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I started because I was doing too much alcohol and MDMA, and cigarettes compliment those drugs enormously. I kept smoking once I laid off the junk because it's enjoyable, it's a fun social activity, and an effective stress reliever.
I feel I should add my argument seeing as, well... I can.
I originally started smoking when I was 16, and I only started because everyone else was doing it and it looked 'cool'. Personally yes, I do think it looks cool, but that's pretty subjective in its own right. I was doing it for about six months before I quit, and then started up again a year later.
The second time around I just smoked when I drank. Subsequently I was always drinking, so I got addicted to them :P
Now I don't mind smoking; it's relaxing, a nice social activity, and it's great to have one after work or school to release any kind of stress.
Yeah it's bad for you, but so is junk food. Sue me.
I had my first cigarette alone. No peers to pressure. Most of the smokers I know will not bum out a cigarette to someone who want's to try their first cigarette, probably because they don't want to be accountable if that one cigarette turns into a landslide addiction, but I think this is ridiculous. People make their own decisions, especially regarding cigarettes in a day and age where everyone is constantly reminded of the adverse health effects of smoking, and trying to dump blame on your peers is a cop out. You smoke because you chose to, and you continue to smoke because you choose to.
This is not a "I smoke because..." response, but it's a post on topic:
I think it's silly people are so concerned about second hand smoke given all the air pollution already around; if I put my mouth around a cigarette and drag, regularly, I'll be dead in many years, but if I put my mouth around the tailpipe of a car and inhale, I'm dead in seconds. Spending a week in Tijuana or Tehran has got to be equivalent to smoking at least a pack. When I visited China, smog was pooling on the ceiling of the 2 story hotel lobby, yet people still cough at me when they walk by while I'm smoking.
I think it's ridiculous that anti-smoking propaganda get's so much face time on TV and on billboards and bus stops, depicting the absolute worst case scenario a smoker can face, while other serious health concerned get passed over. Like in countries that force cigarette companies to print images of lung and mouth cancer on their packs; you don't see an image of a morbidly obese person getting nasty liposuction on the burger you are trying to buy, you don't see someone choked out on their own vomit on the beer you are trying to buy, you don't see an image of a truncated, mashed corpse on the car you are trying to buy, and you don't see an image of terminal skin cancer at the beach you are trying to go tan at. You don't see propaganda depicting these things and bashing their causes nearly as often as you do with smoking.
Since abusing tobacco can be bad for my health I have some simple rules that I like to follow. I do not smoke unless I am actively maintaining good cardiovascular health. I only smoke good quality rolling and pipe tobacco. I only smoke one rolled cigarette per day, if that; most days I do not smoke at all. When I go camping I enjoy one bowl of pipe tobacco per day, if that. If I am around people I ask them if they would mind if I smoke before I smoke. If I am politely asked to put out my smoke, I usually will or I would relocate. If I am rudely invited to put out my smoke, I politely decline. I have these rules because I want good health while enjoying tobacco, to be a respectful citizen, and so I am not a slave to tobacco.
To those of you who smoke and throw their cigarette butts... You are being a bastard. Put out your cigarette and throw them away in the trash.
I smoke because its relaxing...period. I don't smoke regularly. The highest amount of cigs I've had in a day was 5. On average I smoke far less than a cigarette per day. I only do it socially or when I've been out of weed for a couple days or more. The people on this thread that say that smoking AT ALL proves you aren't "healthy minded" or are taking a stupid risk are simply filled to the brim with propogandic nonsense..from the government, their families etc. In fact, there actually are health benefits to smoking infrequently. You are at a lower risk for developing certain tumors, stomach conditions etc. Smoking tobacco every once in a while is just fine, unless you have a tendency to get addicted to things easily. Be your own judge. There's a simple rule for all things: Enjoy In Moderation. Whether it's sunlight, alcohol, weed, sex or computer games. It doesn't matter.
Too many disadvantages. Long term and short term health concerns, cost, addiction/dependence, appearance and smell issues, location limitation (not just legally), exposure to others, etc.... all for a little bit of relaxation?
I'd rather relax without all those disadvantages and I have countless options for doing so.
Smoking ruins the person doing it. Physically and mentally. A healthy minded person does not smoke in the first place.
If you do it to lessen stress then you should really find other ways, especially a means every living person owns - one's own mind. Perhaps look within yourself and see what caused it and control it... Is it really that difficult to use your own mind, to think, to control your emotions, stress, inner balance?
