What's on your Won't Do list?

[Keroin]

About seven years ago, I had an interesting discussion with a marine biologist, while we were out on a dive boat together. At this time I was vocal to the point of obnoxious when it came to my #1 cause – the ocean and its inhabitants. (I still slip, occasionally – sorry Etoile). I asked her, given all the ugly she had witnessed, how she was able to function and not go nuts. She told me that she almost did but then she realized the futility of it. Her solution was to choose her top three “won’t do’s”, her own little boycotts, if you will, stick to those and try not to stress over the rest.

Over the years, I’ve become quieter, (not silent, just quieter), but I, too, have adopted my own personal boycotts. I’m not alone; I’ve met others who do the same. Quiet activists. For example, one friend will never shop at WalMart or wear any clothing with logos.

This is my list:

1. Will not eat commercially caught shrimp
2. Will not eat any billfish, (marlin, swordfish, etc), farmed salmon, or shark and will not patronize any restaurant that serves these species.
3. Will not go to zoos, aquariums, marine parks or any place that has captive wild animals except if they are solely for purposes of protection or rehabilitation
4. Will not watch Sylvester Stallone movies – ‘cause he’s an asshole

I’m also thinking of adding the WalMart thing to my list as well.

There are other things I feel strongly about but I’ll be more flexible with, depending on circumstances. But the list above represents my line in the sand, my absolutes.

So, I’m curious. What’s on your “won’t do” list? Do you have a cause you are passionate about and, if so, how do you express that?

 

[Harmony_1985]

Vomit.

I can handle ANY bodily fluid, except vomit.

The girls at my new job know it. One of the kids was sick the other day at work and I had to move away because I couldn't handle it. They laughed at me lol.

 

[Keroin]

Vomit.

I can handle ANY bodily fluid, except vomit.

The girls at my new job know it. One of the kids was sick the other day at work and I had to move away because I couldn't handle it. They laughed at me lol.

Oooo, I don't blame you. When I worked as a vet assistant, mine was maggots. Vomit was nasty but at least it didn't try to crawl on you! (I still had to deal with the maggots, unfortunately, but I passed that job off to someone else whenever I could).

 

[Homburg]

I'm not socially conscious enough to do that. The closest thing would be to state that I won't buy pets from a pet store or a breeder. I get them from the SPCA or the paper. You know, some farmer's barn cat has a litter so she sells the kitten $10 a pop.

 

[MisterSir]

Own a dog or wear contact lenses. I've gone into the latter before, but I find dogs...disturbing. Rather scary, as well. A friend's girlfriend has two Dalmatians and the last time I was at hers, I took one step towards the kitchen and near where they were penned in, and they started barking like Cujo's two bastard children. No thank you.

 

[Keroin]

Own a dog or wear contact lenses. I've gone into the latter before, but I find dogs...disturbing. Rather scary, as well. A friend's girlfriend has two Dalmatians and the last time I was at hers, I took one step towards the kitchen and near where they were penned in, and they started barking like Cujo's two bastard children. No thank you.

Dalmatians are notoriously unstable - too much inbreeding. They're also often deaf. We had one client who was deaf who had a nice, deaf dalmatian that she taught sign language to. The dog was brilliant. Responded to almost 30 signs.

Why contact lenses? Oh wait, I forgot, the eye thing, right?

I'm not socially conscious enough to do that. The closest thing would be to state that I won't buy pets from a pet store or a breeder. I get them from the SPCA or the paper. You know, some farmer's barn cat has a litter so she sells the kitten $10 a pop.

I wasn't always socially conscious and I've got enough hypocrisy to keep me human but sometimes life shows you things in such away that ignorance becomes impossible. It would be easier not to care.

Lots of hugs to you for your SPCA pets!

 

[MisterSir]

Dalmatians are notoriously unstable - too much inbreeding. They're also often deaf. We had one client who was deaf who had a nice, deaf dalmatian that she taught sign language to. The dog was brilliant. Responded to almost 30 signs.

Apparently, they barked because they could sense I was afraid of them. Is that true? Can dogs seriously smell fear? Is this why they should actually be ranked higher than bears on Stephen Colbert's board?

Why contact lenses? Oh wait, I forgot, the eye thing, right?

Bingo (was his name-o).

 

[Keroin]

Apparently, they barked because they could sense I was afraid of them. Is that true? Can dogs seriously smell fear? Is this why they should actually be ranked higher than bears on Stephen Colbert's board?

Absolutely they can smell fear. Dogs are incredibly perceptive. There are dogs trained to smell changes in blood sugar for kids who are severely diabetic. The dog sleeps beside the kid's bed and when he senses the kid's level dropping, he's trained to bark and go wake up the parents. Without the dog, the parents have to get up every few hours, every night, to check the kid's level or else the kid can slip into a diabetic coma and die.

I love dogs. The moment I know I'm settled I will get one. There are a lot of bad dogs out there, though. Bad training, lack of socialization, over breeding. Humans are idiots.

