On the Nite Callers radio show this weekend, I did it. I opened the can of worms. (If you haven’t had a chance to listen to the show, you can do so here. I’ll warn you now… it’s two hours long and my verbal cup verily ranneth over. Hee! A special thanks to Laurie, Luke and Lauren for making me comfortable enough to discuss things I normally wouldn’t.)
Why did I do it? In a nutshell, because I knew the audience of that show is comprised of many long-term witnesses and I had a feeling they’d easily relate to what I was talking about.
But let’s look at why it took so LONG to do it.
First of all, I ABHOR using the word “telepathy” when it comes to discussing Bigfoot. Despite the fact that I’ve investigated numerous eyewitness accounts with Bigfoot over the years that include some form of communication not readily explained, there are connotations associated with the word “telepathy” that have the fascinating side-effect of getting people britches in a bunch. Lots of people automatically associate the word with the other, more “paranormal” aspects of the bigfoot phenomenon (including but not limited to: inter-dimensionalism, bigfoot as an alien, disappearing Sasquatches, etc.) and unfairly lump it in there.
Let’s face it – Bigfoot research isn’t a terribly credible pastime in the first place and the folks who hang their hats here understandably wish to keep this field as far away from ridicule as possible. We’re already fighting media sensationalism, used-Bigfoot salesmen who appoint themselves “spokesman” for the rest of us, guys like Eric Beckjord (may he rest in peace)… much of the rest of the world sees us as lunatic fringe to begin with. So keep it clean, keep it “scientific” and credible straight-faced and, at all costs, stay away from anything that might remotely smack of “woo-woo” or “ooga-booga” – right?
I’ve done my part. At least I’ve tried. I’ve attempted, any time I deal with the media, to present a serious, credible approach to this subject, with a little humor thrown in to let the reader/viewer know that I’m not an overzealous bigfoot “believer”. Because I know that the public has a hard time even accepting that Bigfoot might exist… much less delving into what else the phenomenon might entail. In the meantime, I’ve slowly, gently, tried to broach the long-term witness subject, trying to open minds (many in the research field – if you can appreciate that particular irony) that are often closed tighter than a steel trap.
But I haven’t talked much about an aspect of this phenomenon that I’ve been aware of for 20 years.
Why?
I’ve tried here and there throughout the years to address some of the more taboo aspects of the Bigfoot phenomenon in logical terms with a scientific approach. And was immediately labeled a “paranormalist” by other researchers. Here’s a snippet from a newsletter article I wrote on that subject back in October of 2006:
I’m not a Satanist… are you?
Recently, one of those researchers from the old listserv referred to me as a “Paranormalist” because, early on, I had expressed an interest in understanding these odd reports.
The dictionary defines the suffix “-ist” as “One who follows a principal”. It infers a specific belief system… like “Satanist”. I explained that simply because I choose to investigate and explore the fact that people REPORT other strange phenomena in conjunction with Bigfoot sightings, it does not make me anything… other than a researcher who refuses to be so arrogant as to BELIEVE that they know what Bigfoot is and what it is not.
If you read Science and Health by Mary Baker Eddy in an attempt to understand what that belief system entails, does that automatically make you a “Christian Scientist”? If you read books about Satanic Cults in order to understand the beliefs and rituals [and why people choose that route], does that make you a “Satanist”?
Of course, the dictionary also states that it’s “a member of a profession or one interested in something”. Okay… I’ll allow for that. But if you read a Stephen Hawking book, are you suddenly a “Quantum Physicist”? <grin> Let’s see… following that line of logic, and the books I’ve read or topics I’ve studied, that would make me a “Psychologist”, a “Biologist”, a “Gynecologist”…
I don’t appreciate being pigeonholed… especially when the intent is to discredit and stigmatize. See, the trouble is, real Paranormalists fervently BELIEVE that Bigfoot is “interdimensional” or “ethereal” or “spirit energy” or “a demon” or “an alien” or whatever and will argue the point with all the intensity of one devoted to a religious cause…
Unfortunately, people who have their own steadfast beliefs about Bigfoot have a hard time understanding that I DO NOT BELIEVE ANYTHING ABOUT THE NATURE OF SASQUATCH.
How different, really, are the “Flesh and Blood-ists”? <grin> They cling to a belief system as well… one that guides their actions and causes them to shun ANY report that even REMOTELY suggests that Bigfoot might be a “strange” phenomenon, rather than a plain-old biological animal running around in the woods. Never mind the fact that the reports that might suggest otherwise are there and have been for years. And how are these reports handled? They’re simply ignored in light of a more “scientific” approach to the subject.
Trouble is, any scientist will tell you that subjectively ignoring data from the get-go is a surefire way to ensure that your findings, and therefore your conclusions, are inaccurate. That’s why I’m not comfortable simply dismissing these other types of reports.
For the record, I DO NOT BELONG TO EITHER CAMP. I am a… Researcher. I research. Period. I don’t believe. I don’t know. I wonder. I ponder. I question. Therefore, I research. Thoroughly. All aspects of the subject. With an open, AND THEREFORE TRULY SKEPTICAL AND OBJECTIVE, mind.
So here’s the rub. Now that I’ve opened the can of worms, I’d like to delve more deeply into this subject with you. Again, in a multi-part series, since the subject is WAY too in-depth to cover it all in one blog post. I touched on it briefly in the radio show. I’ve addressed some of this in the members forum. But, with your permission, I’d like to share with you what I’ve learned – take you all the way down the rabbit hole and out the other side.
To anyone squirming in their seat over the nature of this post and those that will be forthcoming, I’ll make you a deal. I’ll do my best to take you through the intricacies of this subject with reason and logic, including all of the scientific explanation and the clinical studies I’ve taken into consideration. I’ll share with you some of the eyewitness testimony that made me pay attention to this in the first place. And I’ll try to present it in a way that allows you to explore the subject without feeling like you, or I, have gone off the deep end. I promise that, if you stick with me here, you will likely find yourself as intrigued as I have. I also promise that you’ll fully understand the acronym, NVCODE, I’ve coined here in the title to describe the phenomenon.
And if at any point you feel uncomfortable, you’re welcome to email me and say so and I’ll do my best to address that.
Deal? :)
As always, please feel free to email with comments and feedback. I love hearing from you. Rowan is on antibiotics and is a veritable poop machine running at full throttle at the moment (I know, TMI) so I can’t take her to daycare this week. Please be understanding if I don’t reply.
