(Login Arkansan) Forum Owner from IP address 208.189.4.100
WHAT CONSTITUTES A BIGFOOT RESEARCHER?
1. Be open-minded and yet remain skeptical.
This one really should be a no-brainer. There are no experts in this field so you should remain open-minded to possible theories concerning bigfoot behavior. However, you have to remain skeptical in order to keep from becoming too open-minded! Teleporting bigfoot, anyone? And by skeptical, I don't mean cynical to the point that you become close-minded. Study, interpret, validate, scrutinize, ponder, then form opinions and theorize. Like I said, it should be a no-brainer (and yes, there's a pun there).
2. Never state as fact, something you took on faith.
By that I mean don't read or hear something from someone else and then turn around and start spouting it off as if its common knowledge and you're an authority on the subject. You are then doing a disservice to every single person who reads or listens to your words and then in turn accepts what you've said as fact. If someone tells you, "I think this might be this way" or "It's possible that might happen" then damnit that's what they mean! The only exception to this rule is in taking the word of another ethical investigator that you trust. The reason you can do that is because they will be like you...ethical.
3. Never submit as evidence, anything that you're not willing to have scrutinized and critiqued!
If you're not confident or emotionally mature enough to handle hard questions being asked of you by your peers concerning anything that you submit as evidence, you need to take your ball, and your whiny-baby, pansy assed attitude and go home. You're outclassed.
4. Learn to be a good communicator as well as a good listener.
In order to be a competent researcher, you must be able to communicate well. This is another one of those no-brainers. But more importantly than be a good talker is being a good listener! This is one of my biggest pet peeves. I consider myself to be a good listener. If you were to meet me in person, you'd probably agree. I can't tell you how many times I've had someone right at the brink of giving me some good info and some jerk-off decides to impress everyone with their own dipshit opinion and the interruption causes the subject to change. If you can just sit back, nod your head and be attentive 95% of the population won't have any problem talking to you and you can learn some interesting stuff.
5. Learn to be an educator.
Part of research should also be devoted to educating any interested parties you may run across. These people have a desire to learn and as a researcher you should be able to give them at least the basics in regards to the subject.
6. Be the best damned armchair researcher you can possibly be!!!
Anytime I see some moron post that, "all so-and-so is is an armchair researcher." I can't help but laugh at their stupidity. If you're smart you'll be a damned armchair researcher! There are only a lucky few of us who actually live in their research areas. As for myself, its a three hour drive to mine so I'm not quite able to hop out there every weekend, if you know what I mean. So, what am I supposed to do when I'm not out in the field? Sit here and masterbate? No lie folks, it takes one dumb son-of-a-bitch to say "armchair researcher" like its a bad thing. And to all of you armchair researchers sitting out there reading this I say, "Excelsior!!! I salute you!!!" You are the fabric that binds all of this. You are the ones who read these organization sites and you are the ones who study the evidence presented within them. If everyone was in the woods all of the time there would be no need for Internet sites devoted to bigfoot because there'd be no audience. How stupid can some people be anyway?
7. Vehemently expose every liar and hoaxer you run across.
You owe it to every other researcher and enthusiast interested in this subject to point out anyone who isn't honest and ethical in their research. Cut them no slack. Give them not an inch. Put'em through the freakin' meat-grinder. They deserve no less. 'Nuff said.
