125 replies to this topic

[booNyzarC]

In the spirit of getting back on topic I'll just say that among all of the unexplained mysteries out there, sometimes the most difficult to fully understand and quantify are those which are directly related to the human condition.

[Saru]

Thread cleaned

Removed a few posts that were derailing the topic, just a quick reminder from the rules:

Quote

3e. Flamebaiting: Do not taunt or bait another member in to an argument.

[Night Walker]

A while ago I asked these questions:

Night Walker, on 26 March 2012 - 06:12 AM, said:

What about ethnicity? How many Bigfoot sightings come from African-Americans?

No-one replied. Did I word it incorrectly/insensitively? I'm an ignorant, untravelled Aussie so I would appreciate correction if needed - preferably before I join some African-American forums and ask the same thing.

Anyway, I did a Google Image search of "bigfoot conference", counted around 200 participants, yet found only 1 African-American:



What about the high proportions of New Agers and Mormons among the ranks of Bigfoot Researchers (the main source of Bigfoot claims)? Does this suggest that Bigfoot is a learned cultural experience rather than a universal biological one?

[QuiteContrary]

Who are the Mormons you speak of? Meldrum?

[Mattshark]

DieChecker, on 24 March 2012 - 03:52 AM, said:

Interesting that 30% of people (In the US?) belive BF is really out there. That is around 100 million people in the US. How can so many be wrong? Is it the bad education system? Are we (US citizens) just stupid? Or is there actually something going on here?

Always remember that there is no limit to the amount of people who can be wrong! Homo sapiens is not as intelligent as it would like to believe.

[QuiteContrary]

Half asleep. Deleted post.

Edited by QuiteContrary, 04 May 2012 - 12:17 PM.

[Night Walker]

QuiteContrary, on 04 May 2012 - 11:49 AM, said:

Who are the Mormons you speak of? Meldrum?

I'm referring more to the 'footers active in the field although it is interesting that the 2 highest qualified scientific advocates for Bigfoot (Meldrum & Krantz) are/were Mormon. Of course, there are no actual statistics on the relative proportions of New Agers and Mormons among 'footer subculture so I could be way out on that one. However, in Australia where the Yowie Research subculture is much smaller nearly all would fall under the New Age banner...

[keninsc]

Night Walker, on 04 May 2012 - 12:23 PM, said:

I'm referring more to the 'footers active in the field although it is interesting that the 2 highest qualified scientific advocates for Bigfoot (Meldrum & Krantz) are/were Mormon. Of course, there are no actual statistics on the relative proportions of New Agers and Mormons among 'footer subculture so I could be way out on that one. However, in Australia where the Yowie Research subculture is much smaller nearly all would fall under the New Age banner...

I thought Mormons were only interested in very young girls and seeing angels?

Do they prefer their Sasquatch.....uhm......less.......hairy? Just curious.

Edited by keninsc, 04 May 2012 - 04:07 PM.

[orangepeaceful79]

Night Walker, on 04 May 2012 - 11:16 AM, said:

A while ago I asked these questions:



No-one replied. Did I word it incorrectly/insensitively? I'm an ignorant, untravelled Aussie so I would appreciate correction if needed - preferably before I join some African-American forums and ask the same thing.

Anyway, I did a Google Image search of "bigfoot conference", counted around 200 participants, yet found only 1 African-American:



What about the high proportions of New Agers and Mormons among the ranks of Bigfoot Researchers (the main source of Bigfoot claims)? Does this suggest that Bigfoot is a learned cultural experience rather than a universal biological one?

I think that the reason nobody responded is probably because nobody really knows.  I doubt if any entity that is tracking BF reports is disaggregating their data out to include socio-economic or racial information.  At least - race doesn't seem to be a field you fill out if you go to BFRO's website and fill out an encounter.  

My unfounded guess would be that the majority of BF sightings are made by caucasians simply because most BF sightings come from areas that are more rural.  Population density for African-Americans and Latinos tends to be higher in urban areas.

[Night Walker]

keninsc, on 04 May 2012 - 04:07 PM, said:

I thought Mormons were only interested in very young girls and seeing angels?

Do they prefer their Sasquatch.....uhm......less.......hairy? Just curious.

My understanding is that Bigfoot is not part of mainstram LDS theology but it is popular among the fringes of the religion. Mythology and folklore are not just things from the past but are important and active parts of this dynamic religion.

The Mormon Bigfoot Genesis Theory

Bigfoot, the Three Nephites and the Lost Tribes of Israel

A Mormon Bigfoot

The Truth About Mormon Myths [Mormon Bigfoot, White Horse Prophesy, & Nephites alive 2,000+ years]

orangepeaceful79, on 04 May 2012 - 04:20 PM, said:

My unfounded guess would be that the majority of BF sightings are made by caucasians simply because most BF sightings come from areas that are more rural. Population density for African-Americans and Latinos tends to be higher in urban areas.

