# 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:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**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 19, 2005, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/41 "2005-10-19T06:43:04Z")
Then there are the people who have these rubber strips dangling from the back of their cars, allegedly, so I believe, to prevent motion sickness. Very popular in the 70s, but still see it around. And not just on Scooby wagons. ---
**Author:** ![Habanero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d9b06d/32.png) [@Habanero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habanero)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/42 "2005-10-19T06:43:17Z")
No, I think it’s a pretty stupid fad as well. For $2.19, I can buy a whole package of those at Safeway that come wrapped in black string and can be used to tie my hair up. Bonus! If I’m going to donate to some charity or organization, then I’m not going to tote a bright pink rubber band on my wrist so a bunch of self righteous old crones can pat me on the back for my heroic act of kindness. This fad is almost as bad as those “I support my troops” ribbons that people plaster on the backs of their cars. I want one that says “I support the truth.” ---
**Author:** ![PETERFI](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/2bfe46/32.png) [@PETERFI](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PETERFI)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/43 "2005-10-19T07:46:54Z")
I think it is just possible that you are easily annoyed. I think that I am going to start a trend where you wear and iron chain around your neck in the color of your favorite cause while I go to school to be a Chiropractor. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/44 "2005-10-19T08:24:04Z")
> [@](#): > > 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. It’s 4 am here so maybe I’m missing the intended irony. But your response would seem more appropriate if your brother had given you a swastika armband rather than a Lance Armstrong wristband. If you aren’t harboring any visceral hatred for Lance, your brother, or oncology in general, couldn’t you at least pick the band up and put it away in a drawer somewhere? ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/45 "2005-10-19T08:35:05Z")
> [@Little Nemo](#): > > It’s 4 am here so maybe I’m missing the intended irony. But your response would seem more appropriate if your brother had given you a swastika armband rather than a Lance Armstrong wristband. If you aren’t harboring any visceral hatred for Lance, your brother, or oncology in general, couldn’t you at least pick the band up and put it away in a drawer somewhere? No irony intended. No visceral or non-visceral hatred for Lance, my brother or oncology in general. Kinda hard to have much hatred for oncology when my dad’s survived prostate cancer and is in the hospital battling pancreatic cancer even as I type (not to mention my mom’s brief bout with skin cancer). The thing fell out of my suitcase and I literally care so little about it that I never picked it up. I haven’t even thought about it for months. But if it really bothers you, let me know and I can toss it in a drawer, or the trash. I’d give it to my cats but they’d probably manage to work it down the bathtub drain like they do with so many other of their toys. ---
**Author:** ![melondeca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@melondeca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melondeca)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/46 "2005-10-19T14:40:55Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I can’t complain about people who really care about these causes, but the trendiness is annoying. Everything has a rubber wristband now, which, to be honest, has become confusing. You might also sense that some people out there are thinking “I need a wristband to look cool, but it has to be red to go with my outfit. What’s the red band stand for again?” It’s funny that you bring up the trendiness issue. I was going to post that the only rubber bracelet I would wear is the green one that says “trendwhore”. [A site for all your trendwhore bracelet needs](http://trendwhorebracelets.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/47 "2005-10-19T17:09:37Z")
Not a bracelet wearer, flag waver or magnet sticker-on-er. Hate 'em all. Give more than my share to causes and don’t think the symbols convince others to do the same. ---
**Author:** ![OslerKnew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/58f4c7/32.png) [@OslerKnew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OslerKnew)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/48 "2005-10-19T18:26:18Z")
> [@melondeca](#): > > It’s funny that you bring up the trendiness issue. I was going to post that the only rubber bracelet I would wear is the green one that says “trendwhore”. > [A site for all your trendwhore bracelet needs](http://trendwhorebracelets.com/) Great parody - thanks for the laugh 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Taber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac91a4/32.png) [@Taber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taber)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/49 "2005-10-19T20:50:32Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I find those ubiquitous magnetic ribbons on cars to be far more annoying than the bracelets. I once saw a car with a gigantic magnetic ribbon that said “[My Ribbon is bigger than your ribbon](http://www.supportourribbons.com/detail.php?id=16)” ---
**Author:** ![Corii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Corii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corii)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/50 "2005-10-19T21:10:26Z")
> [@Epimetheus](#): > > 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) That is basically why I dislike the rubber wristbands and magnetic ribbon things. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/51 "2005-10-20T00:22:41Z")
I know all those GOD BLESS AMERICA and SUPPORT OUR TROOPS car magnets are made in _China_ . . . Wonder where the chic & elegant rubber wrist jewelry comes from? ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722/52 "2005-10-20T00:25:48Z")
Are these bracelet thingies the AIDS Ribbons of the '00s? I suppose it had to be something… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-really-dislike-these-wristbands-am-i-a-graceless-fuddy-duddy/326722.md?page=2)