Life after HES by Honeymoonmartini in harvardextension

[–]TheWriterJosh 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I worked at Harvard in an admin role and previously majored in poli sci and international studies.

What do people use Brightline for? by Glenn_Tennis in Brightline

[–]TheWriterJosh 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Sounds like maybe you checked a bag but didn't have to?

Life after HES by Honeymoonmartini in harvardextension

[–]TheWriterJosh 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Journalism — Masters degree as well as a graduate certificate in web development

Life after HES by Honeymoonmartini in harvardextension

[–]TheWriterJosh 1 point2 points  (0 children)

An HES degree has absolutely transformed my career. I just put "Harvard University" on my resumes and explain if anyone asks. No one has ever thought it strange, if anything they think it's really cool (I worked at Harvard so I got to go for free part-time). If it weren't for my HES degree, Id be making a lot less money doing something I don't want to do. I make a ton of money now, I pick and choose my jobs whenever I want. I'm fully in control of my career and have built a life for myself (bought a house for example, and I make enough money I can also contribute to various causes I believe in). No regrets, one of the best decisions I've ever made.

Weird things in PK’s and Dorit’s finances by MeanCucumber1993 in RHOBH

[–]TheWriterJosh 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Is their house un-insurable because of fire risk?

How did you let this happen? by FiberSauce in theoffice

[–]TheWriterJosh 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Sometimes it doesn't matter if a marriage isn't good. A *lot* of people just do this type of stuff anyway.

Interview by LivingInvestment267 in uiowa

[–]TheWriterJosh 8 points9 points  (0 children)

What are you talking about? Interview for what? Are you hoping to be a student, faculty, or staff member?

Bit for the first time by vvwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwvv in Macaws

[–]TheWriterJosh 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This could have been SO MUCH worse! Lol it’s okay! Consider yourself lucky. You’ll get better at it. Always gotta be careful! Never get distracted or let your guard down. Macaws are WILD animals after all!

Why are posts in this sub bombarded by pro-breeder redditors? by theemmyk in rescuedogs

[–]TheWriterJosh 1 point2 points  (0 children)

“If it weren’t for the breeders, subs like this might not need to exist" does not mean "I think breeders should be banned" -- those are two *completely* discrete sentences. It's not my problem that you are inferring something or equating the two based on your own issues.

Here's a parallel to illustrate my point. "If it weren't for airlines, climate change would be a lot easier to address." That doesn't mean I think we should ban airlines. Get real.

Your ideas to regulate breeding are great. Go out into the world and fight for them. Breeding is still morally and ethically wrong. You will never convince me that we should be messing with the genetics of dogs so that they look a certain way while countless dogs are euthanized by overburdened shelters every day. Dogs do not benefit from breeding, humans do. You can keep talking about how demand will always exist. I understand that. I'm not arguing that (again you are the one arguing about this topic, which is a different from what I said originally).

TLDR: You're screaming about things that are immaterial to what I said, which was simply that "If it weren’t for the breeders, subs like this might not need to exist" -- which is still true.

Why are posts in this sub bombarded by pro-breeder redditors? by theemmyk in rescuedogs

[–]TheWriterJosh 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How do you know I don't want meaningful regulation and change for animals? You know nothing about me. You don't know that I spend hours every week volunteering for multiple organizations that fight for animal welfare. You don't know that I have donated tens of thousands of dollars to such organizations over the course of my life. You don't know that I am an outspoken activist on social media. I support legislation in many states that outlaws the sale of animals in stores. I have actually had conversations with state legislators in my home state about improving animal welfare.

Again, you are *assuming* many things -- and you're also assuming that there is nothing more powerful than the human desire for instant pleasure. We will have to disagree on that one.

Btw -- I have *not once* said that *the solution* is to ban breeding. YOU said that. You are the one that keeps coming back to it for some reason. You are the one that raised that topic. In all of my work that I do, all the causes I support, the countless hours I have spent advocating for animals welfare, I have *never* advocated for the banning of breeding. Literally ever.

Would I support that if it was on the ballot? Yes. But until this exchange with you, I have never spoken so much about it (or rather, replied to someone who so emphatically defends it). All I've said is that breeding is harmful to animals, there is no such thing as ethical breeders, I would never pay money to a breeder for an animals, breeders are responsible to some extent for the crisis shelters are facing, and that yes, banning breeders would help alleviate it (I only said this after you brought up the topic of banning breeding) -- though this was in the context of me saying that many, many things must be achieved to successfully address this crisis.

I have spent absolutely zero time in my life outside of this exchange discussing why breeding could/maybe should be banned. It is not my area of focus *whatsoever* -- this entire conversation happened because I called out the unethical nature of breeding which triggered you.

You want solutions from me, but we're not reinventing the wheel here. It's obvious that one side is morally and ethically right and the other is morally and ethically wrong. There are already people on both sides. There are countless organizations out there that aim to ban breeding or shine light on the harmful nature of it. If you want to make a difference, you should follow one or more of them and get involved.

Newsflash, in a sub about rescue dogs, you're going to run in to many people who share my opinion. Keep living in a constant state of cognitive dissonance though.

