Guest DTRobers Posted July 17, 2015 Posted July 17, 2015 I agree with MNSkeptic, Chelefoot, and NathanFooter that we all harbor beliefs about the world around us and that we look for (or at least give preferential credence to) evidence that supports our individual beliefs. Call it confirmation bias or BFOTB Syndrome, it is an acknowledged fact among competent researchers and the reason for double-blind studies and peer review. On the other hand, in the situation given by Trogluddite with an unexplained splash attributed to BF activity, I think you have to allow for the need for the investigator to get something on tape to fill broadcast time. Thus you see Matt Moneymaker constantly making pronouncements on alleged bigfoot behavior patterns to suggest the presence of bigfoot wherever his team happens to be filming.
LeafTalker Posted July 17, 2015 Posted July 17, 2015 I see the problem now. I haven't been getting any peer reviews for my walks in the woods. And I keep forgetting to ask for double-blind studies when I go on my walks, also. Think of how much confusion I could have saved the world after each of my walks, if I had only taken the proper precautions.
Guest DWA Posted July 17, 2015 Posted July 17, 2015 It does chuckle me no end how people who can't be bothered to read start going on and on and on about all this stuff that would require, you know, reading. No thankee. First, I read, so I am way ahead of those people on this; and second...if I see one, they're real, people, and I won't check in with you to confirm. (Oh. They're real whether I - or you - see one, or not. Evidence says so.)
ShadowBorn Posted July 17, 2015 Moderator Posted July 17, 2015 It does chuckle me no end how people who can't be bothered to read start going on and on and on about all this stuff that would require, you know, reading. No thankee. First, I read, so I am way ahead of those people on this; and second...if I see one, they're real, people, and I won't check in with you to confirm. (Oh. They're real whether I - or you - see one, or not. Evidence says so. DWA I have maybe picked up four books that I have read cover to cover. Out of two of those books I can relate to the occurrences that happen when you are in the field so to speak. When you read it fills your head with ideas that can have your head speculating on every movement and noise. It is information stored in our hard drive or our brain, so when in the dark open field our ancestry instinct kicks in. We were once prey and our brains has never forgotten that. The ideas of Books opens our minds up or might even program us in such a way that it opens up awareness. We read what we believe might be true so now we have programmed our minds to accept it. So when we take those walks in the forest and we have read those books about these creatures we have programmed our selves to search. Our alertness is now at a high and not every one will react the same . But the idea that there might be a creature in the forest big enough to smoosh the crap out of you .Well the syndrome bad as it sounds does not like it can not happen but can happen . If you want the truth you have to search it your self other wise it will just be a dream.
Guest Posted July 18, 2015 Posted July 18, 2015 (edited) I agree with MNSkeptic, Chelefoot, and NathanFooter that we all harbor beliefs about the world around us and that we look for (or at least give preferential credence to) evidence that supports our individual beliefs. Call it confirmation bias or BFOTB Syndrome, it is an acknowledged fact among competent researchers and the reason for double-blind studies and peer review. On the other hand, in the situation given by Trogluddite with an unexplained splash attributed to BF activity, I think you have to allow for the need for the investigator to get something on tape to fill broadcast time. Thus you see Matt Moneymaker constantly making pronouncements on alleged bigfoot behavior patterns to suggest the presence of bigfoot wherever his team happens to be filming. Sounds like you’re having a good time! Yeah well if its’ a fact show it to me. While you’re at it may as well point out where in PDR (Physician Desk Reference) I might find Bigfoot on the Brain (BFOTB). We have a doctor in the family and I asked since I wanted to make that double-blind too. So I asked a friend a of the family who is also a medical doctor over a card game and he laughed, I took that as a no. What page of the PDR did you say that was on again? That BOTB syndrome and two dollars will get you a ride on a subway to nowhere. Good Grief People … Bigfoot on the Brain (BFOTB) syndrome as it was termed was conceived in fiction. By definition Syndrome is a term used to describe a medical or psychological issue and I read with my own eyes people step right up and claim they experienced it. Now I'll credit where credit is due, there is such a thing called confirmation bias but for those in the minority I suppose are a bit more differently attuned to their five senses (sometimes six ) sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell that are less competent not part of the group will not confuse zebras with horses either. -Just Saying Edited July 18, 2015 by Gumshoeye
Guest DWA Posted July 18, 2015 Posted July 18, 2015 It's totally irrelevant to the discussion, is my issue. If hunters have DOTB syndrome, does this make the whitetail deer not real? ("The whitetail deer is proven" will flunk you Philosophy 101, so don't try it.) It's nothing worth discussing.
Guest Posted July 18, 2015 Posted July 18, 2015 If hunters have DOTB syndrome, does this make the whitetail deer not real? No it means the hunter thinks every sound he/she hears is a deer. Hunting moose, my wife and I sometimes fall prey to MOTB. I've stalked squirrels, branches falling, even a small mud slide fully expecting to find a moose.
ShadowBorn Posted July 18, 2015 Moderator Posted July 18, 2015 It's totally irrelevant to the discussion, is my issue. If hunters have DOTB syndrome, does this make the whitetail deer not real? ("The whitetail deer is proven" will flunk you Philosophy 101, so don't try it.) It's nothing worth discussing. It's Friday and I have nothing better to do. If hunters have DOTB ( leave the word syndrome out) will that make the whitetail real ? Yes ! But you have to under stand the mind set of the hunter while he has been sitting in that tree. Every little noise will make you want to look quickly towards the direction of the noise. But you have to refuse that reaction so that you do not give away you spot and spook that deer. You have no worries cause your mind set is on deer. Right before you entered those woods you are all keened up on deer that you might see that morning. Your mind is on deer and nothing else and that is what you concentrating on all the way to your stand. All yes I forgot about the dreams you have before the night of opening day of bow season. DOTB Well I do not see this BOTB as a illness or like what Gumshoeye is saying. In my opinion I see this as a mind trick that our brain plays on us when our senses are all keened up. When we are at that fight or flight mode. You know when you are in the field and it is dark and you feel that things just do not feel normal your mind says stay but your body say go. Well that when I would say that it is BOTB moment.
