The other side of the coin

[ClayRock]

None of my closest friends believe in bigfoot so the conversation is always circular. I've heard all the comments to try and disprove what cannot be proved or disproved so I don't even bother responding anymore. 

[Patterson-Gimlin]

On 6/23/2021 at 5:38 PM, Wooly Booger said:

You make some valid points, but the evidence is much stronger than you seem to think. The Native Americans attributed the supernatural and their spiritual beliefs to every animal they were familiar with, including wolves, bear, deer, crows, turtles etc... That in no way can be used invalidate hundreds and potentially thousands of years worth of Native American legends of these creatures. 

 

I understand that eyewitnesses can be unreliable. But we are talking over 10,000 eyewitnesses across a time frame of hundreds of years going back to at least the time of Samuel de' Champlain. Surely not all of these eyewitnesses are hoaxers, liars, or misidentifying "normal" animals. That would be even more incredulous and would stretch the imagination even further than supposing Bigfoot exists. 

 

Footprints can be faked, but by and large the hoaxes are easily identifiable as such by trained investigators. Grover Krantz even offered $10,000 cash to anyone who could fool him with a fake track. Needless to say the cash amount had no takers. Track casts with dermal ridges and a mid-tarsal break are outside the scope of ability of most hoaxers with their plain wooden stompers. Add to this the remote and inaccessible locations of many of these track finds, and the probability of them all being hoaxes diminishes significantly. 

 

The Patterson-Gimlin Film is the Holy Grail of Bigfoot evidence, and perhaps the single strongest piece of evidence for the creature's existence. Till this day it has never been debunked, and no one has convincingly demonstrated how such a costume could have been made in 1967. The technology to make such a costume didn't exist in 1967. 

 

So your assumption that Bigfoot doesn't exist is more unlikely and indeed more difficult to prove than the inverse. 

Great post and very good explanations. 

I don't agree with most of it. The hardest  part to accept is no body ever. Not dead or alive that I am aware of. 

 

Certainly, not the bear killed by a poacher that has gotten a  lot of attention on this forum. 

 

[MontanaFooter]

I am aknower so its not a question of belief for me. Where the argument loses me is when people point to “native American” lore as a way to leverage there argument. Native  legends are going to vary. It’s popular to  presume they all  know and treat hairy man of the woods the same but that’s not for it ever was. I have lived near native Americans geographically and consider many genuine friends. There is no one unified legend any one can use to prop up their argument, good or bad. Everything that is popular is just manipulated to fit an argument. 

[norseman]

15 minutes ago, Patterson-Gimlin said:

Great post and very good explanations. 

I don't agree with most of it. The hardest  part to accept is no body ever. Not dead or alive that I am aware of. 

 

Certainly, not the bear killed by a poacher that has gotten a  lot of attention on this forum. 

 

Not quite. You know I’m a pro kill proponent. But no body parts ever? That’s simply not true.

 

There are tons and tons of bones in the fossil record that could represent a Sasquatch. And I don’t think the debate is over in North America either.

http://patagoniamonsters.blogspot.com/2019/12/more-on-erectus-calvaria-from-chapala.html

 

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/mastodons-americas-peopling-migrations-archaeology-science

 

We still need a body. But there is no question Hairy ape men came before us. And some supposedly became extinct very recently.  So it makes it fun to read reports and get out and look.

 

[Grandcherokee]

On 6/21/2021 at 8:06 AM, vinchyfoot said:

So, there's always the possibility that Bigfoot, doesn't exist. If that could be proven at some point, what would be the psychological underlying reasons that some many people would have believed that it did? Not just in modern times, but going back into pre Eurpoean times as well?

Sasquatch/Bigfoot is a 'morality' play like Greek or Roman gods. I think that is why Sasquatch lore has stood the test of time. American Indians of every tribe; Eastern, North, West, South, woodland, or high plains, all profess a belief in Sasquatch. This creature was a messenger, an omen, a hostile member of a band of hairy giants. The creature was a representative of the Great Mother. He was a boogeyman! A stealer of children. A debaucher of females!

 

For the whites. Maybe sighting the creature was little more than false

identification of more obvious woodland creatures. A tall tail for campfires. False stories to keep people away from certain areas.