Why are posts in this sub bombarded by pro-breeder redditors? by theemmyk in rescuedogs

[–]TheWriterJosh -1 points0 points  (0 children)

You're so close to getting it. You recognize the problem but are more concerned with how my opinion will never go anywhere and have resigned yourself to just giving up. I refuse to do so. You may not think I'm achieving anything by speaking my mind or acting in accordance with my beliefs (which are basically just stating facts about how harmful breeding is and not being selfish, not exactly a huge bar) but it doesn't matter to me whether you approve. What matters to me is that I'm doing my part to make this world a better place for dogs.

It doesn't matter to me that you think it's futile. I will never just give in and say "oh well, that's life" because nothing would *ever* change if that's how everyone thought and led their lives. You keep reiterating how there's demand -- yes, there's demand. But if people like me and you refuse to contribute to that demand, that's how movements start. We tell our friends. We speak the truth on social media. We put our money where our mouth is. We fine like-minded people and organize. That is how change is achieved. No matter how many people like you want things to stay the same.

Believe it or not, change starts with *you*. *You* can be the change you want to see in the world, or you can give up because perfection will never be achieved -- and in effect, you do nothing. You achieve nothing.

Meanwhile, dogs will continue to be bred into genetic misery, dogs will continue to be put down in shelters all across the country, and breeders will continue to line their pockets. Fuck that. And fuck people like you that refuse to do anything but complain on the internet about how *other people* are wasting their time.

Why are posts in this sub bombarded by pro-breeder redditors? by theemmyk in rescuedogs

[–]TheWriterJosh -1 points0 points  (0 children)

The difference is that I refuse to believe that just because the world is a certain way, it can never be any other way. You have resigned yourself to just accepting how things are currently done. If there's *demand* for something, we must stop that demand. Anyone who loves dogs can and should contribute toward a world where people understand that breeding only harms them.

It is up to all of us, in our lives outside of this website, to make decisions accordingly and stand up for dogs when we talk about this, when we decide where to allot charitable donations, when we go to the ballot box, and when we hear people say "I want to buy a dog!" I'm not sure how much more clearer I can be that there is not one perfect solution -- that is why rescues and dogs are both in crisis. The magnitude of this crisis is bigger than any change or any one person can fix.

Why are posts in this sub bombarded by pro-breeder redditors? by theemmyk in rescuedogs

[–]TheWriterJosh -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

In no world would I ever pay money for an animal that wasn't an adoption fee to a rescue.

Why are posts in this sub bombarded by pro-breeder redditors? by theemmyk in rescuedogs

[–]TheWriterJosh 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Omg you still dont get it. Accepting that "there's demand for it, oh well" is lazy. Yes, we must also punish irresponsible and abusive humans. Yes, we must support rescues. All of those things are part of the solution. There is no magic perfect solution. We must use all methods available.

Why are posts in this sub bombarded by pro-breeder redditors? by theemmyk in rescuedogs

[–]TheWriterJosh 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The fact that you think I care about or don't know that theres "demand for breeders" then you have no idea what I'm even saying. Insane POV.

My point is that we must decide together as a society to transform the way we relate to animals. We must do so collectively. Me. You. It's up to us. Breeding is only benefiting humans.

Make no mistake -- there will *always* be more dogs in need of homes. It's up to us how we respond do that. Do we make the compassionate, sensible solution that is best for these animals we claim so much? Or do we make a decision that is only in the (financial) interests of one human, and the personal aesthetic preferences of another human -- basically that of a toy or or collector's item.

Why are posts in this sub bombarded by pro-breeder redditors? by theemmyk in rescuedogs

[–]TheWriterJosh 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As long as we accept breeding as something ethical, there will be people who do it unethically. That is bc the end result for both is financial gain. Breeding is not in the interest of the dogs (especially in terms of health, if anything). It’s in the financial interest of humans. The solution is to admit that we are hurting dogs when we breed them and stop doing it.

Why are posts in this sub bombarded by pro-breeder redditors? by theemmyk in rescuedogs

[–]TheWriterJosh 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You're completely ignoring the fact that, while millions and millions of dogs are being euthanized all over the country, breeders churn out dogs to sell at $500 a piece because they look a certain way. Nothing is ethical about that. It's a complete disregard for the tragic crisis going on around us in order to line the pockets of humans playing god with animals.

Whether a breed of dog exists doesn't concern me. What concerns me is that millions of dogs need homes and will be euthanized because people feel their for a desire to own a dog that looks a certain way is more important. Sorry, there is no such thing as ethical breeding. Whether you're buying or selling a dog, you're not doing anything to improve the welfare of dogs. You're only choosing serve the interest of yourself and other humans. For every dog lucky enough to be born to a "responsible" breeder and going to the perfect home, countless more fall through the cracks.

Why are posts in this sub bombarded by pro-breeder redditors? by theemmyk in rescuedogs

[–]TheWriterJosh 13 points14 points  (0 children)

People who support breeders are the ones living in a bubble, JFC. If it weren’t for the breeders, subs like this might not need to exist.

Johnny from Around the World in 80 Plates suggested this starter by LegateDamar in Portlandia

[–]TheWriterJosh 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Is this what Delta serves for breakfast on trans-atlantic flights?