Actually, this is the classification of cryptid sightings (thoughtforms), based on an obvious and natural criterion: how likely the one in question can be of a real, physical creature in flesh and blood. From most likely to least likely, obviously.
Category I is comprised of Ex-Cryptids (recently discovered animals that were cryptids for decades and even centuries). The list of those discovered in XX century is impressive: coelacanth, bondegezou, chacoan peccary, Congo peacock, giant forest hog, giant panda, Komodo dragon, kouprey, megamouth shark, mountain gorilla, mountain nyala, okapi, pygmy hippopotamus, saola…
Category II is comprised of credible sightings (sightings of cryptids that are likely to be discovered in flesh and blood). The list is actually quite long: ahool, beast of 'Busco, blue and black tigers, buru, giant anaconda, giant monkey, giant octopus, giant pike, giant salamander. giant turtles, kongamato, kraken, lusca, MacFarlane's Bear, Marozi, Mngwa and several other creatures.
Category III is comprised of so-called “living fossils” and other extinct animals (yes, they are really extinct – so the chances of encountering them in flesh and blood are exactly zero).
Why zero? Because these species got extinct because they failed to adapt to radical changes in their environment – so the chances of their subspecies adapting without radically changing are… well, zilch.
Category IV (“Not in Flesh and Blood”) is comprised of creatures whose descriptions might look realistic but who are not. Not realistic because in order to exist, the animal has to have close relative among existing animals (all ex-cryptids do). In other words, be an integral part of the system of “animal kingdom” … and all creatures in this category are well outside it.
Category V is comprised of “Wild Men” (intermediate beings between an ape and Homo Sapiens). These creatures are not in flesh and blood because all such intermediate beings lost competition to humans and thus became extinct. Mother Nature is ruthless: losers become extinct – no exception.
Category VI is comprised of Demonic Cryptids (demons in animal form such as water kelpie) and Category VII – of purely mythological animals (e.g., werewolves). The difference is that the former might exist (in intangible, spiritual form) while the latter are pure figments of human imagination.
The Definitive Guide to Cryptids
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RolandVT
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RolandVT
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Five Kinds of Cryptozoology
Four plus one, actually (the last one only pretends to be one while in reality it is not the case). The four kinds (branches) of cryptozoology are scientific cryptozoology (in reality, not all of it is a science), mythological cryptozoology (a branch of folklore studies), occult cryptozoology and ultraterrestrial cryptozoology. The fifth one is a deception… and an industry.
Scientific cryptozoology (Cryptozoology I) is based on an indisputable fact that in XX century scientists discovered animals that were considered cryptids for decades and even centuries – and treated accordingly by most zoologists.
Scientific cryptozoology has three branches that range from legitimate science to pseudo-science (the third one is something in-between). Cryptozoology IA carefully selects credible reports of cryptids sightings and uses scientific tools and methods to obtain compelling proof that these creatures actually exist… or debunk these sightings once and for all. Such cryptozoologists acknowledge and accept that very, very few alleged sightings are of unknown animals in flesh and blood.
Cryptozoology IB assumes (grossly incorrectly) that ALL cryptid sightings are credible… and its practitioners act accordingly. This assumption is fundamentally un-scientific which makes Cryptozoology IB a pseudo-science. Cryptozoology IC assumes that most cryptid (or at least a large number of) sightings are credible… which makes it a pseudo-science as well.
Mythological cryptozoology (Cryptozoology II) is based on an assumption that most (even the overwhelming majority) of cryptid sightings are not of creatures in flesh and blood and thus are… well, myths.
Which is not necessarily true; in fact, it might very well be that the overwhelming majority of cryptid sightings are credible… only mostly not of entities in flesh and blood, but of apparitions and/or ultraterrestrials.
Cryptozoology II is a legitimate science (which does not recognize existence of apparitions or ultraterrestrials) because it uses scientific tools and methods (folklore studies are a science) to study the myths about cryptids.
More specifically, when, where, how and why these myths were created (and by whom); how they spread; what was (and is) their meaning, significance and impact (cultural and otherwise), etc. Actually, these studies are quite fascinating (definitely far more fascinating that those of scientific cryptozoology).
Occult cryptozoology (Cryptozoology III) is based on an assumption that most (even the overwhelming majority) of cryptid sightings are not of creatures in flesh and blood… but apparitions.
Credible sightings – but of intangible spiritual entities. It uses tools and methods of occult science (yes, it is a science – albeit a different one) to identify and then study these apparitions.
More specifically, what they are (what is their nature), when, where, to whom they showed up – and what was their objective (unlike animals, apparitions always show up with a very specific objective).
One of the theories is that all apparitions have one and the same objective… the same message to us, to be more precise. The message is simple, powerful and existential: mainstream materialistic science is wrong; there is an invisible, intangible, spiritual world out there (in fact, it accounts for 6/7 of our whole world).
This world is populated with invisible, intangible, spiritual entities (angels, demons, ghosts, spirits, etc.) that have significant power over individual human beings and over our whole world.