But thousands of people have seen Sasquatch/Bigfoot over the centuries! Have they really? Or does it just seem like that? It probably does for those of us who are on the inside looking out! But not so much for those who are looking in.

Go down any street and question people about Sasquatch/Bigfoot. Most of your replies would be based on what they have seen in beer commercials!

 

Oh look! There is a tourist from Florida!

"Excuse me sir! What do you think about all of the 'Skunk Ape' reports from your state?"

"Skunk what?" he responds, as he takes his wife's arm and hustles her away!

 

My point being, that those who entertain the possibility of such a creature's existence are far and few in between. The majority of the world has never Heard of Sasquatch. And have no need to ever want to. So the number of 'believers' (God! How I hate that word! )is a very finite number, Indeed!

The psychological underlying reason for belief? Most of us have been listening to, and reading of, stories about Bigfoot a good portion of our lives. We go to places and read material, that reaffirm our belief in this creature. A lack of evidence supporting  the existence of such a creature does not carry the weight of books, tv shows, documentaries, stories, forums, websites, face book pages. So even without evidence the human need for justification of a long term belief must win out!

If Sasquatch is proven not to exist! There will still be a number of people who refuse to believe it. They will still need their justification for past beliefs!

 

Or, I could be wrong!;)

[gigantor]

1 hour ago, Grandcherokee said:

Go down any street and question people about Sasquatch/Bigfoot

 

Welcome back to the BFF Grandcherokee.

 

Funny you say that because I'm on vacation in Florida and we met a couple from WV, after a few beers, I showed them the picture of the track cast @Skinwalker13 posted.

 

They laughed and would not accept the possibility that Sasquatch exists.

 

1 hour ago, Grandcherokee said:

If Sasquatch is proven not to exist!

 

Just wanna point out you can't prove a negative, so that will never happen 

 

[Incorrigible1]

Hey, GrandCherokee. Welcome back to the BFF!

[ManThing]

1 hour ago, gigantor said:

 

Welcome back to the BFF Grandcherokee.

 

Funny you say that because I'm on vacation in Florida and we met a couple from WV, after a few beers, I showed them the picture of the track cast @Skinwalker13 posted.

 

They laughed and would not accept the possibility that Sasquatch exists.

 

 

Just wanna point out you can't prove a negative, so that will never happen 

 

 

 

be careful with that evidence!  I lost at least 1 girlfriend with my out of the box beliefs back in the day. My wife is ok with it.

 

Is there a prize for best avatar?  Grandcherokee wins.

[Grandcherokee]

3 hours ago, gigantor said:

 

Welcome back to the BFF Grandcherokee.

 

Funny you say that because I'm on vacation in Florida and we met a couple from WV, after a few beers, I showed them the picture of the track cast @Skinwalker13 posted.

 

They laughed and would not accept the possibility that Sasquatch exists.

 

 

Just wanna point out you can't prove a negative, so that will never happen 

 

Thank you. It is good to be back!

[norseman]

The oldest story in this English language is Beowulf. 
 

Grendel the Monster attacks at night. He steals humans away to his lair to eat. He is of great size and strength. He can also be stealthy and cunning. He reeks of rotten flesh.

 

Any of this sounding familiar?

[Grandcherokee]

2 hours ago, Incorrigible1 said:

Hey, GrandCherokee. Welcome back to the BFF!

Thank you! Keep looking for other 'old timers! I was very saddened to know about Tirademan! He was so dedicated. And so selfless! It is a great loss all around!

2 hours ago, ManThing said:

 

 

be careful with that evidence!  I lost at least 1 girlfriend with my out of the box beliefs back in the day. My wife is ok with it.

 

Is there a prize for best avatar?  Grandcherokee wins.

I do thank you! Many badminton 'birdies' gave their lives for that effect!LOL:)

[Huntster]

42 minutes ago, Grandcherokee said:

....... I was very saddened to know about Tirademan!.........

 

What happened?

[Grandcherokee]

9 minutes ago, Huntster said:

 

What happened?

"Our long time member Tirademan (R.I.P. Scott McClean) compiled this extensive archive of Sasquatch related newspaper articles and donated it to the BFF before his passing."

[Huntster]

I'm very sorry to hear this.

[masterbarber]

Welcome back GC