My latest post at Mysterious Universe on why belief is the bane of Forteana.
As I note at the start of the article:
"Just a few days ago, I was chatting with a colleague in the field of Cryptozoology about what the creatures of Loch Ness, Scotland really are – presuming they do exist, of course! I found it pretty enlightening that he got quite defensive over my remark that maybe the beasts are not still-surviving plesiosaurs - as so many, including pretty much the entire Scottish tourist industry, want or hope them to be. When I suggested the possibility of giant-eels roaming the deep waters of the old loch, a distinctly frosty atmosphere developed. Why? I’ll tell you why: because I had dared to question his carefully developed and nurtured belief system."
As I point out in the MU post, there's nothing wrong with believing in something. But it's when people make the leap that belief equals evidence that they cross the line...
Great post Nick. I think there's more chance of The Ramones inhabiting Loch Ness than a plesiosaur! I think being a Fortean is about being open minded but also having a balance of scepticism and belief. There clearly is no evidence that a dinosaur is roaming the loch, and there's no reason there should be but the worrying aspect is the fact that some people accept no other theory. The consistent reports such a sturgeon.
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