Thinking about how people express themselves concerning Sasquatch got the song "I'm a Believer" running through my mind. Neil Diamond wrote it and the Monkees made it a hit. 

Songwriters: NEIL DIAMOND

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Data From: LyricFind

Yes, some of the words hit home with many researchers. "Only true in fairy tales."  "Meant for someone else but not for me". "Seems the more I gave the less I got". "What's the use in trying, all you get is pain". "Couldn't leave. . . . if I tried", "I'm a believer".

And sometimes from those feelings, researchers begin to set definitions for everyone. They sort the people they know into categories. They have boxes into which they place the "Skeptics", the "Non-believers", the "Armchair researchers", the "Believers", the "Knowers", and the "Trolls". The list goes on and the members vary depending on which terms are used and how they are defined.  And there are a few who like to try to classify experiences by what did or didn't happen, much as UFO investigators classify those encounters. 

KNOW: be aware of through observation, inquiry, or information.

BELIEVE: accept (something) as true; feel sure of the truth.  accept the statement of (someone) as true.  hold (something) as an opinion; think or suppose.

SKEPTIC: a person inclined to question or doubt all accepted opinions. a person who maintains a doubting attitude, toward values, plans, statements, or the character of others.

Different definitions to be sure. Nowhere in those definitions is there an indication of the strength or the degree of either. And nowhere does it say which is better. All are strong words. All are worthy words.

There was a study done by sociologists Charles Y. Glock and Rodney Stark. Their research involved religion and the beliefs associated with it.

 In their book Paranormal America: Ghost Encounters, UFO Sightings, Bigfoot Hunts, and Other Curiosities in Religion and Culture, authors Christopher D. Boder, F. Carson Mencken, and Joseph O. Baker discussed how Glock and Stark's research could be applied to the paranormal.

Glock and Stark listed 5 primary ways people manifest their personal religiosity. These can also apply to levels of involvement with bigfoot and other paranormal activities, according to the three authors.

1 ) "Belief: the extent to which an individual believes in a paranormal topic or topics."

You cannot deny that we have those who say they believe in Sasquatch. Some believe strongly enough to firmly state that fact and why. Others may simply say they believe and enjoy reading accounts of experiences and theories behind others' beliefs.

2 ) "Experience: The extent to which an individual has experienced the paranormal topic in question (has seen a ghost, sighted a UFO, etc.)".

This too applies to those involved with Sasquatch. Some will tell you of the creature they saw, or the sounds they have heard, or the tracks, or the structures. Some may just talk of the "feeling" they had of being watched and followed.

3 ) "Knowledge: The extent to which an individual is aware of the history, details, and specifics of a paranormal topic".

This is unarguably true. Some know the history of the topic inside and out. Some have a very good idea of what went before. Others may know the background of activity in their area. And, hopefully, most are on their way to learning as much as they can about the entire subject.

4 ) "Practices: The extent to which a person engages in activities related to a paranormal subject (attends conferences, joins organizations, joins group activities)."

Everyone involved with this subject is at some level of practice. Joining a Facebook group just to read about other's ideas and experiences is a practice. Reading a book on the topic is not only part of the Knowledge factor, but also a Practice. You don't necessarily have to be traipsing the fields and woods to Practice.

5 ) "Consequences: The extent to which a person has suffered negative outcomes, such as ridicule, as a result of their interest in a paranormal subject."

We all know how far we will go in the pursuit of Sasquatch. Some of us will visit the internet, and go into the woods, silently and quietly, telling no one, staying under the radar of those who may not understand or condone the action. Others of us go about the business of exploring this topic every way we can and ignore or smile at the dissent given to us. And there are those who will shout their belief from the rooftops and the devil takes anyone who dares to tell them they are wrong. But mostly, I believe, there are those who quietly go about what they do. They don't try to hide it from those who ask. They look for no recognition. They don't do it to prove anything. They do it because they can. They do it because they have a need to know. They do it because it is a part of them.

Nowhere can I see it to be good or right for any of us to criticize how someone deals with the subject of sasquatch? You can only really accept what you have as experiences, what you chose to embrace, what you chose to believe. And know that you have the right to change your mind about any or all of it.