Bigfoot lives! at CFIC T.O.

Bigfoot Lives!…Sort of: Why Sasquatch Persists in the Information Age

Where?:           at CFI Canada Toronto Branch, 55 Eglinton Ave E, Suite 307

When?:             from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

Cost?:               FREE for CFI Canada members who present their card

                            $5 admission for non-members

Bigfoot. Sasquatch. Wildman. Whatever you want to call it, this legendary hirsute giant is North America’s favourite, frustratingly elusive, spectacularly camera-shy, forest-foraging bipedal hominid.

But Bigfoot isn’t just a mythical creature who lurks in the shadows of pop-culture. Despite the paucity of physical evidence for its existence, Bigfoot is alive and well in the world today. Of course, the beast isn’t literally alive, but the search for Sasquatch continues to flourish in the Information Age. Indeed, the idea of Bigfoot lives on because of the Information Age.

Rather than rehash old arguments about whether or not Bigfoot exists, Jarret Ruminski will explain why the digitally connected, twenty-first century world supports a thriving Sasquatch subculture, and he’ll illuminate why Bigfoot believers…well…believe!

This presentation will introduce you to the mind-bending world of Bigfoot enthusiasts, where online technology, black-helicopter-laden conspiracy theories, crackpot pseudoscience, anti-elitism, salt-of-the-earth populism, and even some genuine curiosity combine to create a fascinating Sasquatch subculture.

Not only will Ruminski explain who Bigfoot believers are and why they believe, he’ll also dispel any simplistic notions you may have about them being a mere collection of fringe weirdos. While some Bigfooters are clearly bonkers, others are perfectly “normal” people. Ruminski will also connect belief in Sasquatch to broader cultural trends concerning urbanization, the declining human relationship with nature, and an increasing suspicion of authorities and institutions.

Jarret Ruminski is a research consultant, writer, and recovering academic who does consulting work for several Canadian non-profit and governmental organizations. He also holds a PhD in American history from the University of Calgary, where he taught courses in American, Latin-American, and World history.