Belief in Bigfoot

[Securitan]

Definitely not. I mean, no one would ever see a bear or a big cat or any other animal or a shadow in the distance and think it was Bigfoot. People are never wrong about the things they see. Not ever.

they aren't always wrong, the probability of that is just too low

Where do you get your probability stats?

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

This does not equate to it meaning "Oh bigfoot definitely exists, no doubt". Not at all. Like I said, faulty reasoning.

it means that it's very very likely that at least one person saw the real thing

So the girls in Salem, who caused the witch trials, did see witches and demons tormenting them?

[Ifreann]

This does not equate to it meaning "Oh bigfoot definitely exists, no doubt". Not at all. Like I said, faulty reasoning.

it means that it's very very likely that at least one person saw the real thing

Only one? Are you saying all those millions of people who saw indistinct shapes in the dark or at a distance are liars?

[Urran]

I believe in the Honey Island swamp monster. Is that close enough? It's big foot like and supposedly inhabits a swamp an hour and thirty minutes drive away from me.

[Infected Mushroom]

it means that it's very very likely that at least one person saw the real thing

Only one? Are you saying all those millions of people who saw indistinct shapes in the dark or at a distance are liars?

no

[Ifreann]

Only one? Are you saying all those millions of people who saw indistinct shapes in the dark or at a distance are liars?

no

Exactly. They all saw Bigfoot, who is an interdimensional wizard.

[Infected Mushroom]

no

Exactly. They all saw Bigfoot, who is an interdimensional wizard.

No. I didn't say that.

[Scomagia]

Which is amusing because, as I recall it, the whole Bigfoot myth has it's roots in spooky tales Native Americans would tell their kids to make them behave, much like the boogeyman, La Llorona, etc. I could be wrong, though.

When it comes to La Llorona (Woman in White or The Weeper, there are some similarities with the Celtic Banshee), the legend says she was a gorgeous lady who drowned her children in order to be with the man she loved. He rejected her so she drowned herself. According to the legend, she is cursed, doomed to find her dead offspring forever.

Parents often use this story to prevent their children from wandering out at night. In some versions of this tale and legend, La Llorona will kidnap wandering children who resemble her missing children. People who claim to have seen her say she appears at night or in the late evenings from rivers or lakes in Mexico. Some believe that those who hear the wails of La Llorona are marked for death...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Llorona#Legend

A cautionary tale. Nothing more.

Perhaps I was a bit confused, since I've heard parents threaten to lock their kids outside with La Llorona. Misusing the legend for the same effect as The Boogeyman, perhaps?

[Ifreann]

Exactly. They all saw Bigfoot, who is an interdimensional wizard.

No. I didn't say that.

Well I don't see how there can be any other possibilities.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

When it comes to La Llorona (Woman in White or The Weeper, there are some similarities with the Celtic Banshee), the legend says she was a gorgeous lady who drowned her children in order to be with the man she loved. He rejected her so she drowned herself. According to the legend, she is cursed, doomed to find her dead offspring forever.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Llorona#Legend

A cautionary tale. Nothing more.

Perhaps I was a bit confused, since I've heard parents threaten to lock their kids outside with La Llorona. Misusing the legend for the same effect as The Boogeyman, perhaps?

Yup. It is a sort of boogieman.

In Asturias, we have the xanas. Fairies that live in lakes and rivers. Mothers tell their children not to go swimming unsupervised because if they do, the xanas will get them and spirit them away.

I think Hurdegaryp also said something very interesting regarding legends transcending cultural boundaries. For example, La Llorona bears some resemblance to the Banshee.

[Securitan]

No. I didn't say that.

Well I don't see how there can be any other possibilities.

Yeah, but I saw a pandimensional sorcerer - both of us must be right!

[Infected Mushroom]

No. I didn't say that.

Well I don't see how there can be any other possibilities.

Here's one possibility, some of them saw Big Foot (not all of them, but more than one). Big Foot is not an interdimensional wizard, he's an interdimensional creature.

There are plenty of other possibilities and combinations.

[Scomagia]

It makes more sense that they made Bigfoot up to scare their kids into behaving and not wandering off into the woods. You know, like basically every other culture has done.

If it was completely made up, there wouldn't be THAT many reported sightings over history.

Yes there would be. Here's a little fact about the human brain: it often sees patterns and objects where they don't actually exist, especially in the absence of stimulus. Now, in the dark of the woods, which is a threatening and frightening place for most city dwellers, their minds are going to see things that aren't there or misinterpret things that are. Sometimes, since they've grown up hearing about Bigfoot and it hasn't been as thoroughly dismissed from their minds as The Boogeyman or Santa, they're going to see Bigfoot.

[Securitan]

Well I don't see how there can be any other possibilities.

Here's one possibility, some of them saw Big Foot (not all of them, but more than one). Big Foot is not an interdimensional wizard, he's an interdimensional creature.

There are plenty of other possibilities and combinations.

And the most reasonable one of them all is he doesn't exist.

[Hurdegaryp]

Well I don't see how there can be any other possibilities.

Here's one possibility, some of them saw Big Foot (not all of them, but more than one). Big Foot is not an interdimensional wizard, he's an interdimensional creature.