Below is from Mangani's Bigfoot Maps - Overview Map of North American Bigfoot Sightings as reported by selected bigfoot research organization web sites:



Are there no African-Americans in these areas? Do they not travel out of urban areas?

[orangepeaceful79]

Night Walker, on 04 May 2012 - 09:56 PM, said:

My understanding is that Bigfoot is not part of mainstram LDS theology but it is popular among the fringes of the religion. Mythology and folklore are not just things from the past but are important and active parts of this dynamic religion.

The Mormon Bigfoot Genesis Theory

Bigfoot, the Three Nephites and the Lost Tribes of Israel

A Mormon Bigfoot

The Truth About Mormon Myths [Mormon Bigfoot, White Horse Prophesy, & Nephites alive 2,000+ years]




Below is from Mangani's Bigfoot Maps - Overview Map of North American Bigfoot Sightings as reported by selected bigfoot research organization web sites:



Are there no African-Americans in these areas? Do they not travel out of urban areas?

Like I said - I have no idea.  It was merely a guess on my part.  I know from my own limited experience camping and hiking in wild areas that most if not all of the people that I have encountered have been caucasian.  Do my experiences speak for the whole of everyone?  Certainly not.  I'm guessing that at least a nominal portion of these reports were made by people of color - but I doubt if anyone is keeping track.  Go ask BFRO - maybe they know?

And I suppose a question I would ask is "is it relevant anyway?"  I get your angle on whether certain myths may have cultural alignments I suppose.  I jsut don't see how you are going to find out what percentage of BF sightings were made by which ethnic group.

[Sakari]

You know when the Bigfoot discussions have gone as far as they possibly could when it turns into a debate on what race has seen them.....


Hey, Orange, besides hiking, and camping, they know how to swim and play hockey also.......

[orangepeaceful79]

Sakari, on 05 May 2012 - 05:36 PM, said:

You know when the Bigfoot discussions have gone as far as they possibly could when it turns into a debate on what race has seen them.....


Hey, Orange, besides hiking, and camping, they know how to swim and play hockey also.......

Yes I'm aware of that.  thanks.   I wasn't debating whether other races, hike, camp, etc. Of course they do - I was merely responding to a question with my own limited personal knowledge.

[Night Walker]

orangepeaceful79, on 05 May 2012 - 03:39 PM, said:

I get your angle on whether certain myths may have cultural alignments I suppose. I jsut don't see how you are going to find out what percentage of BF sightings were made by which ethnic group.

By examining the ethnic makeup of people actively involved in the search for Bigfoot (ie the 'footer subculture):

Night Walker, on 04 May 2012 - 11:16 AM, said:

Sakari, on 05 May 2012 - 05:36 PM, said:

You know when the Bigfoot discussions have gone as far as they possibly could when it turns into a debate on what race has seen them.....

Why? Is it taboo to ask why African-Americans are almost completely absent (1 in 200 or 0.5% from my example) from the 'footer subculture? I don't understand this but like I said - "I'm an ignorant, untravelled Aussie so I would appreciate correction if needed - preferably before I join some African-American forums and ask the same thing". Please explain it to me - I want to understand...

[orangepeaceful79]

Night Walker, on 05 May 2012 - 09:05 PM, said:

By examining the ethnic makeup of people actively involved in the search for Bigfoot (ie the 'footer subculture):





Why? Is it taboo to ask why African-Americans are almost completely absent (1 in 200 or 0.5% from my example) from the 'footer subculture? I don't understand this but like I said - "I'm an ignorant, untravelled Aussie so I would appreciate correction if needed - preferably before I join some African-American forums and ask the same thing". Please explain it to me - I want to understand...

I don't think that its a taboo question.  I think its a question that has no answer - at least not that any of us is going to be able to provide.  Even if one of us happened to be African-American - its not like one person can answer for a whole race.  And the rest of us are just white folks speculating.

If you'd like my speculation, I think that the reason that African-Americans and probably to some extent other ethnic minority groups are not as prevalent in this discussion is cyclical.  Look at most of the proponents of the BF mythology - the big names I mean - mostly (not all I realize) middle aged - to- old white guys.  The public face of BF the bigfoot phenomenon is generally white - the people who get interviewed about it, the people who show up on Finding Bigfoot to their ad-hoc town-hall meetings, most of these people are white.  So my guess is that the BF phenomenon is percieved to have a white face - at least to the casual observer - perhaps that makes it seem less relevant to people of color in general - which in turn causes fewer of those races to engage in learning about the phenomenon and around and around it goes.  I have no idea - I'm just guessing.

But again I ask - why is it even an important question?  unless you explained already and I missed it, I didn't see an answer to this when I asked earlier.