Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science by Jeff Meldrum
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Book Reviews of Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science
Book Review: Has a long way to go to meet science
Summary: 1 Stars
Subtitled "Legend Meets Science," Jeff Meldrum's attempt to provide an objective overview of the "evidence" surrounding the supposed controversy over the existence of a North American great ape, or Sasquatch, falls far short of its intended mark. There is nothing remotely objective about this author's approach to the subject. He is a believer, and throughout the book Meldrum repeatedly argues the case for Bigfoot's supposed existence not on a measured, distanced analysis of the (at best) inconclusive evidence advanced here, but on the basis of repeated assertions that anyone who doesn't share his belief in this animal's existence is in effect a poorly trained scientist who refuses to become familiar with the subject matter.
No matter that Meldrum does nothing by way of presenting compelling, or even remotely conclusive evidence for his hairy man, the main argument here repeatedly bashes cautious scientists as lacking sufficient imagination to be, apparently, believers like himself.
One need look no farther than the introduction to witness Meldrum's bias. Rather than spend time convincing the audience of his ability to assess the evidence objectively as a trained scientist, Meldrum instead spins a typical "encounter" yarn wherein he relates his spooky experience in the woods being stalked by a pair of alleged Bigfeet (?) who danced around his camp and later tossed a rock at him. He then reels off some 270-odd pages of his "expert" analysis applied to evidence that proves absolutely nothing. This forces the author to continually turn to his tactic of asserting that anyone unconvinced by the evidence is simply irresponsible. Why? Apparently because that's how Meldrum feels about the issue when he gets up in the morning. So much for impartiality.
Meldrum ruins his credibility by refusing to objectively consider the other side of the story; that is, the possibility that Sasquatch has taken on its own life as a cultural phenomenon and that all of this "evidence" could have been faked. He uses the typical logic applied here by arguing that no one would go through the trouble to hoax this evidence. Yet, he forgets that he and the Discovery Channel certainly expended considerable effort coming up with this production. Motivation is its own master. He also points out that disparities of time and place and sheer number of sightings, footprints, etc., reduce the possibility of a hoax. Why? Because, as an "objective" scientist, we're supposed to believe Mr. Meldrum's opinion. He has no data available to support his claim one way or another. Ironically, his repeated claims that his fellow scientists are ignorant and biased does little for his own credibility as a member of this profession.
Bigfoot is an interesting subject. As a cultural phenomenon, it definitely requires investigation, especially since Meldrum has evidenced yet again that there exists no compelling proof of this creature's physical existence. One of the most insulting aspects of the pseudo-science employed here is the sophomoric, bigoted trivialization of Native American culture as some sort of "proof" for Bigfoot's existence. The "experts" here repeatedly claim that their moronic, de-contextualized reading of totems and other Native American representations of Sasquatch provide proof of the animal's existence rather than proof of their complete ignorance of Native American culture... a shoddy claim at best. The author treats indigenous cultures as if they were some archaeological relic awaiting Meldrum's curious search for Bigfoot to gain relevance. His bigoted suggestion that Native Americans' "closeness to nature" somehow provides scientific evidence of a creature is ridiculous and insultingly reminiscent of "noble savage" dismissals prevalent in crude nineteenth-century treatments of Native American culture.
The fact is, science is not seriously engaged in the decidedly a-scientific activity of forcing evidence into a narrative supporting a pre-supposed conclusion. This book is. If you already believe in Bigfoot, here you go: more "proof" by way of inconclusive "evidence" for your foregone conclusion, your faith. If not, this book isn't going to convince you of anything other than that you'd best send your kids somewhere other than Idaho State University. Even if Meldrum doesn't get full professor there, you get the idea he's laughing all the way to the bank. Another triumph for unadulterated "science." How commendable.