Open Minds Update

I saw a couple of things on FB and in groups I belong to this week. One was a very encouraging post from a friend about a Bigfoot meeting held recently. Several area search groups and teams attended this meeting. And they talked about cooperation with each other and about being open-minded to others'  theories and research methods. It was acknowledged that these are small steps of course. The biggest obstacle: Trust.

Trust. That doesn't come easy at any time. And especially in this day. We've all become Fox Mulder. We trust no one. Not even our own mothers. And probably rightfully so. We see people's research and evidence being "borrowed" all over the world. Even down to a "nobody's" encounter. Their story is taken and with a few little changes, or even sometimes no changes, it is shared again and again as the thief's own encounter. Photographs are grabbed and videos photoshopped to reflect the made up or borrowed story.

This lack of trust extends from the top of the heap to the bottom of the hill. Smiling faces and offers of friendship can obscure the knife ready for plunging into your back. And for those of you asking,"I wonder if she trusts anyone?" The answer is : Few and far between. The people in this community that I feel I can turn my back on without finding a knife plunged there? I can count on one hand.  So, yeah, I very much get the lack of trust issue.

The second item that came my way this past week was a post from someone leaving a group. That's not common mostly in group settings. Most just calmly and quietly walk away, silently leaving the group that doesn't fit their needs. This person not only posted, but the reason for leaving was somewhat different. Usually, in my experience, people leave groups because they are skeptical and can't take the theories of believers to heart. Their belief of non-believing is so strong, they just feel they can't continue to be open-minded about the possibility of a creature like bigfoot in the world. Or their skeptical comments fail to get reactions from the members any longer. Bored, they leave.

This week the post I'm referring to was because the former member couldn't take the questions from whom he termed "non-believers" any longer. The simple statement that not every broken branch, every footprint in the ground, etc, etc, was repugnant to him. He didn't like that every post claiming to be bigfoot in the group was not being accepted blindly. He was no longer going to subject himself to the questions asked by others in the group.

What he failed, perhaps, to realize was that not only non-believers ask questions. I myself am a believer. A firm believer in a flesh and blood creature on this planet. Don't know its origins and habits and so much more. But I do believe in exploring all the theories that are out there and studying all the evidence out there that I can get my hands on. And in listening to others'  "expert" opinions on all of it.  And where that thought is going is that even believers have questions. We are not going to accept every claim that comes across the internet.  A healthy skepticism is the only way to survive in this community. To blindly accept everything is to set yourself up to hoaxes and lies and fakers.

And so that member is gone from that group. And that is a sad thing. For the group is surely a little poorer for that member leaving. His opinion was worth something. And anything he submitted would have been valuable to examine. But by removing himself from the group and refusing to post anything more, he perhaps creates some doubt to his evidence of bigfoot. But that's the way that the community works. If you don't "play ball", then you don't have any real evidence.


TRUST.  OPEN-MINDEDNESS.  HOPE.  CHANGE.

Nancy

This Post By TCC Team Member Nancy Marietta. Nancy has had a lifelong interest in the paranormal and cryptids. Nancy is also a published author and her book, The Price of war, has been met with great reviews.

[Please Note: Sadly Nancy passed away at the first of January, 2022. We will continue to honor her and her research by sharing her work. RIP Nancy. -Thomas]

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