"I Dare you to" Challenge List

[Packratona!]

In discussions with people around such topics as working towards financial independence, and survival in general, I often get a reaction such as "I would never (fill in the blank)", accompanied by a shocked or horrified look.
So I thought it might be interesting to start a list of ideas or stories from readers here, that provoked such reactions. I am looking for actual ideas that I provoke the same reaction in me, as I want to challenge myself to actually do some of them. What are some things that seem too difficult, or a stretch, too much of a challenge, too icky or scary or embarrassing or for whatever reason, that might actually be a good thing to get over the negative reactions and at least try? Even if you don't make them a regular practice, some you can and will, some would just be nice to know you can if you need to. You will never know until you try.

Heard from others:
1) I would NEVER eat a locust! I told her that if you get hungry enough, you would eat anything, and that people in Africa eat them. (Actually I don't know if that is actually true though I do know that they are eaten in indigenous villages in the mountains in Mexico).
2) I would NEVER ride on a public bus! (This was accompanied by a horrified look). I am trying to get my daughters to at least learn the bus schedule, so they have options besides a car loan on top of the huge tuition loan payments.
3) I would NEVER pee behind a tree! In this case (I made the person do it; she had to as there were no bathrooms around)
4) I would NEVER let someone at the local beauty school cut my hair! (I'd rather whine about my huge credit card debts)
5) I would NEVER walk to local businesses (2 miles away from her house; this from a person who pays a ridiculous amount of money for membership at her local health club. That she also drives to).
6) I would NEVER clean a fish (actually, that's me, ha-ha!) Too smelly and icky!
7) I would NEVER have a housemate! This from my neighbor who is elderly, never married, never lived with anyone her entire life except her parents. Now she is freaking out at the limited options she has to consider due to her old age physical limitations.

[Ultralight]

In discussions with people around such topics as working towards financial independence, and survival in general, I often get a reaction such as "I would never (fill in the blank)", accompanied by a shocked or horrified look.
So I thought it might be interesting to start a list of ideas or stories from readers here, that provoked such reactions. I am looking for actual ideas that I provoke the same reaction in me, as I want to challenge myself to actually do some of them. What are some things that seem too difficult, or a stretch, too much of a challenge, too icky or scary or embarrassing or for whatever reason, that might actually be a good thing to get over the negative reactions and at least try? Even if you don't make them a regular practice, some you can and will, some would just be nice to know you can if you need to. You will never know until you try.

Heard from others:
1) I would NEVER eat a locust! I told her that if you get hungry enough, you would eat anything, and that people in Africa eat them. (Actually I don't know if that is actually true though I do know that they are eaten in indigenous villages in the mountains in Mexico).
2) I would NEVER ride on a public bus! (This was accompanied by a horrified look). I am trying to get my daughters to at least learn the bus schedule, so they have options besides a car loan on top of the huge tuition loan payments.
3) I would NEVER pee behind a tree! In this case (I made the person do it; she had to as there were no bathrooms around)
4) I would NEVER let someone at the local beauty school cut my hair! (I'd rather whine about my huge credit card debts)
5) I would NEVER walk to local businesses (2 miles away from her house; this from a person who pays a ridiculous amount of money for membership at her local health club. That she also drives to).
6) I would NEVER clean a fish (actually, that's me, ha-ha!) Too smelly and icky!
7) I would NEVER have a housemate! This from my neighbor who is elderly, never married, never lived with anyone her entire life except her parents. Now she is freaking out at the limited options she has to consider due to her old age physical limitations.

I would NEVER eat a squirrel. haha

Well, unless we were in a Mad Max situation.

[ApatheticNoMore]

Aren't squirrels often disease carriers anyway? Instincts seem good there.

[Packratona!]

I have eaten squirrels my brothers caught but don't particularly want to repeat the experience, as in, not unless I was starving. They are probably no more disease carriers than hogs or beef or chickens.

[Ultralight]

Well, in my hometown squirrel roasts were a big deal! haha

They look like rats to me though. I ate them as a kid and even went hunting for them once with my dad. But I saw them and let them pass. My dad blasted a few to give to a neighbor who really loves them!

Squirrels have ticks on them, which are not good. :(

[Float On]

I grew up eating squirrels (bbq is best), rabbit, crawdads, frog legs from our pond, quail (when they were plentiful and not a high-dollar menu item). Actually, I still want to raise quail. I've tried snake, and had chocolate covered locust and other bugs. If you cover anything with chocolate...I'd probably be game to try it.

I probably would never walk across a swinging narrow bridge over something like the Royal Gorge. Though I don't have a fear of walking across or leaning over high suspension bridges.

[Ultralight]

I grew up eating squirrels (bbq is best), rabbit, crawdads, frog legs from our pond, quail (when they were plentiful and not a high-dollar menu item). Actually, I still want to raise quail. I've tried snake, and had chocolate covered locust and other bugs. If you cover anything with chocolate...I'd probably be game to try it.

