Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Smoking

There are things that come off as very pretentious when someone tries to convince of their side of the argument. I find vegetarians that try to convert me to come off as pretentious. I'm not a huge fan of Monty Python and trying to convert me to be a follower just comes off as you thinking you're better than I am. Same with the Office. I get the jokes I just don't find them very funny.

Now I'm not a smoker so maybe I would feel differently if I was. I've never smoked in my life, not once. I don't go around crusading for people to stop smoking but if it comes up in a conversation I have trouble containing myself. Smoking is really bad for you and you shouldn't do it. If I'm in a position to be talking to you then I'm probably your friend, acquaintance, or co-worker. I know you and I'd rather you not get some cigarette related disease. I mean hell you're 8 times more likely to get lung cancer if you're a smoker vs. a nonsmoker.

Twice in the past few weeks I've had co-workers come off as an idiot defending their smoking. Once was when I brought up to a guy who was getting over a cold and couldn't smoke near as much as he wanted to. I just said maybe he could use this time to stop smoking. He then tried to explain to me that he had a doctor tell him that smoking was no worse than breathing. He went on to explain that his doctor relates smoking related issues to being hit by a truck, sometimes it just happens. I'd say that isn't a very good doctor.

The one didn't involve me but two other people. One was giving the other shit about smoking. The smokers defense was he was going to die anyway, who cares if it was when he was 50 or 70. The other one then asked about his kids and he said it was his life.

I understand it is your life, if you want to smoke go ahead. It is a free country, mostly. I also understand it is a chemical addiction and it is hard to quit. But don't think I'm reminding you it is a bad thing to do because I think I'm better than you. It is an awful thing to do. I've seen people fight cancer, if you can do things to help prevent it I'd recommend that. It doesn't look fun to fight. Also please don't come up with some dumbass excuse as to why smoking is okay.

3 comments:

TheGirard said...

i can side with the guy that says it's better to die at 50 than at 70. marnie and I don't have any kids, so we aren't too worried about that.


We just don't smoke because it's damn expensive.

Anonymous said...

But all the cool/sexy people do it!

Just kidding. I'm glad I quit way back when.

My fear is that I smoked so much back when I was doing it that it will come back and bite me in the ass, or lungs or whatever.

The doctor you mentioned sounds like a quack.

Anonymous said...

I would rather die at 70 then 50! Fighting caner really does suck.