Guest OntarioSquatch Posted July 18, 2015 Posted July 18, 2015 What's being described here only happens if the person doesn't have enough outdoors experience and at the same time has an obsession with Bigfoot or they have had an encounter and are now dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. For adults with outdoors experience, it's usually the latter.
gigantor Posted July 18, 2015 Admin Posted July 18, 2015 (edited) My comment is from personal experience. I was raised in a farm until about I was 10 and was always comfortable in the woods. Then my parents moved to the burbs and have lived in them ever since. When WVFooter and I first went out into the deep woods for our trail cam project, with no cell coverage or help of any kind should some emergency occur, I admit to have had BFOTB but not like it's being represented here. I did not think every sound was a BF. It was more of being unfamiliar with the environment around me and all the stories and excitement that kept the thought in the back of my mind (could that branch break be a BF?!). After the second outing, I became more comfortable and after the third, I was completely desensitized. Now, it's not an issue. I think BFOTB is real for "greenhorns". It could become permanent if you don't have the courage to venture out again. It is temporary if you keep at it and become comfortable in the environment. It is being misrepresented in this thread by exaggeration IMO. Edited July 18, 2015 by gigantor 1
ShadowBorn Posted July 18, 2015 Moderator Posted July 18, 2015 What's being described here only happens if the person doesn't have enough outdoors experience and at the same time has an obsession with Bigfoot or they have had an encounter and are now dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. For adults with outdoors experience, it's usually the latter. See that's just the thing a regular person who has not been introduced to bigfoot or it's elements. Well any noise or happening in the woods, to them is not going to be Bigfoot or BOTB. To them the experience is just that a noise or a falling acorn or what ever but in there minds it will be explained away. I am not going to go into the PTSD aspect of it cause our minds is a strong device, that shuts down certain points in life. But people who have encountered these creatures are more acceptable to the BOTB mind set then people who have not encountered them. The BOTB will make you think that everything you see or hear or smell is the presence of these creatures. The experience comes when you spend enough time in the woods to understand the natural sounds. When you learn to discern the natural from the un-natural, this is when it becomes clear. 1
Trogluddite Posted July 18, 2015 Posted July 18, 2015 My comment is from personal experience..... I think BFOTB is real for "greenhorns". It could become permanent if you don't have the courage to venture out again. It is temporary if you keep at it and become comfortable in the environment. It is being misrepresented in this thread by exaggeration IMO. Taking your points out of order, BFOTB wasn't originally represented as being THE answer for EVERY encounter. It was represented as something that researchers should guard against - concluding that because they are looking for something, what they find MUST be evidence of that something even if there are other rational explanations. While it may be most likely to occur for people new to the world of Bigfoot, some "seasoned" investigators with TV shows display every symptom of BFOTB - there isn't a noise in the woods, a splash in the pond, or a dead animal found that isn't evidence of Bigfoot. The only exaggeration seems to be coming from people exaggerating what the OP actually said.
Guest Posted July 18, 2015 Posted July 18, 2015 (edited) ^^^ Rather than mislead anyone on the meaning of some syndrome that supposedly exists, how about pointing out where in PDR (Physician Desk Reference) I might find Bigfoot on the Brain (BFOTB) … All humans possess five basic senses. Some use them more than others where's the exaggeration? Better yet, go to your doctor and tell them you are suffering from BOTB and see if there is anything he can prescribe. Edited July 18, 2015 by Gumshoeye
ShadowBorn Posted July 18, 2015 Moderator Posted July 18, 2015 ^^^ Rather than mislead anyone on the meaning of some syndrome that supposedly exists, how about pointing out where in PDR (Physician Desk Reference) I might find Bigfoot on the Brain (BFOTB) … All humans possess five basic senses. Some use them more than others where's the exaggeration? Better yet, go to your doctor and tell them you are suffering from BOTB and see if there is anything he can prescribe. It is not a illness but a state of mind that one has when looking for Bigfoot, a regular person who has no contact what so ever of these creatures . Who has never read a book or even seen one .Nor do they have this creature on their brain at all. They will never encounter this BOTB since it has not been programmed into them. This only happens to those who have already programed them selves to encounter a creature. There fore believe that every noise ,rock throw or what ever other encounter must be Bigfoot with out further investigating it. A Regular person would just blow it off as just being normal until they see some thing contrary to their beliefs. Then it becomes BOTB all the time until they have assed the information and made sense of the situation. Researchers seem to get use to after awhile and the BOTB goes away. Just what Gigantor has said.
LeafTalker Posted July 18, 2015 Posted July 18, 2015 The only exaggeration seems to be coming from people exaggerating what the OP actually said. I think what is being exaggerated here is the "danger" of a misidentification. There is no danger involved. The process that the idea of "BOTB" is trying to describe actually has a different name in the real world. The process is called learning. I think this is what Gigantor was saying when he said "I think BFOTB is real for 'greenhorns'. It could become permanent if you don't have the courage to venture out again. It is temporary if you keep at it and become comfortable in the environment." This is a very good description of the learning process. Learning is fine. Learning is great. Don't we all agree with that? So efforts to stigmatize people engaged in the process of learning -- by implying they're foolish when they make "mistakes" -- seems counter-productive to me. We're not talking rocket science here, or nuclear engineering. No physical plant will blow up if I -- or anybody else -- says that something is a BF that is not. So why all the caution and shaming? It's just not appropriate, necessary, or useful.
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