Skeptics vs fakes

While looking at some of the threads on here, I noticed that skeptics seem to call every video or picture fake without any evidence. They immediately get on the thread and say "it's fake."

The skeptic seems to equate his or her opinion to actual evidence. When you say a picture or video is fake, what is it based on? If it's an extraterrestrial spacecraft, what barometer are you using to weigh the evidence? How is an extraterrestrial spacecraft supposed to look in a picture or video? I was just reading one post and the skeptic said it wouldn't look like that so it must be a fake. Well how is it supposed to look?

What if the extraterrestrial spacecraft is warping the space around the ship, how would you know how this would affect pictures or videos?

Again, I think the skeptic equates his or her opinion with evidence and in their mind their opinion holds the same amount of weight. A pilot or police officer can say I saw a U.F.O. and the skeptic will say no you didn't it had to be something else. In their mind, their opinion is equally weighted against the eyewitness account from the pilot or police officer.

I think it's pretty obvious this is a mechanism to reinforce their pre-existing beliefs. The skeptic has turned logic on it's head to support their skepticism.

[edit on 4-7-2007 by polomontana]

[edit on 4-7-2007 by polomontana]

As a sceptic / skeptic I am just looking for a higher burden of proof.
If you had shown me footage of a claimed new species of man-eating, predatory, killer-rabbit and it was a grainy, blurry speck moving on the screen I would not accept it as proof of its existence.

If it were a clear video, given todays technology and how good movie land is getting I would still question it. Personal experience and judgement is all we have imho.

Millions believe in god, I dont. I have never met him / her / it. Even if a burning bush were to talk to me and hand me some commandments on some bits of stone I would in all probability get myself commited than believe in god.

However, if I witnessed a UFO / Alien event, with my own experiencial sensory input, then there is a good chance of me accepting it. Although, I am more than aware of how the mind can make things up...like alleged paranormal experiences, I would still be checking it out and trying to prove it happened. Prove to myself not others!!

The believers have more of a problem than skeptics imho. The acceptance of a picture of a seagull with a $30,000 price tag comes to mind. Believers seem to have a judgement value that weighs any evidence to the majority proof positive, rather than rationalising their opinion. That is why so many people are getting peeved with all the "fakes". They want to believe so much that you are too ready to accept anything as evidence. Its a belief that is almost religious in its dedication.

Perhaps all the fakes are a mass diversion exercise, the "cry wolf syndrome".
"Look an Alien invasion!!"
"Yeah right!!"

I take your point that perhaps Alien technology may have an effect on our recording devices. However, we start with dodgy devices in the first place. I look at my jpeg pictures and I can see errors in the images. Nothing major when the subject is brightly lit, is near and occupies a third of your screen!! But if it is something that is 3 pixels wide, grainy and moving...get out of here!!!

What saddens me is that all the fakes out there dont seem to be educating many people to spot them. I would hope by now, that some exciting stuff would be being posted. But no. Same old tosh. Thing is no real happening stuff is out there, thats why crud gets posted...otherwise nothing would be happening here.

It would have been great to have had some footage of that mile wide Guernsay UFO

As a retort, I simply offer this:

While looking at some of the threads on here, I noticed that believers seem to call every video or picture real without any evidence. They immediately get on the thread and say "it's real."

The believerseems to equate his or her opinion to actual evidence. When you say a picture or video is real, what is it based on? If it's an extraterrestrial spacecraft, what barometer are you using to weigh the evidence? How is an extraterrestrial spacecraft supposed to look in a picture or video? I was just reading one post and the believer said it should look like that so it must be a real.

Again, I think the believer equates his or her opinion with evidence and in their mind their opinion holds the same amount of weight. Any old bozo can say I saw a U.F.O. and the believers say I'm sure you did. In their mind, their opinion is equally weighted in favor of the eyewitness account from the bozo.

I think it's pretty obvious this is a mechanism to reinforce their pre-existing beliefs. The believer has turned off logic in it's head to support their belief.

"I think it's pretty obvious this is a mechanism to reinforce their pre-existing beliefs. The skeptic has turned logic on it's head to support their skepticism."

Good point-bias preconceptions(by anyone) are never a good thing in Ufology and people need to address all the facts of a situation before trying to shoehorn in an explanation

Originally posted by polomontana
While looking at some of the threads on here, I noticed that skeptics seem to call every video or picture fake without any evidence. They immediately get on the thread and say "it's fake."

We skeptics also love broad negative overgeneralizations. Don't forget that. And we have forked tails, too.

Please feel free to post your "authentic" videos. All we've seen so far are fakes and blobs of light that could be anything. An authentic video would be a nice change of pace.