I miss watching Colbert and also the Daily Show. About all I miss from TV. Except the odd tennis match.

 

[Homburg]

I wasn't always socially conscious and I've got enough hypocrisy to keep me human but sometimes life shows you things in such a way that ignorance becomes impossible. It would be easier not to care.

Apathy is easy.

I live in an interesting area. I am about equidistant from the world HQ of PETA and the Smithfield packing plants (one of the largest pork slaughterhouses around). So, on one hand, animal rights activism right here at home, and tasty, tasty pork products.

Lots of hugs to you for your SPCA pets!

Two SPCA kitties and one barn baby. Love em.

 

[MisterSir]

Absolutely they can smell fear. Dogs are incredibly perceptive. There are dogs trained to smell changes in blood sugar for kids who are severely diabetic.

Quite honestly, all that does is make them seem even scarier.

 

[Keroin]

Apathy is easy.

I live in an interesting area. I am about equidistant from the world HQ of PETA and the Smithfield packing plants (one of the largest pork slaughterhouses around). So, on one hand, animal rights activism right here at home, and tasty, tasty pork products.

Two SPCA kitties and one barn baby. Love em.

I'm a fan of treating animals ethically but I have nothing to do with PETA. Also, my outrage is situational. The poor guy gill netting the hell out of an estuary because his family is starving doesn't bother me. Well, not much anyway. The upper middle class suburbanite who buys a dog and gets tired of it ten minutes later and then tosses it in the back yard for the duration of its poor, neglected life makes me mental.

I have no problem eating animals. Animals eat animals. Humans are animals.

I read a fascinating book a few years ago about a woman who was very autistic who likened the experience of autism to the way animals perceive the world. She has a PhD, and is probably close to idiot savant. She is hired by companies like McDonalds to go to their slaughterhouses, troubleshoot problems and find ways to make the process less stressful for the animals. She actually crawls along the path the animals follow to try and see problems as the animals would see them. Pretty wild stuff.

 

[BiBunny]

I'm a fan of treating animals ethically but I have nothing to do with PETA. Also, my outrage is situational. The poor guy gill netting the hell out of an estuary because his family is starving doesn't bother me. Well, not much anyway. The upper middle class suburbanite who buys a dog and gets tired of it ten minutes later and then tosses it in the back yard for the duration of its poor, neglected life makes me mental.

I have no problem eating animals. Animals eat animals. Humans are animals.

I read a fascinating book a few years ago about a woman who was very autistic who likened the experience of autism to the way animals perceive the world. She has a PhD, and is probably close to idiot savant. She is hired by companies like McDonalds to go to their slaughterhouses, troubleshoot problems and find ways to make the process less stressful for the animals. She actually crawls along the path the animals follow to try and see problems as the animals would see them. Pretty wild stuff.

Temple Grandin? She's awesome.

 

[Netzach]

1. Have babies. There's enough well fed white westerners to fuck the world up without my contribution to future generations.

3. The only thing I have ever bought from Walmart are padded 3M mailers.

4. People who privilege animals over third world women bug the shit out of me. I don't have a don't so much as I give painfully to Madre and Women for Women. If people put one tenth the energy into women and children that they do into animals - but people are more worried about the iphone baby shaking app controversy than actual shaken to death babies.

 

[VelvetDarkness]

I can't even begin to go into how ethics motivates my shopping habits. I'm a vegan eco-warrior and pretty much every quid I spend is done so with thought. I won't buy designer gear partly because of sweatshop workers abroad but also because I absolutely refuse to entertain the idea that a dress designed for androgynous, anorexic beanpoles can command a three digit price tag. I'm ambivalent about shopping too because while I like a bargain as much as the next girl, you can't buy a £3 T shirt from Primark (UK discount clothes store) without exploiting somebody.

I frequent sites like ethical consumer and though I do consider where my hard earned wedge goes, I'm actually quite a bit less militant than many other vegans I know.

Other absolute won't dos off the top of my head are...

Balloons. I actually have a phobia stemming from a traumatic childhood event. I can't be in the same room as them and I absolutely cannot touch them. (no, I'm not the same with condoms )

Meat and dairy. They're farmed so intensively and stuffed full of so much crap before they're event slaughtered/milked and processed that it's a fundamentally bad idea. Check out Earthlings (narrated by Joaquin Phoeix) for more info. It does have graphic footage but as it's all been filmed undercover, it's grainy and lacking in detail much of the time.

Fast/snack food. I just can't put that crap in my body, even if there's nothing else for miles. Also big name corporations who act irresponsibly. That includes Wallmart (ASDA in the UK), McD's, Starbucks, Nestle, KFC (who aren't allowed to call it 'Kentucky Fried Chicken' any more because the meat is too over-processed and padded with sugar and water) and lots of other brands that I won't list here.

Sorry Wenchie

Animal 'by-products' like leather, wool etc. Perversely, the leather industry is almost completely separate from the meat industry, so those who imagine that the same cow is used for shoes and steak are deluding themselves.

