Quddus Synder: Defending truths

Traveling down south, one of the oddest things I’ve encountered is the widespread belief in Sasquatch. It is not uncommon to see vehicles with “Sasquatch Research Team” decals. There’s a Sasquatch museum. And the local gate-keeper at the state park swears that Bigfoot has thrown sticks at him in the woods. There’s a strong human tendency to see what we want to believe — even if it is false — and this explains today’s Republican Party.

When I first considered the Sasquatch case, I thought to myself: “by golly, what a fun myth.” Surveys conducted by Chapman University have found that one in five Americans believe in Bigfoot. I wasn’t about to bet the farm, but why not entertain the possibility that a large and mischievous humanoid stomps around in the woods? Like UFOs, the thrill of believing outweighs any harmful impact that a false conviction might have.