# I really dislike these wristbands - am I a graceless fuddy duddy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 18, 2005, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722 "2005-10-18T07:32:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/1 "2005-10-18T07:32:11Z")
Title says it all, really. I’m proud to say that I didn’t know what any of the colours stands for until I read a company memo that said the pink one was for breast cancer. To me, it’s not only a light under your bushel approach to giving alms that makes me dislike the trend of wearing these things, but the idea that certain things are “in” and others are “out”. Mind you, I have an even more deeply felt visceral hatred of those AIDS ribbons. Am I the only angry dude out there about this? Kinda hope so - nice to have the illusion of being unique once in a while ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/2 "2005-10-18T07:59:19Z")
It’s just a fad. Give it a month or two and everybody will be back to pet rocks. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/3 "2005-10-18T08:04:49Z")
My husband and I both wear our wristbands and ribbons with pride and sorrow, having lost dear loved ones to breast cancer. My grandmother, and my husband’s mother. We don’t do “fads” - I don’t care what anyone thinks of them, we just show our support. We donate, support, walk, and lend our help to this cause. I wear my wristband and ribbon all year 'round. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/4 "2005-10-18T08:30:35Z")
I can’t imagine anyone caring enough about an AIDS ribbon or any other similar token of awareness to foster a hatred for them, visceral or otherwise. My brother gave me one of those Lance Armstrong yellow ribbons for Christmas a year or two ago. It’s literally sitting in my hall where I dropped it after I got home, never to be worn or even touched. I just don’t do much in the way of symbolic wearing apparel these days. I have some old AIDS awareness ribbons/buttons in a box somewhere along with other buttons of a similar vein. Back in 1987 or so I bought a metal bracelet engraved with the name and dates of someone who’d died of AIDS, the idea being to wear it until there was a cure. I may still have that in a box somewhere too. Back when Bush started blowing shit up about four years ago I bought a peace symbol button and an Afganistan/US flag pin to wear along with my “US Troops Out of the Middle East” button recycled from the first Bush oil war. My feeling on the rubber bracelets is that they’re more fashion than anything else for most people. They’ve morphed well beyond any original awareness purpose and when I worked at a university book store earlier this year the school was selling BADGERS bracelets with no disease awareness purpose whatsoever. Several people bought them and from their comments to friends in line with them it seemed like they had a number of awareness bracelets and coordinated them with their outfits. But hey, if it gets money to organizations that otherwise wouldn’t get it then I really don’t care much one way or the other. No visceral hatred here, no siree. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/5 "2005-10-18T09:49:29Z")
> [@roger thornhill](#): > > your bushel approach to giving alms What is a bushel approach to giving alms? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/6 "2005-10-18T09:59:23Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > What is a bushel approach to giving alms? Hide your light under a bushel…NOT. ---
**Author:** ![Balle\_M](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/13edae/32.png) [@Balle\_M](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balle_M)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/7 "2005-10-18T12:21:30Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > It’s just a fad. Give it a month or two and everybody will be back to pet rocks. Maybe, maybe not. I’ve been wearing the same POW/MIA bracelet for the last 27 years. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/8 "2005-10-18T13:22:37Z")
I despise them, but only because they’re so ugly. To me they look like you decided on a fashion accessory while wandering through the produce aisle of the supermarket: “Ooh, that rubber band holding the asparagus bunches together would look great next to my Fossil watch!” I must admit I have toyed with the idea of getting the green Excelsior! one put out by ACTOR, a non-profit committed to giving financial assistance to early comics creators. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/9 "2005-10-18T15:28:29Z")
Yeah, it’s another crappy trend. Ones that support AIDS & breast cancer research: all well and good. Ones that say “Sassy” or “Flirt” or some other stupid message: WTF? You know the majority of people wearing those are just sheep following the trend flock. Why waste money on something that doesn’t mean anything? ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/10 "2005-10-18T15:50:20Z")
I’m just glad that so many people feel the need to brag about giving to charity by wearing one of these things. Yay, good for you, I gave to charity too, but you don’t see me walking around advertising it. I don’t give to charity so that other people can think I am a good person, which may not be the case with the people wearing these, but it sure LOOKS it. (and actions speak louder than words) ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/11 "2005-10-18T16:34:36Z")
> [@Cajun Man](#): > > I find wearing the wristbands very annoying. > > Than again, I find wearing any type of bracelet annoying . . . even wristwatches. You and me both **Cajun Man**. Also rings and necklaces. Beauty such as mine needs no further adornment. 😃 Ok, serious now. I bought one of those breast awareness bracelets at a bookstore recently. Well, actually what I did was buy it because at least some of the money goes towards research but I gave it to the sales girl behind the counter because I noticed she was the only one in the store not wearing one. She was thrilled. So, I gave some money and made a sixteen/seventeen year old girl happy at the same time. Nice twofer in my book. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_griffin-kentzel/32/14787_2.png) [@Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Griffin-Kentzel)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/12 "2005-10-18T16:35:16Z")
I find wearing wristbands very annoying. Than again, I find wearing any type of bracelet annoying . . . even wristwatches. ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/13 "2005-10-18T16:36:24Z")
I don’t like them because they’re prejudice against skinny wristed people. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_griffin-kentzel/32/14787_2.png) [@Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Griffin-Kentzel)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/14 "2005-10-18T16:40:21Z")
Oops . . . I should’ve realized that even though I wasn’t seeing my post, it was going through. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/15 "2005-10-18T16:45:26Z")
[Apathy. Despair. Nihilsm.](http://www.mcphee.com/items/M6127.html) ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/16 "2005-10-18T16:51:08Z")
Ok, now that’s just creepy! I replied to **Cajun Man’s** post with a quote even and my post is before his post? It’s like I read his mind! :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/17 "2005-10-18T17:04:34Z")
> [@swampbear](#): > > Ok, now that’s just creepy! I replied to **Cajun Man’s** post with a quote even and my post is before his post? It’s like I read his mind! :dubious: Could you please email me some lottery numbers? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/18 "2005-10-18T17:09:43Z")
> [@NurseCarmen](#): > > Could you please email me some lottery numbers? > > Thanks. I’m getting… 1, 2, 3, 27, 31 and 49. Unfortunately those are the winning numbers in the Estonian National Lottery for the year 2164. I gotta work on fine tuning. ---
**Author:** ![Daithi\_Lacha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daithi_lacha/32/5430_2.png) [@Daithi\_Lacha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daithi_Lacha)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/19 "2005-10-18T17:17:13Z")
> [@NurseCarmen](#): > > [Apathy. Despair. Nihilsm.](http://www.mcphee.com/items/M6127.html) They also have Seven Deadly Sin bracelets, too. Fun. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/20 "2005-10-18T17:18:17Z")
I have mixed feelings about them. The first ones I noticed were the Livestrong bracelets, and I thought those were kind of cool: I saw them as both fundraisers _and_ a subtle way of making a statement/encouraging those around you to make a difference. But, like many things, it’s become a trend now, and even bracelets for other worthy causes don’t appeal to me. The simple fact that there are so many, and that some now are _not_ for charity, has rendered all of them meaningless (in a general sense; I’m not slamming anyone for wearing one). > [@Balle\_M](#): > > I’ve been wearing the same POW/MIA bracelet for the last 27 years. Just a _little_ different from the OP’s rubber wristbands. 🙂 (I don’t wear my POW/MIA bracelet much anymore, but only because I found out what happened to my guy. Sometimes I still wear it just to show my support for the POW/MIA issue, but it feels kind of wrong to wear a bracelet for someone who isn’t MIA anymore.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722.md?page=2)