# What do you refuse to do out of principle? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 6, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-refuse-to-do-out-of-principle/549428 "2010-08-06T17:56:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-refuse-to-do-out-of-principle/549428/1 "2010-08-06T17:56:23Z")
For me, it’s read any book on Oprah’s book list. And I think less of people if I see them reading one. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fried_Dough_Ho)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-refuse-to-do-out-of-principle/549428/2 "2010-08-06T17:58:52Z")
I won’t eat at chain restaurants, preferring to help support the mom-and-pop establishments and expand my culinary awareness beyond what Monsanto/Corporate mentality creates for the masses. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-refuse-to-do-out-of-principle/549428/3 "2010-08-06T18:04:02Z")
Shop at Walmart. Make out with another chick to turn a guy on. Move on up to a size 10 shoe- noooooooooooo! I’m not going to! ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-refuse-to-do-out-of-principle/549428/4 "2010-08-06T18:11:36Z")
> [@Surly\_Chick](#): > > For me, it’s read any book on Oprah’s book list. And I think less of people if I see them reading one. 😉 I don’t watch Oprah, but it’s my understanding that her book list now is of classic novels, so that doesn’t work for me. Also, one of my favorite contemporary novels, The Lovely Bones, was, if I recall aright, recommended by Oprah. I prefer simply to ignore her. For my part, I refuse to lie or be evasive in answer to the questions _Do you believe in God?_, _Do you believe in Heaven?_, and _Do you believe in Hell?_, even though refusing to answer would often be simpler and easier on me. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-refuse-to-do-out-of-principle/549428/5 "2010-08-06T18:19:22Z")
Watch movies that I am told I “just haaaave to see” like _ **Titanic** _ and _ **Twilight** _. I am sure I have missed a few very good movies because of this, but for the most part I don’t mind being the only one who hasn’t seen (for another example), _ **Top Gun** _. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-refuse-to-do-out-of-principle/549428/6 "2010-08-06T18:28:04Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > Watch movies that I am told I “just haaaave to see” like _ **Titanic** _ and _ **Twilight** _. I get that all the time, particularly with books. I answer, “No, I don’t. I _might_ read it, but I don’t _have_ to.” Me – have anything to do with smoking. When my husband’s grandmother was in the nursing home, the only two things she wanted were chocolate pudding and cigarettes. I would buy the chocolate pudding, but no, I was not going to provide cigarettes, not even to comfort a little old lady in her last days. Some 25 years ago my sister used to bully me into giving her money to buy her cigarettes; I still regret that I was intimidated, though she would have stolen the money from me anyway had I not. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-refuse-to-do-out-of-principle/549428/7 "2010-08-06T18:29:24Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > Watch movies that I am told I “just haaaave to see” like _ **Titanic** _ and _ **Twilight** _. > > I am sure I have missed a few very good movies because of this, but for the most part I don’t mind being the only one who hasn’t seen (for another example), _ **Top Gun** _. That was some movie with Tom Cruise, right? Never saw it either. My answer is similar, but with television. I’ve never seen a “reality” show, and I don’t intend to ever watch one. I’ve never watched shows like _American Idol_, either. 'Course, this is easy to do, as only time I ever turn the TV on is at 11:00 PM, to catch _The Daily Show_ or the local news (depending on the day of the week). ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-refuse-to-do-out-of-principle/549428/8 "2010-08-06T18:31:56Z")
Give to beggars. I’d rather give to the food bank. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-refuse-to-do-out-of-principle/549428/9 "2010-08-06T18:42:57Z")
Hmmmm… I must have some pretty lax principles, because I’m drawing a blank here. I don’t give money to beggars, but that’s not out of principle. It’s more of a “fuck off and leave me alone” kinda thing. I don’t watch a lot of TV shows, 'cause well, they suck; that’s all. No. If I don’t do something it’s for a reason, not for a principle. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-refuse-to-do-out-of-principle/549428/10 "2010-08-06T18:52:52Z")
I refuse to eat fat-free products because I’m less frightened by a small bit of their full-fat counterparts with fewer added ingredients. I refuse to engage in another discussion with my mother about evolution (she keeps insisting that she “believes” in evolution, but can’t reconcile it with the story of Adam and Eve - I don’t know what that means, but I think it’s code for, “I don’t believe in evolution, but I don’t want to admit it.”) I refuse to wear bifocals. I probably need to, but I really, really don’t wanna. I’m only 34, dammit! Of course, I have an appointment with the eye doc on Tuesday and may cave. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-refuse-to-do-out-of-principle/549428/11 "2010-08-06T18:53:42Z")