There's more, believe me but I expect I've already worn out my welcome on this thread.

 

[VelvetDarkness]

1. Have babies. There's enough well fed white westerners to fuck the world up without my contribution to future generations.

Oh yeah. That too. I'm as naturally maternal as Cruella De Ville.

People who privilege animals over third world women bug the shit out of me.

FWIW I agree with this. People sometimes assume vegans have skewed priorities and that they put ickle fluffy animals and organic produce above everything else. Not so. Unfortunately, here in Blighty there's little I can do directly other than stick money in various tins.

 

[Netzach]

I avoid meat I know is full of shit, for everyone's benefit. One of the better parts of living in the heartland is that I can buy less exploitative meat and produce, assuming one believes in stewardship versus animal rights or land stewardship versus - whatever else, all humans dying off being best or something. I can't say no Hormel or McD's has ever passed my lips, but it's a rare rarity and most of the meat I buy I buy from farms I can tour and people whose town I lived in.

 

[rinka]

I won't buy meat from Argentina, yoghurt from France, fresh potatoes from Egypt or other insanely unnecessarily transported food. Things we produce here.

Won't buy eggs from hens in cages.

 

[Netzach]

I won't buy meat from Argentina, yoghurt from France, fresh potatoes from Egypt or other insanely unnecessarily transported food. Things we produce here.

Won't buy eggs from hens in cages.

You know, I have to say the difference between a cagefree organic egg and the alternative is sublime. And it's not THAT much more expensive.

 

[Keroin]

Temple Grandin? She's awesome.

Yeah, that's her!

FWIW I agree with this. People sometimes assume vegans have skewed priorities and that they put ickle fluffy animals and organic produce above everything else. Not so. Unfortunately, here in Blighty there's little I can do directly other than stick money in various tins.

Oh Cod, thank you for that! And you will never wear out your welcome on my thread - I'm happy to have someone around who makes my views look moderate. LOL.

It drives me batty that people assume that because I speak up for animal and environmental causes that I do not also support human causes or care about humans or somehow put animal welfare above human welfare. I have friends who have an expedition company and they spend a lot of time in Nepal and have done tons to help the poor Nepalese people - I am very involved with helping them with this. It's not something I talk about a lot but it's every bit as important to me as any animal cause.

 

[Netzach]

Oh yeah. That too. I'm as naturally maternal as Cruella De Ville.



FWIW I agree with this. People sometimes assume vegans have skewed priorities and that they put ickle fluffy animals and organic produce above everything else. Not so. Unfortunately, here in Blighty there's little I can do directly other than stick money in various tins.

Hey, I know not all vegans do. But you've met them, I've met them. The "I care about mice more than people" people.

I beg to differ on the issue in that I do believe there's a humane and natural and sane way for humans to use domestic stock. What we got ain't it. So in my mind, there's some common ground there.

 

[LilyBart]

1. Try to buy only locally produced (or at least US produced) food. This is much harder than it sounds. But it chaps my hide that the garlic in my local Safeway comes from China, when garlic can be grown well virtually anywhere in the US.
   
2. I am a dog person. I could own 10 dogs and be happy. But every dog I have ever had was a rescue, save one. And that one exception came from a friend's litter. I know a tremendous amount about dog therapy now. But many of those same rescued-dogs-with-emotional baggage became some very fine therapy dogs, visiting nursing homes and hospitals. And a rescued dog is frequently the most loving and grateful dog that you will ever know. They honestly know that they have been rescued. And while I don't consider myself a cat person, I feel the same way about rescued cats. They just know they have a better life with you and aren't afraid to let you know it. (And as a teenager going through a tough time, my dog was my absolute best friend.)
   
3. I will never eat a Brussels Sprout. Ever.
   

I'm sure I have more to add, but these 3 things spring to mind immediately.



~LB

 

[DarkBee]

I tend to stay away from people who think they are really important or really dumb (and if you're both, get the fuck out of my face, before something painful happens to you).

 

[Keroin]

I won't buy meat from Argentina, yoghurt from France, fresh potatoes from Egypt or other insanely unnecessarily transported food. Things we produce here.

Won't buy eggs from hens in cages.

I am the world's worst gardener but I've already decided that when I finally settle I will make myself learn to grow things so that I can take more control of the food I put in my body and where it comes from. (I will likely starve).

As I get older, I am also becoming more aware of the benefits of supporting small, local businesses and try to do so whenever possible.

 

[DarkBee]

I won't buy meat from Argentina, yoghurt from France, fresh potatoes from Egypt or other insanely unnecessarily transported food. Things we produce here.

Won't buy eggs from hens in cages.

I'm not in a financial position to buy anything but the cheapest foods (ok, actually I don't really care where my food comes from, as long as it's cheap and tastes good enough for me).

 

[Keroin]

I tend to stay away from people who think they are really important or really dumb (and if you're both, get the fuck out of my face, before something painful happens to you).

I hear a Beavis and Butthead voice when I look at this av.

(AV whisperer)