about it and they have false perceptions if they think about it/if the subject comes up. I have found that the more people get informed the less they are likely to treat it as a joke. The assumptions underlying the scoffing are an extremely thin tissue; they are easily balled up and tossed with simple reading. Almost none of those assumptions are the kind we would consider rational to make about anything else, so it's no surprise that uninformed people move over quickly once they start reading up. Then of course, most sightings are from confirmed scoffers who underwent a battlefield conversion. That quick. Not to jack this tread, but I told my brother about a paranormal event in the house we grew up in. He straight up said it was BS, but then my two daughters told him the same exact details of the event. It was hard for him to believe since he wasn't there at the time. I assume even group sightings of BF won't sway a non believer unless they are a witness. I think it can depend upon the listener's opinion of the witnesses, and how firmly his/her scoffing has been set in concrete. Denial is extremely impermeable to rationality, but lots of folks recognize that we don't know near everything, and can be reached if a number of people - or one very credible to them person - has an experience. The encounter literature is full of "my [blank] once laughed at this; but he encouraged me to file this report." Edited December 30, 2014 by DWA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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