Are Amateur Researchers and TV Shows About Bigfoot Hurting The Need For Quality Research?
The discussion surrounding TV shows, hoaxes, and amateur Bigfoot researchers hurting "real" research has been going on for decades. As the mainstream audience catches a glimpse of "a Squatch in these woods" on television, strange noises and oddly shape trees will surely peak their curiosity.
The debate about whether or not this is a good thing for Bigfoot research will likely rage on, but the real question is, what purpose does it serve if it's not done by "credible and qualified researchers and scientists?"
In an article by Tom Fonner, a person with strong interests in astronomy, Sasquatch, UFO's, and the unknown, he writes his concern about the current uptick of amateurs in the field of Bigfoot research:
It moves ... it must be Bigfoot.
It appears that the zealous drive to find Bigfoot is in full swing. Folks everywhere are eagerly hoping that Bigfoot will be found in their little neck of the woods. The young and the old are scanning their blurry photos and videos in hope that the image in the background is the elusive creature.
This is how it seems to be if you read the posts, tweets, and watch the recent amusing cable television shows. So many are buying into the so called facts and evidence that are presented by the so called experts. The individuals at the forefront claim to understand Bigfoot's behavior, movement, calls, biological distribution, and just about everything you would expect from careful observation and study that takes place over decades of research. I'm sure that with their misguided passion these individuals believe they are making a valuable contribution to the discovery of Bigfoot.
The downside to all the media hype is the lack of real credible research that needs to be done by credible and qualified researchers and scientists. I applaud those very few individuals like Dr. Meldrum who are making a serious scientific effort to determine the existence or non-existence of Bigfoot. To many hoaxes, misguided pseudo researchers, and cable television shows that do not take the topic seriously are hurting the need for quality research on Bigfoot. Many scientists and qualified researchers avoid this in fear of damaging their reputations and this can be fully understood.
My hope is that more individuals will take the steps to do the appropriate research. It is important to be skeptical of the evidence found and not anoint everything found, seen, or heard as fact of Bigfoot's existence. Furthermore, the media needs to do more than just present this as an amusing form of entertainment.
- Tom Fonner
[via t-search6.blogspot.com]
Brilliant post! I hate to be a cynic, but could Meldrum afford to go to Canada and check out that lake cabin on his university salary? I know sometimes you have to get a Monsterquest or other show to finance such an expedition. What I enjoy about F'ing Bigfoot show is that these guys have already been on their own time and money studying the habitat and looking for encounters and evidence, but now they have financing. There is no BF specialist, per se, there is simply the guy who can garner attention, get financial backing, build a team, and get the answers we seek. Universities all the time take on pharmaceutical sponsoring and such to do research, so I think we'd be too idealistic to assume that we can do this without the cash necessary to get the job done.
ReplyDeleteWho cares if it's a bunch of amateurs or "real" researchers. Someone please take out a squatch and end the insanity.
ReplyDeleteThe people who do damage are the "Youtubers" that live their lives posting vids and claiming their hours in the woods and putting up crap! THEY need to all go and find another way to get their fragile egos stroked!
ReplyDeleteI agree with the post above about Youtube. There is so much homemade bigfoot idiocy on Youtube (and other internet sites) that it's difficult for many people to take the topic seriously.
ReplyDeletePeople like those who create the No Budget Productions bigfoot videos and post them on Youtube seem to make a hobby of producing bigfoot idiocy. Then there are those who make hoaxed clips and try to pass them off as actual bigfoot footage. Some of those clips can be found on this site (many would say that all bigfoot clips are hoaxed).
Face it; we bigfoot believers will continue to be on the receiving end of scorn and ridicule from skeptics. The only way that the bigfoot ridicule and the copious idiocy associated with bigfoot will end will be when a real sasquatch specimen is produced for science. Until that happens, bigfoot and bigfoot enthusiasts will continue to be a source of ridicule. Personally, I'd love to see the loud mouth bigfoot skeptics eat crow when that day comes.
Yes, because of dumb poops like Ed Smith, autumn douche winter, and others who never leave their computer seat!
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