Jonathan Sims (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
intheeyeofthebeholding) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomhigh2025-09-15 09:23 am
intheeyeofthebeholding) wrote in fandomhigh2025-09-15 09:23 am
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Cryptozoology, Monday period 2
Jon nodded to the students as they settled in, then gestured to the image on the whiteboard.
"Bigfoot. Also known as sasquatch. Originating in North American forests, particularly the Pacific Northwest. Generally considered to have the appearance of an upright ape-like creature, larger than human, and incredibly hairy. Also presumably with very large feet. Depending on who you believe," if anyone, "the hair may be black, brown, or red, it may be anywhere from two to five meters tall - six to fifteen feet, if you prefer, and its eyes may shine. It also may smell."
He sighed. "Chances are, it's largely based in folklore, misidentification of things like bears and other humans, and the occasional hoax. The name 'Sasquatch' is probably a terrible Anglicization of 'sasq'ets', a term meaning 'hairy man' in a Native American language, which actually referred to a tribe of people, but that's what you get when people mistranslate things.
"The name 'Bigfoot' was coined by a group of men at a logging company who claimed to see a number of large footprints near where they were working, and even made a cast of one of them. In 2002, it was revealed that one man had wooden carvings of large feet and was making the impressions himself. He was inspired by a different hoax from earlier in the twentieth century."
Honestly, people, did you have to do these things? Jon shook his head.
"The leading logical explanation is bears. Both black bears and grizzly bears have been known to walk upright, and when you see them from a distance or the lighting is bad or there's a lot of foliage in the way, they can look more human or ape-like. Also, actual humans have occasionally been misidentified as Bigfoot, including several which were shot. As a note, if you must use a gun, please do not shoot if you do not know for certain what you are shooting at." He was looking at you, Americans. "Even most believers in the existence of Bigfoot acknowledge that most of the reported sightings are errors.
"As for non-logical explanations, they range from feral tribes of humans, to extraterrestrials," again, "to the supernatural. Of course. So - let's discuss."
"Bigfoot. Also known as sasquatch. Originating in North American forests, particularly the Pacific Northwest. Generally considered to have the appearance of an upright ape-like creature, larger than human, and incredibly hairy. Also presumably with very large feet. Depending on who you believe," if anyone, "the hair may be black, brown, or red, it may be anywhere from two to five meters tall - six to fifteen feet, if you prefer, and its eyes may shine. It also may smell."
He sighed. "Chances are, it's largely based in folklore, misidentification of things like bears and other humans, and the occasional hoax. The name 'Sasquatch' is probably a terrible Anglicization of 'sasq'ets', a term meaning 'hairy man' in a Native American language, which actually referred to a tribe of people, but that's what you get when people mistranslate things.
"The name 'Bigfoot' was coined by a group of men at a logging company who claimed to see a number of large footprints near where they were working, and even made a cast of one of them. In 2002, it was revealed that one man had wooden carvings of large feet and was making the impressions himself. He was inspired by a different hoax from earlier in the twentieth century."
Honestly, people, did you have to do these things? Jon shook his head.
"The leading logical explanation is bears. Both black bears and grizzly bears have been known to walk upright, and when you see them from a distance or the lighting is bad or there's a lot of foliage in the way, they can look more human or ape-like. Also, actual humans have occasionally been misidentified as Bigfoot, including several which were shot. As a note, if you must use a gun, please do not shoot if you do not know for certain what you are shooting at." He was looking at you, Americans. "Even most believers in the existence of Bigfoot acknowledge that most of the reported sightings are errors.
"As for non-logical explanations, they range from feral tribes of humans, to extraterrestrials," again, "to the supernatural. Of course. So - let's discuss."
Re: Class activity
Re: Class activity
She considered for a moment. "Of course ordinary people don't know anything about all of this."
Re: Class activity
Jon wasn't even going to ask about the basketball thing.
Re: Class activity
Re: Class activity