Watch Your Own Bobber

That phrase has never worked for me but I could never put it into words that make sense until I read this quote this morning.

“What would you do?

Subject: Legal studies. First lecture.

The professor enters the lecture hall. He looks around.
“You there in the 8th row. Can you tell me your name?” he asks a student.
“My name is Sandra” says a voice.

The professor asks her, “Please leave my lecture hall. I don’t want to see you in my lecture.”
Everyone is quiet. The student is irritated, slowly packs her things and stands up.
“Faster please!” she is asked.
She doesn’t dare to say anything and leaves the lecture hall.
The professor keeps looking around. The participants are scared.

“Why are there laws?” he asks the group.
All quiet. Everyone looks at the others.
“What are laws for?” he asks again.
“Social order” is heard from a row.
A student says “To protect a person’s personal rights.”
Another says “So that you can rely on the state.”
The professor is not satisfied.

“Justice!” calls out a student.
The professor smiling. She has his attention.
“Thank you very much. Did I behave unfairly towards your classmate earlier?”
Everyone nods.

“Indeed I did. Why didn’t anyone protest? Why didn’t any of you try to stop me? Why didn’t you want to prevent this injustice?” he asks.
Nobody answers.

“What you just learned you wouldn’t have understood in 1,000 hours of lectures if you hadn’t lived it. You didn’t say anything just because you weren’t affected yourself.

This attitude speaks against you and against life. You think as long as it doesn’t concern you, it’s none of your business. I’m telling you, if you don’t say anything today and don’t bring about justice, then one day you too will experience injustice and no one will stand for you.

Justice lives through us all. We have to fight for it.”

“In life and at work, we often live next to each other instead of with each other. We console ourselves that the problems of others are none of our business. We go home and are glad that we were spared. But it’s also about standing up for others. Every day an injustice happens in business, in sports or on the tram. Relying on someone to sort it out is not enough. It is our duty to be there for others. Speaking for others when they cannot.”
~ Unknown

…and this is the reason that in my opinion, the phrase “Watch Your Own Bobber” is wrong.

Now get off my grass!

That is very well put.

That was a good read and makes you think. Thanks for posting it BK

Watch your own bobber works in a million situations, but if you want to force it upon social justice situations where it doesn’t belong then this all makes sense.

Honestly, there’s been many of times I’ve been in a boat with a buddy tipping a few back and I would’ve missed MANY fish if that buddy didn’t tell me my bobber was down.

John Rasmussen wrote:

That was a good read and makes you think. Thanks for posting it BK

Think of ? Just curious. As a child I was taught to stand up for others especially those that can’t stand up for them selves. I’m never in a social justice situation but when I was younger I threw hands with many bullies picking fights with those that didn’t deserve it. Was suspended multiple times for fights that weren’t mine to fight, but dad was always proud that I stood up for others that couldn’t.

It’s a good read. I guess I always took the phrase “watch your own bobber” as meaning you shouldn’t overly try to dictate what others are doing or not doing if it doesn’t affect you or others within reason. Not to imply that you shouldn’t care about others or help when it’s needed.

I’ve always believed that indifference can be much worse than hatred, and loved this quote from the beginning of the movie The Boondock Saints … “Now, we must all fear evil men. But there is another kind of evil which we must fear most, and that is the indifference of good men.”

Bearcat89 wrote:

Think of ? Just curious. As a child I was taught to stand up for others especially those that can’t stand up for them selves. I’m never in a social justice situation but when I was younger I threw hands with many bullies picking fights with those that didn’t deserve it. Was suspended multiple times for fights that weren’t mine to fight, but dad was always proud that I stood up for others that couldn’t.

I did the same, the “think” was meant to say that while I agree with the meaning of watch your own bobber when it comes to stuff like don’t worry about what others are doing and feel the need to inject my beliefs on someone else, however like you mentioned we should be injecting ourselves into situation like the bully.

The professor assumed there would be someone in the room who would stand up and fight for what is right immediately. Possibly a losing effort. Personally, I would retreat and prepare for a fight with the intension of winning.

-J.

John Rasmussen wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bearcat89 wrote:</div>
Think of ? Just curious. As a child I was taught to stand up for others especially those that can’t stand up for them selves. I’m never in a social justice situation but when I was younger I threw hands with many bullies picking fights with those that didn’t deserve it. Was suspended multiple times for fights that weren’t mine to fight, but dad was always proud that I stood up for others that couldn’t.

I did the same, the “think” was meant to say that while I agree with the meaning of watch your own bobber when it comes to stuff like don’t worry about what others are doing and feel the need to inject my beliefs on someone else, however like you mentioned we should be injecting ourselves into situation like the bully.

Agreed. I tell my kids to watch there own bobber all the time. And I also tell them life’s not fare.

Bearcat89 wrote:

And I also tell them life’s not fare.

This a lesson that many need to learn.

