Skeptoid Tactics The Blogsquatcher On Skeptify Ing

Blogsquatcher has a good post on skeptoid techniques. This is something I've been commenting about for years. Sooooo many little techniques they use, including of course, the fact they use techniques. Their response to having been called out is to say something disingenuous like "Oh, well, if you mean by "technique" you mean critical thinking and logic, then, why, yes, we do have a "technique" if you will." Bleh.

I love Blogsquatcher's title: Skeptify me: Skeptics and their skepticky ways. In his piece, Blogsquatcher outlines tools the skeptibunkie uses when, er, "debating." For example, he writes:Skeptics will use terms to name and devalue the position of their adversaries, to marginalize and ridicule them. I think of this as "naming and shaming," because once the position is named, you find yourself ashamed to be in that number.

Skeptoids call those who accept the reality, or even the possiblity, of such things like Bigfoot, as "believers" of course, as Blogsquatcher points out. Also Bigfooters, woos, you name it. Blogsquatcher says, of the term "believers" that it's wrong because, for most who've experienced the unusual, be it Bigfoot or UFOs, there is no "belief" involved:

...they like to call us "believers," implying that our acceptance of the fact that people see and experience bigfoot is an expression of faith, like religious faith. We believe in things unseen. The problem with that, of course, is that many believers have seen. It's what made them believers in the first place.

I don't believe in Bigfoot, Mothman, UFOs, aliens from space or ghosts. I don't pray to them. I don't expect them to save me, heal me, or anything else. I'm not sure that what we call "aliens" are literal ETs, for example. But I believe they exist, because I've either seen them, or, I consider the evidence strong enough to support their existence. All the while however, I realize I could be wrong. Although there's not a strong dichotomy there; right vs. wrong in the sense of real vs. unreal. There's a lot more in between, and that is what the skeptoids cannot, do not, and will not consider, let alone "believe."

Another tool is the "hoax" tool. Blogsquatcher comments on the technique the skeptoid uses to dismiss all UFO, Bigfoot and other paranormal, anomalous events. Since they can be hoaxed, and have been hoaxed, there are no UFOs, Bigfoot, etc. Seriously, does anyone think that kind of thinking on the skeptoid's part is logical and rational?

There is much, much more and I highly recommend his article. Since Blogsquatcher is a Bigfoot blog, his focus is on the skekptiod's tools in relation to Bigfoot, but what he says can be applied to any anomalous, Fortean context.