Editorial: Are some researchers afraid to be truly independent and think for themselves?

A lot of the time, many researchers have their own thoughts about certain individuals in the field of Bigfoot research. But sometimes people get swayed very easily by others in the field and form their opinions based on others' opinions rather than their own thoughts and opinions. I have fallen into this trap, unfortunately. Well, that is OVER for me. How much time have I wasted psychoanalyzing people and saying "so-and-so did this, so-and-so said that?", and most of the time these opinions have been based on what others have said about so-and-so. This is time I could've spent getting to know certain individuals in the field instead of being so jealous and back-biting and bitter about certain people. I admit, I have fallen into the trap of letting others determine my opinions on certain individuals in the field, and I need to stop being swayed by what Joe Blow said about John Doe and have my own damn opinions on people. That kind of crap is rumor-mongering and gossip and it has got to stop. We are ALL in this together to try to solve this, so who gives a crap if it is John Doe or Joe Blow that solves it, as long as it is solved? I would encourage others to do the same as I have, and quit being swayed by what is said on this forum or that messageboard or in some chatroom and form your own opinion on someone, good or bad. I am not saying you have to like certain individuals in this field, but for God's sake, stop all the back-biting and rumor-mongering and bitterness, and let us all work TOGETHER as a unit to solve this mystery. Billy Willard made a good point to me in a chatroom last night when he said that we can't get to know someone through a computer screen, and he is absolutely right. If we spent half as much time in the field actually LOOKING for evidence as we do sitting anonymously behind our computer screens tearing others down, we would be in a boat in the middle of Loch Ness by now!!!!!!