How to Tell Friends/Fam That I Do Not Want To Hunt Anymore

[VictorB02]

I live in Idaho, arguably the center of sportsman and hunting in our country. I have grown up hunting, my dad is a game warden, hunts, his grandpa hunted, all my friends hunt. Least to say, it is the norm around here.

As I have evolved more and more through the spiral dynamics stages, and after watching Leos video "The Radical Implications of Oneness" I have finally come to the conclusion that I am done hunting. Not that I think it is wrong, not that I think humans need to stop hunting, but because I don't find any place in me anymore where I want to go and take an animals life. I just simply do not want to. I went duck hunting earlier this year and killed a limit of 7 ducks and I just could not rid myself of the feeling of "What was the point in me doing this? I don't even eat the duck meat, I just cook it and give it to my dogs." But then I tell myself something like "Well our ancestors have been doing it for blah blah blah" And I usually ignore my intuition, but not anymore.

My question is: What would be the best way explain to lower spiral dynamic staged people (especially friends and family) that I don't want to hunt anymore, because, well, they will want an explanation, and I'm of course not going to say "It's wrong" and I also don't want to be vague and say "I am just not feeling it anymore"

Any ideas would help, thanks.

[SgtPepper]

I say

Just tell them you're not interested.

If they ask why or press you, be honest and then provide the reasons you listed here. 

If they are really your family & friends, they will respect it. 

Only issue I see arising is that this is how people socially bond around your state. If you do not go hunting, then you may need to compensate for that social bonding through another activity, or just join them hunting, without you doing anything.

Edited November 4, 2018 by SgtPepper

[VictorB02]

@SgtPepper Thank you for you advice. 

[Salvijus]

Why even bother about the explanation. Say fuck you and over

No, don't take my advise seriously 

But it's an option At least that's what I'd do. Ofcourse different situations, different ways of dealing with it.

 

Edited November 4, 2018 by Salvijus

[Joseph Maynor]

The only way is to tell them you don't want to do it anymore.  Tell them that it's no knock on them and that you're not judging them, but that you will not do it anymore.  Dancing around this kind of issue will only cause you and them suffering.  You gotta be blunt but also make sure they aren't taking it to be some kind of moral condemnation of them.  Just say it's not something you'll be doing anymore and that you'll be happy to do other things instead.  If they give you shit for it, suck it up and just expect that you're gonna take some shit for it.  This is the same kind of shit that you get when you tell your family you're vegetarian and you show up to Thanksgiving and everybody is giving you shit about it.  

Edited November 4, 2018 by Joseph Maynor

[Viking]

@VictorB02 I think you're faking higher levels of spiral dynamics. you understand intellectually that its not wrong to kill animals but you feel like its wrong. youre probably a stage green thinking he's yellow, im the same by the way.

follow what you think is best though.

also I feel a little sissyness coming out of you, maybe you're afraid to state your case and confront your family. look a bit into that.

[VictorB02]

@Salvijus I agree that "f you" can be a great way to say this.

.@Joseph Maynor thank you

@Viking I suppose its possible although I don't think its necessarily "wrong" I just don't see the point of it. 

My greatest fear while taking the Life Purpose Course was "the fear of saying no" So I am sissy when it comes to saying no. I actually said no earlier today to going hunting tomorrow with my dad, I got shit, he was pissed, but damn did I feel great after saying that

[outlandish]

You just tell them you're not into it, and try to not judge them for continuing. If you can suspend judgement, let them know that you're OK with them doing it so that the situation doesn't become adversarial.

I don't hunt or eat animals, but I have respect for people who carefully hunt for food. Farmers too. So many people mindlessly buy meat from the grocery store, completely disconnected from the act of killing (or raising) the animal which they are consuming. At least hunters are face to face with the reality of the situation and have to be real about it.

Another cool thing about hunters is that they generally support preservation of wild spaces, for obvious reasons.

I read something about lead ending up in hunted meat from the bullets, which is a good heath reason to not hunt, or at least use different shot/bows.

 

[Forestluv]

@VictorB02 This seems like a very common issue while deepening one's consciousness. I went through a similar process with religion and science. When I evolved beyond religion, how should I tell my family? How could I still relate to them? When I evolved beyond science / rational thinking, how should I tell my colleagues? How could I still relate to them?

For me, I didn't make a big deal of it. I was very mindful to not get on a soapbox or challenge them on their beliefs. 

[Hafiz]

If you don’t need the meat you literally don’t have to explain shit to anyone. Your family will have to accept that and you need to face the consequences of that decision.

[Salvijus]

19 hours ago, Hafiz said:

If you don’t need the meat you literally don’t have to explain shit to anyone. Your family will have to accept that and you need to face the consequences of that decision.

This makes sense.

Just say yes to what is True and let the consiquences come.

Edited November 6, 2018 by Salvijus