I probably would never walk across a swinging narrow bridge over something like the Royal Gorge. Though I don't have a fear of walking across or leaning over high suspension bridges.

Rabbit is delicious! Crawfish are yummy. Frog legs? Yes, more please.

[iris lilies]

Well, it's highly unlikely I would do number 7on your list, don't want a roomate who isn't DH. But I would scale down to one room to fit my ability and finances.

[sweetana3]

I think I have already done 2-6. I also would rather have a lot less space than share with someone other than DH and I dont want to know if I am eating an insect. Had the opportunity in Thailand and passed on it.

[Ultralight]

I'd like to try a deep fried tarantula like they serve in Cambodia.

[oldhat]

If I've learned one thing in life, it's never say never.

On the other hand, like Bartleby (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartleby,_the_Scrivener), there are plenty of things I would prefer not to do.

[Kestra]

Other than number 1, the rest seem pretty easy.

[freshstart]

Other than number 1, the rest seem pretty easy.

took the words right out of my mouth!

this comes around every few years- medicinal uses for leeches, no thanks, let me die

[kally]

One I hear a lot "I would never be a vegan." Never say never.

[ApatheticNoMore]

ok many are fairly easy, but I'm with iris lilly on the roommates (in fact I wonder if this person wouldn't just be better off relocating than getting roommates! that's what they whole thing makes me wonder, really roommates, there are NO OTHER alternatives available at all? not the shady part of town? efficiency apartment with no kitchen but a microwave or a hot pad? (I did look at one of those once and briefly considered it - yea over time the no kitchen would grate but unlike roommates it didn't seem that bad) moving? etc.)

[kib]

I would never voluntarily bungee jump. Freefalling and then being yanked up short by a cord (hopefully) just doesn't sound like a very good idea.

Squirrels can carry a form of spongiform encephalopathy (like mad cow disease) transmissible to humans. I'd probably avoid that too.

Anyone else find their patience tried by the "I would Never" crowd? So much of it comes off to me as privileged foolishness by people who've barely had to walk a mile in their own shoes let alone anyone else's. Although ... eating mouse boiled in one's own pee, a la Michelle Rodriguez ... why not just roast it? That one might make it onto my list, erk.

[Kestra]

I would never voluntarily bungee jump. Freefalling and then being yanked up short by a cord (hopefully) just doesn't sound like a very good idea.

Squirrels can carry a form of spongiform encephalopathy (like mad cow disease) transmissible to humans. I'd probably avoid that too.

Anyone else find their patience tried by the "I would Never" crowd? So much of it comes off to me as privileged foolishness by people who've barely had to walk a mile in their own shoes let alone anyone else's. Although ... eating mouse boiled in one's own pee, a la Michelle Rodriguez ... why not just roast it? That one might make it onto my list, erk.

Oh yes, I have my own list of things I will never do and bungee jumping is definitely on that.

I guess there are things that are fairly normal for large segments of the population, and if you would refuse to do them under any circumstance, you may be whiny/sheltered/overly anxious, and then there are the other things that are scary, but are unlikely to come up in most people's lives. There's no reason that most people would ever have to skydive for example.

So I try to minimize what I wouldn't do as far as the first group, but for the second group, avoidance seems fine.

I would never: get pregnant, get a tattoo (not that it would harm me, but why bother?), ride/be on a motorcycle (unless I thought I'd die if I didn't), marry for money, go on amusement park rides or any free-falling activities, among other things.

[catherine]

Today we went to pick up our CSA and the owner, a young biointensive agriculture/permaculture-trained farmer, looked even busier than normal. We asked him how he was and he said that they had a groundhog problem. A groundhog ate through $5000 worth of broccoli and brussel sprouts. So one of the guys who lives in the house is planning on killing it with a bow and arrow, and then the owner said they were going to eat it. So I said to DH that I wished I was more open to eating things that are killed like that.. or roadkill, and he was horrified that I even said that. So I guess he would say "I would NEVER eat roadkill or groundhogs" while I would say "I might if I could get over my initial aversion."

[Packratona!]

Today we went to pick up our CSA and the owner, a young biointensive agriculture/permaculture-trained farmer, looked even busier than normal. We asked him how he was and he said that they had a groundhog problem. A groundhog ate through $5000 worth of broccoli and brussel sprouts. So one of the guys who lives in the house is planning on killing it with a bow and arrow, and then the owner said they were going to eat it. So I said to DH that I wished I was more open to eating things that are killed like that.. or roadkill, and he was horrified that I even said that. So I guess he would say "I would NEVER eat roadkill or groundhogs" while I would say "I might if I could get over my initial aversion."

Trust your own aversion!