Monster Cash

Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster and the Chupacabra; some of the most recognizable pieces of modern folklore. Are they creatures simply myths that people have created to explain phenomena? Could they exist? Certainly the possibility exists that they are out there, and this exactly what the perpetuators of these creatures want you to believe. Even though only questionable evidence for these creatures has been found, millions still believe in their existence so wholeheartedly that the tourist industry has used them for years to attract business. In fact, these monsters are seen as important sources of incomes for the local tourist economies. Even though the chances of anybody visiting one of these spots and sighting a mythical creature are less than one in a million, people still have no issue making profit from the opportunity. Although we cannot definitively say whether or not some of these creatures exist, it is safe to say that people are being ripped off by this industry. Think of all the people each year who visit Loch Ness with a tiny glimmer of hope that they might spot a strange figure in the water only to leave with a hundred dollars worth of Nessie memorabilia. Although one could point the finger at the tourist industry, I think the blame should be more focused on the "monster hunters" and adventurers who feed the frenzy. Every time somebody tries to prove the existence of the Loch Ness monster or Big Foot, it stirs even more commotion around the subject and fuels even more tourism. At the end of the day though, I have admit that all of the mystique that the industry creates around these monsters is fascinating. Despite the moral dilemmas it is certainly entertaining.