Ah… let’s see if I can find some examples without calling anyone out.

“Today I followed a boat down the highway. The axle of the trailer was so full of weeds that I could see them flapping around.
When we came to a stop, I took a picture of the weeds on the trailer and wrote down the license plate. Would you send this info to the DNR?”

“WYOB”

” ………This weekend I was in a community spot that every one was fishing. Got a few crappies then some bass after 3 of them I started moving. Well someone spoke up and said I was targeting bass because I was not using a bobber. I left as not wanting to cause any fights etc. not worth my time………..”

“tell him to WYOB”

“A facebook group I am part of has a guy on there who during the summer is ,3-4 times a week posting images of 2-3 man limits of panfish, perch, walleye, etc. He is also taking dozens of sheepshead (No big deal but just to illustrate the amount of meat hes taking).”

“WYOB”

Now there were plenty of other posts leaning the other way, but how can we as sports people “watch your own bobber”?

Brian Klawitter wrote:

Ah… let’s see if I can find some examples without calling anyone out.

“Today I followed a boat down the highway. The axle of the trailer was so full of weeds that I could see them flapping around.
When we came to a stop, I took a picture of the weeds on the trailer and wrote down the license plate. Would you send this info to the DNR?”

“WYOB”

” ………This weekend I was in a community spot that every one was fishing. Got a few crappies then some bass after 3 of them I started moving. Well someone spoke up and said I was targeting <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>bass because I was not using a bobber. I left as not wanting to cause any fights etc. not worth my time………..”

“tell him to WYOB”

“A facebook group I am part of has a guy on there who during the summer is ,3-4 times a week posting images of 2-3 man limits of panfish, perch, walleye, etc. He is also taking dozens of sheepshead (No big deal but just to illustrate the amount of meat hes taking).”

“WYOB”

Now there were plenty of other posts leaning the other way, but how can we as sports people “watch your own bobber”?

Watching your own bobber, making people aware, and tattling are all very different and all need to be used in different situations

Sharon wrote:

It’s a good read. I guess I always took the phrase “watch your own bobber” as meaning you shouldn’t overly try to dictate what others are doing or not doing if it doesn’t affect you or others within reason. Not to imply that you shouldn’t care about others or help when it’s needed.

I’ve always believed that indifference can be much worse than hatred, and loved this quote from the beginning of the movie The Boondock Saints … “Now, we must all fear evil men. But there is another kind of evil which we must fear most, and that is the indifference of good men.”

Agreed Sharon! If I see someone doing something I don’t think they should, I say or do something about it. But I also try and give people grace if there is a possible logical/legal/moral explanation and watch my own bobber.

WYOB works in some situations. Not all and many shouldn’t apply. The 1st post is a great example of where WYOB shouldn’t work.

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If my legal studies teacher did that, I would go to financial aid, demand a refund, and explain that if an instructor doesn’t understand that some people won’t say anything without the confidence of knowledge on their side to ensure that justice is fair, than maybe they don’t understand they are their to teach.

BK – your story made me think of this quote – different yes but the same…..

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for Me, and there was no one left to speak for me.
Martin Niemöller – 20th Century German anti-Nazi theologian and Lutheran pastor.

That’s what it reminded me of, too, Umy.

I always took watch your own bobber as a nice way of saying: stop ogling my wife/girlfriend/daughter you Jack ass, pervert, creeper or some other expletive.

DTW

I’ve never used the term seriously and really never would.

I can tell you this……if I see people littering or taking over their limits I will not be watching my own bobber. The tip line will be getting a call with all the info my camera phone can gather.

I try to mind my own business, but if I see somebody doing something against my principals, I will step in. I was in a grocery store once and happened to run across a lady with an unruly 3-4 yr old. She picked him up and shook him so hard it could’ve broke his neck. I grabbed her and spun her around and said ” Put that child down right now or I’m calling the cops!”She put him down with a huff, gave me a F U and left. Still bugs me I didnt call the cops.

Never been a bobber guy, I feel marginalized by this entire conversation. I identify more with jigs, can we create an analogy that will be more inclusive for us non bobber binery folks?

Deuces wrote:

can we create an analogy that will be more inclusive for us non bobber binery folks?

Not sure how to help you with that bud. However you can use whatever bathroom you like at Target.

Very good John!

Obviously you have a hard time watching your own bobber too.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

Obviously you have a hard time watching your own bobber too.

It can be quite difficult at times.

This reminds me of a post awhile back about calling the cops every time you see somebody speeding down the road. Unless you call EVERYTIME, your choosing who gets justice.

wkw wrote:

She picked him up and shook him so hard it could’ve broke his neck.

If she does that in public imagine what she does in the privacy of her own home. Good of you to say something, but yeah, shouldve probably called the cops on that one.

big_g wrote:

Unless you call EVERYTIME, your choosing who gets justice.

Well it’s really the copper that writes the ticket.

I’m Batman.