Which means that every human being must obtain sufficient knowledge about this world – and act accordingly. However, this is the general message – every apparition might have a specific message as well.
Ultraterrestrial cryptozoology (Cryptozoology IV) is based on three fundamental assumptions: (1) our Universe is just one of many – possibly even of an infinite number of other universes; (2) entities can cross the boundary between these universes and (3) they do it with very specific objective – and not only to deliver the message about the existence of parallel universes.
Cryptozoology IV uses a number of tools and methods to identify and then study these visits. More specifically, what these entities are (what is their nature), when, where, to whom they showed up – and what was their objective.
Cryptozoology V is “+1” because its objective is radically different from the other four. While practitioners of all other branches of cryptozoology strive to find the truth (more precisely, what they perceive as truth), Cryptozoology V is all about greed and pride (money and fame).
In fact, it is a science in name only (it only pretends to be one). It is all about creating the myths about cryptids (or using and modifying when necessary existing myths), and pretending that these myths are real.
Which makes Cryptozoology V an industry of mockumentary books, images, videos, and whole resources (Web sites, social media outlets, tourist attractions, etc.) used to make money and achieve fame and recognition. A colossal system of deception – to call a spade a spade.
In the next sections, I will discuss cryptozoologies II-V in more detail.
Scientific cryptozoology (Cryptozoology I) is based on an indisputable fact that in XX century scientists discovered animals that were considered cryptids for decades and even centuries – and treated accordingly by most zoologists.
Scientific cryptozoology has three branches that range from legitimate science to pseudo-science (the third one is something in-between). Cryptozoology IA carefully selects credible reports of cryptids sightings and uses scientific tools and methods to obtain compelling proof that these creatures actually exist… or debunk these sightings once and for all. Such cryptozoologists acknowledge and accept that very, very few alleged sightings are of unknown animals in flesh and blood.
Cryptozoology IB assumes (grossly incorrectly) that ALL cryptid sightings are credible… and its practitioners act accordingly. This assumption is fundamentally un-scientific which makes Cryptozoology IB a pseudo-science. Cryptozoology IC assumes that most cryptid (or at least a large number of) sightings are credible… which makes it a pseudo-science as well.
Mythological cryptozoology (Cryptozoology II) is based on an assumption that most (even the overwhelming majority) of cryptid sightings are not of creatures in flesh and blood and thus are… well, myths.
Which is not necessarily true; in fact, it might very well be that the overwhelming majority of cryptid sightings are credible… only mostly not of entities in flesh and blood, but of apparitions and/or ultraterrestrials.
Cryptozoology II is a legitimate science (which does not recognize existence of apparitions or ultraterrestrials) because it uses scientific tools and methods (folklore studies are a science) to study the myths about cryptids.
More specifically, when, where, how and why these myths were created (and by whom); how they spread; what was (and is) their meaning, significance and impact (cultural and otherwise), etc. Actually, these studies are quite fascinating (definitely far more fascinating that those of scientific cryptozoology).
Occult cryptozoology (Cryptozoology III) is based on an assumption that most (even the overwhelming majority) of cryptid sightings are not of creatures in flesh and blood… but apparitions.
Credible sightings – but of intangible spiritual entities. It uses tools and methods of occult science (yes, it is a science – albeit a different one) to identify and then study these apparitions.
More specifically, what they are (what is their nature), when, where, to whom they showed up – and what was their objective (unlike animals, apparitions always show up with a very specific objective).
One of the theories is that all apparitions have one and the same objective… the same message to us, to be more precise. The message is simple, powerful and existential: mainstream materialistic science is wrong; there is an invisible, intangible, spiritual world out there (in fact, it accounts for 6/7 of our whole world).
This world is populated with invisible, intangible, spiritual entities (angels, demons, ghosts, spirits, etc.) that have significant power over individual human beings and over our whole world.
Which means that every human being must obtain sufficient knowledge about this world – and act accordingly. However, this is the general message – every apparition might have a specific message as well.
Ultraterrestrial cryptozoology (Cryptozoology IV) is based on three fundamental assumptions: (1) our Universe is just one of many – possibly even of an infinite number of other universes; (2) entities can cross the boundary between these universes and (3) they do it with very specific objective – and not only to deliver the message about the existence of parallel universes.
Cryptozoology IV uses a number of tools and methods to identify and then study these visits. More specifically, what these entities are (what is their nature), when, where, to whom they showed up – and what was their objective.
Cryptozoology V is “+1” because its objective is radically different from the other four. While practitioners of all other branches of cryptozoology strive to find the truth (more precisely, what they perceive as truth), Cryptozoology V is all about greed and pride (money and fame).
In fact, it is a science in name only (it only pretends to be one). It is all about creating the myths about cryptids (or using and modifying when necessary existing myths), and pretending that these myths are real.
Which makes Cryptozoology V an industry of mockumentary books, images, videos, and whole resources (Web sites, social media outlets, tourist attractions, etc.) used to make money and achieve fame and recognition. A colossal system of deception – to call a spade a spade.
In the next sections, I will discuss cryptozoologies II-V in more detail.
Scribo, ergo sum