Purchase diamonds. This isn’t just an abstract hypothetical, because I buy a lot of jewelry, but absolutely nothing that has even a token real diamond on it. Watch ABC. It started as a fit of pique back in 2005, and is now a tradition. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-refuse-to-do-out-of-principle/549428/12 "2010-08-06T19:43:30Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > > [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > > > Watch movies that I am told I “just haaaave to see” like _ **Titanic** _ and _ **Twilight** _. > > I get that all the time, particularly with books. I answer, “No, I don’t. I _might_ read it, but I don’t _have_ to.” > Me – have anything to do with smoking. When my husband’s grandmother was in the nursing home, the only two things she wanted were chocolate pudding and cigarettes. I would buy the chocolate pudding, but no, I was not going to provide cigarettes, not even to comfort a little old lady in her last days. Some 25 years ago my sister used to bully me into giving her money to buy her cigarettes; I still regret that I was intimidated, though she would have stolen the money from me anyway had I not. ☹ Well, that’s just mean. If she’s “in her last days” why should she have any additional stress? Would it prolong her life expectancy in any meaningful way to quit cold turkey? Sheesh. Me – I will try my darndest to NOT buy things made in China. Mostly because of what they’re doing to Tibet, but in the case of anything edible by man or beast because of their poor track record on contamination. Not easy, but I try. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-refuse-to-do-out-of-principle/549428/13 "2010-08-06T19:51:03Z")
Nothing. I found out a long time ago that there is nothing I am not capable of doing. There might be things I am not physically capable of doing but I don’t think that counts. Once a person finds this out, their tolerance and acceptance of others goes way up. Always remember and never forget, there are impossible choices out there and having to make them sucks. If you are not willing to kill or die over it, it is not worth fighting about. YMMV ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-refuse-to-do-out-of-principle/549428/14 "2010-08-06T20:53:49Z")
I refuse to eat a beet. I’ve never actually tasted one because beets in a can smell so bad and my childhood self couldn’t get past it. Still can’t. I won’t try them any other way now just on principle. I also refuse to change a diaper because daggumit I’ve avoided it for 38 years and don’t see any reason to start. I’m a female with no kids and never had anyone close to me with young children. Now I just won’t do it because I don’t have to and don’t want to and you can’t make me. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-refuse-to-do-out-of-principle/549428/15 "2010-08-06T21:01:23Z")
> [@Surly\_Chick](#): > > For me, it’s read any book on Oprah’s book list. And I think less of people if I see them reading one. 😉 What if you’ve read it before Oprah picks it for her list? I happened to read _The Poisonwood Bible_ by Barbara Kingsolver several months before she picked it. I read \*Night \*by Elie Wiesel YEARS before she picked it. ---
**Author:** ![Jennmonkye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/278dde/32.png) [@Jennmonkye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennmonkye)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-refuse-to-do-out-of-principle/549428/16 "2010-08-06T21:13:40Z")
I absolutely won’t drink bottled water. Tap water is fine, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-refuse-to-do-out-of-principle/549428/17 "2010-08-06T21:20:50Z")
I don’t shop at Wal-Mart. I don’t like how they treat their workers. I’m not a vegetarian, but I refuse to eat veal or lamb. I read about how they’re raised and slaughtered in a book once and it was totally repulsive. Not that any food animals are treated particularly well, but this is the worst example IMO. I boycotted McDonald’s for 5-6 years, ate it again for awhile, then read _Fast Food Nation_ and I think I’ll try boycotting again. ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-refuse-to-do-out-of-principle/549428/18 "2010-08-06T21:21:26Z")
Pretend to have principles. Everyone has a price, **Surly Chick**. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-refuse-to-do-out-of-principle/549428/19 "2010-08-06T21:27:42Z")
Buy anything made by Apple. Like **chizzuk** I won’t eat veal or lamb. Or Cornish game hens (which are simply baby chickens, not game birds), or wild game. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2010, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-refuse-to-do-out-of-principle/549428/20 "2010-08-06T21:29:57Z")
Drive. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-refuse-to-do-out-of-principle/549428.md?page=2)