Impressions of Synthetics?

[Galius]

Try a synthetic, if it works for you sell your badger on B&B and avoid all the acrimony with the GF.

 

[redwing]

body shop brush was my 1st brush; decent - works well; but i like my tweezerman badger better;

but i hope the gf is a true veg / peta person and uses no products from any animals - like oil & gas - so if she isnt riding a bike everywhere, how true are her convictions;

 

[Deltaboy]

Man Up and get a New Girl friend you have already admitted she is a PITA. Now if she good enough to give up the badger then mail me the
brush and go buy a fake one.

 

[dsheppard]

If you feel strongly about the girl, a compromise may be in order: Pick out the synthetic brush you want to try from Siv's post and have HER buy it for you. If she's going to be so punctilious about it, she should cough up some dough and not expect you to carry the financial burden of ethical concerns you don't really share.

Besides, 'nature is red in tooth and claw'. What's more natural than predation? Badgers are not fierce because they're afraid of humans. They're natural predators themselves who go around killing poor, sweet, defenseless rodents and other living things just for their own sustenance.


Anthropomorphizing animals - well, I just don't understand that.

 

[gone down south]

I think this falls into that fuzzy area where people have to compromise in relationships. A vegan/vegetarian/strict-animal-rights person needs to understand that not everyone necessarily agrees with his/her position, and needs to avoid playing brinksmanship games with every little issue.

Conversely, the OP needs to decide whether this is really a serious break-point issue for the gf or if it was more of a thought in passing. If really does mean that much to her, and you intend to pursue a relationship, it's probably better to compromise out of respect to her convinctions.

 

[BROWNS]

In all honesty it's only been six months, and the animal stuff is pretty much to the point of in one ear and out the other. I'm sure the badger brushes will end up like meat with her and I... chastise me all you want but I'm eating it anyway (and loving every second of it ).

I mostly was just wanted to hear some of your guys' opinions on synthetics while it was fresh in my mind. It's still something I'd consider trying at some point.

 

[McShaverson]

I make my own brushes.

... I actually have a couple of cats around the house.

 

[kirkaptain]

The fact is, the badger that produced your brush has died. Your gf stopping you from using it means that badger died in vain. Better you use it than discard it. I still use the leather shoes that I bought before I went veg.

I'm with Siv on this one. Are you familiar with the term "freegan?" It's someone who does not eat meat for ethical reasons, but if meat is being given away or will be thrown away, they will consume it so as not to waste. Throwing away the badger brush would be wasteful, selling it or giving it away would perpetuate the market for products enmeshed with animal suffering.

I'd continue to use it and avoid buying another one. It might also be prudent to be mindful of the brush's origins, to know that the animal suffered so that you may experience comfort, and to express gratitude towards the badger in the theme of the American Indian's reverence for the buffalo. Oh, and sign the back of your driver's license and become an organ donor.

Tell her that you do care, are not used to looking at things in such terms, and that using the brush seems the most ethical thing to do. Also, I think you should respect your GF for having the integrity to act in accordance with her ethics.

Please let us know how things play out.

 

[duotone]

http://www.tayloroldbondst.co.uk/acatalog/Taylor_s_On_line_SHAVING_BRUSHES_3.html

Taylors synthetic, near the bottom of the page

 

[David in Boston]

I make my own brushes.

Is it me but does that cat look like it is really enjoying that shave.

 

[Douglasj]

Why not just use the badger? If she loves you, I am sure she will be able to respect you.

Ya, just use the badger directly, no processing required. If you were a real man you would, you can just keep it in the bathroom in a cage and feed it table scraps. Lather up in the morning and apply him directly to your face, no one has to die.

(haha, sorry, read that and first thing I thought of was putting that cuddly thing to your face all lathered up on one side.)

I have the bodyshop synthetic and it seems to work fine but I haven't been doing this long so maybe it is a case of "you don't know what your missing"

 

[andrew98]

I like that discussions like this occur on B&B. It shows that we're at least thinking about the impact our actions have on the planet. However, like someone said above, no one is chastising badgers for eating meat. Nature is pretty tough (life, death and all that). We're animals, too, and we happen to eat things and use products from nature to meet our needs/desires.

I own several badger brushes, and I eat meat. I can respect that some people don't eat meat or use animal products, and I expect the same sort of respect from them regarding my decisions. I'm also an animal lover, and I know my cat is far happier inside, with her endless supply of free food, than she would be out in the wild. One post above said some PETA folks think having a pet is animal slavery. I'm almost positive that my cat views it the other way around.

-Andy

 

[SRock]

One post above said some PETA folks think having a pet is animal slavery. I'm almost positive that my cat views it the other way around.

-Andy

Well played Andy

 

[BeardBuster]

Body shop has a decent travel synthtic for your dop bag