There are plenty of other possibilities and combinations.

And you know about Biggie's identity as an interdimensional abomination how?

[Infected Mushroom]

If it was completely made up, there wouldn't be THAT many reported sightings over history.

Yes there would be. Here's a little fact about the human brain: it often sees patterns and objects where they don't actually exist, especially in the absence of stimulus. Now, in the dark of the woods, which is a threatening and frightening place for most city dwellers, their minds are going to see things that aren't there or misinterpret things that are. Sometimes, since they've grown up hearing about Bigfoot and it hasn't been as thoroughly dismissed from their minds as The Boogeyman or Santa, they're going to see Bigfoot.

you do realise how incredibly offensive these views are to the people who were responsible enough to report what they saw?

you're basically calling a lot of people unstable here. I find this position a bit offensive (not saying I'm a reporting eyewitness but I'm just surprised at how firm you are on this).

[Scomagia]

Well I don't see how there can be any other possibilities.

Here's one possibility, some of them saw Big Foot (not all of them, but more than one). Big Foot is not an interdimensional wizard, he's an interdimensional creature.

There are plenty of other possibilities and combinations.

I have to ask, do you believe in Santa?

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

If it was completely made up, there wouldn't be THAT many reported sightings over history.

Yes there would be. Here's a little fact about the human brain: it often sees patterns and objects where they don't actually exist, especially in the absence of stimulus. Now, in the dark of the woods, which is a threatening and frightening place for most city dwellers, their minds are going to see things that aren't there or misinterpret things that are. Sometimes, since they've grown up hearing about Bigfoot and it hasn't been as thoroughly dismissed from their minds as The Boogeyman or Santa, they're going to see Bigfoot.

Suggestion, like I said.

[DesAnges]

I do believe in myself, yes.

Oh. Bigfoot, not Bigfeet.

I doubt highly the creature exists. We'd have better proof by now if it did.

[Ifreann]

Well I don't see how there can be any other possibilities.

Here's one possibility, some of them saw Big Foot (not all of them, but more than one). Big Foot is not an interdimensional wizard, he's an interdimensional creature.

There are plenty of other possibilities and combinations.

I don't think so. The paranormal interacts with this plane on its own terms, so you can't say that any of those people were wrong or lying.

[Infected Mushroom]

Here's one possibility, some of them saw Big Foot (not all of them, but more than one). Big Foot is not an interdimensional wizard, he's an interdimensional creature.

There are plenty of other possibilities and combinations.

And the most reasonable one of them all is he doesn't exist.

but that would involve calling way too many people (way too many people) liars/crazy...

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

Yes there would be. Here's a little fact about the human brain: it often sees patterns and objects where they don't actually exist, especially in the absence of stimulus. Now, in the dark of the woods, which is a threatening and frightening place for most city dwellers, their minds are going to see things that aren't there or misinterpret things that are. Sometimes, since they've grown up hearing about Bigfoot and it hasn't been as thoroughly dismissed from their minds as The Boogeyman or Santa, they're going to see Bigfoot.

you do realise how incredibly offensive these views are to the people who were responsible enough to report what they saw?

you're basically calling a lot of people unstable here. I find this position a bit offensive (not saying I'm a reporting eyewitness but I'm just surprised at how firm you are on this).

Reasoning and logic are a great thing.

[Infected Mushroom]

Here's one possibility, some of them saw Big Foot (not all of them, but more than one). Big Foot is not an interdimensional wizard, he's an interdimensional creature.

There are plenty of other possibilities and combinations.

I don't think so. The paranormal interacts with this plane on its own terms, so you can't say that any of those people were wrong or lying.

I can't say with any degree of absolute certainty.

[The Huskar Social Union]

If it was completely made up, there wouldn't be THAT many reported sightings over history.

Yes there would be. Here's a little fact about the human brain: it often sees patterns and objects where they don't actually exist, especially in the absence of stimulus. Now, in the dark of the woods, which is a threatening and frightening place for most city dwellers, their minds are going to see things that aren't there or misinterpret things that are. Sometimes, since they've grown up hearing about Bigfoot and it hasn't been as thoroughly dismissed from their minds as The Boogeyman or Santa, they're going to see Bigfoot.

But i saw him Sco! He was realz!

[Scomagia]

Yes there would be. Here's a little fact about the human brain: it often sees patterns and objects where they don't actually exist, especially in the absence of stimulus. Now, in the dark of the woods, which is a threatening and frightening place for most city dwellers, their minds are going to see things that aren't there or misinterpret things that are. Sometimes, since they've grown up hearing about Bigfoot and it hasn't been as thoroughly dismissed from their minds as The Boogeyman or Santa, they're going to see Bigfoot.

you do realise how incredibly offensive these views are to the people who were responsible enough to report what they saw?

you're basically calling a lot of people unstable here. I find this position a bit offensive (not saying I'm a reporting eyewitness but I'm just surprised at how firm you are on this).

It's not instability. It's a very basic flaw (or perhaps an evolutionary benefit, since it's better to see a lion in the grass when there actually isn't one, rather than not seeing one that's actually there) in the human brain. It effects everyone from every culture equally. There's nothing offensive about it.