Quote:
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Originally Posted by TexanAvenger
But for you to pose a divide between being a smoker and being a good person is not only ridiculous, it's offensive. We smoke in public because we're people and public is where people go. Most of us try to keep it away from non-smokers because we're aware that you don't like it. We're not a different breed of unhealthy, callous, angry, unfeeling mutants. Most of us aren't trying to play the social pariah, we just don't want to be labelled as outright "bad people."
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This post, in it's entirety, was my favorite response in defense to my OP. Looking back at how i started the thread, i think it might have been a little too black/white, but i'm glad of that in the end because i got some truly zealous responses.
Most of the responses i got in this thread have a tone... it ranges from indignant to mocking. the vibe i pick up, as much as you can from text anyway, are sentiments like, "how dare you tell me what to do?!" or "stfu, its not that big a deal!" A lot of others just twisted the context or semantics of my question.
My purpose in creating this thread is not to admonish however, it's more of an introspective question. i just honestly want to know how smokers internally justify their habits when the facts are out there and they have to know that they are having an extremely negative impact on everyone their around or living with.
On a minor level.... would you fart in a crowded elevator or car, and not pinch it off, because releasing the gas would feel good, even though a lot of people in the elevator would be trying to get over the experience all day?
On a major level.... if you had an extremely bad and possibly dangerous version of the flu or whooping cough would you work with food in a cafeteria?
These are similar situations, although there is a degree of seperation between them and smoking obviously.
Also, a few people posed the point to me that they always ask before they light up...
I'm here to tell you as a non smoker, thats usually a no win for me. If i know the person asking and am to have any further relations with them, and ESPECIALLY if they are a friend of mine... there's no way i can say, "yeah i mind" or "can you wait till we get back to the house" to them. If i do then
I'm the bad person all of a sudden because smokers as a rule have the same sanctimonious/defensive attitude displayed in this thread. Any objection on my part will negatively impact our friendship/relationship.
Because
I think
THEY are a good person, i hold my tongue. i let them get away with stinking me up and harming my health. The most i do is try to nudge them or help them if they express a desire or timetable to quit.
So all in all, like a point i made at the end of my OP that was largely ignored, I'm for your rights and liberties. i don't want to take away your freedom to smoke. I just wanted to know if you ever felt bad or guilty about what your subjecting us "innocents" to.
For the record, to me and a large part of society, it's a very big deal. and imo, it's a pain in the ass to find a place completely devoid of people to do what your doing to yourself, or to wait until such a place is available to you, but in the end it would be worth it to the greater good and to your psyche.