A healthy minded person does not smoke in the first place
That's like saying a healthy minded person never eats junk food, or sunbathes. You can have a healthy mind and body and still make decisions that don't necessarily contribute to that state of being.
Perhaps look within yourself and see what caused it and control it... Is it really that difficult to use your own mind, to think, to control your emotions, stress, inner balance?
No, but external problems are often addressed with external solutions. Events apart from myself are the root cause of most of my stress, not internal emotions.
But that's not the reason I smoke cigarettes, just a useful byproduct of smoking, like how I smoke marijuana for fun but have also found it can help me sleep, if I'm having trouble sleeping.
That's like saying a healthy minded person never eats junk food, or sunbathes.
Eating junk food is unhealthy, which means a healthy minded person won't eat it.
Sun is good for the skin although not in too large amounts.
You can have a healthy mind and body and still make decisions that don't necessarily contribute to that state of being.
Decisions that are unhealthy for the health are bad one's, hints at having a unhealthy mind.
No, but external problems are often addressed with external solutions.
Smoking is not a solution because it does more damage than good.
If not smoking causes stress than that's an indicator of an unhealthy mind.
I have my own causes of stress and I deal with them by pinpointing the cause and why it would cause it, then sort of accept it, let it go, see how pointless it is, etc. And then the issue goes away or stays under my own control.
Events apart from myself are the root cause of most of my stress, not internal emotions.
If you see something you disagree with it causes negative emotions and can change your mood for the worse, which lead to stress. Stress is caused by emotions and moods which themselves can have an external cause. If you deal with your emotions and determine the source of your mood, you deal with your stress.
I think there are very few people on this planet who are so healthy minded that they don't do anything to jeopardize their health, ever, things like eating junk food, tanning, sleeping too long, driving an automobile, and yes, smoking. But your standard seems to require perfection, and I disagree with that; I think someone can be a generally healthy minded person and still have guilty pleasures, still do things they know might be unhealthy but that they don't worry themselves with because they know they are generally healthy. To say otherwise is like saying that an academically driven person is not academically minded because they didn't pass one test, or take one class totally seriously.
Smoking is not a solution because it does more damage than good.
That depends on your problem and your values.
If not smoking causes stress than that's an indicator of an unhealthy mind.
I have my own causes of stress and I deal with them by pinpointing the cause and why it would cause it, then sort of accept it, let it go, see how pointless it is, etc. And then the issue goes away or stays under my own control.
Not smoking doesn't cause stress, at least not for me, but smoking is an alternative way to handle stress, if the smoker so chooses. I know everyone isn't the zen master you are when it comes to handling their emotions, but I'm perfectly capable of handling my stress in several ways, healthy and unhealthy, all satisfying.
If you see something you disagree with it causes negative emotions and can change your mood for the worse, which lead to stress. Stress is caused by emotions and moods which themselves can have an external cause. If you deal with your emotions and determine the source of your mood, you deal with your stress.
Or just light one up, inhale, exhale, relax, and no fucks are given, like with a shot or a bowl.
I'm claiming that they're two separate things, which they are, and that shouldn't require explanation on my part any more than saying that work performance and sunbathing are two separate things. You, on the other hand, are trying to assert that intelligence and making healthy choices are one in the same, so instead of asking me to disprove this notion right off the bat, how about you do or say something to support or prove it, first?
For now, I'll just point out the obvious and say the some of the most brilliant people I am aware of, people like Francis Crick, Hunter Thompson, Sigmund Freud, and Carl Sagan, we're drug users; highly intelligent people, certainly more intelligent than myself, who made unhealthy choices.
Smoking or not smoking is about health... but if you want to add more, okay.
I'm claiming that they're two separate things,
Yes and no.
shouldn't require explanation on my part any more than saying that work performance and sunbathing are two separate things.
This is not an explanation.
Making healthy choices is being intelligent.
You, on the other hand, are trying to assert that intelligence and making healthy choices are one in the same
They are. And there are more than just one kind of intelligence, obviously.
so instead of asking me to disprove this notion right off the bat, how about you do or say something to support or prove it, first?
So you are calling someone who knowingly makes bad choices for one's health is being intelligent? He might be intelligent in physics, for example, but not when it comes to health.
Francis Crick, Hunter Thompson, Sigmund Freud, and Carl Sagan, we're drug users; highly intelligent people, certainly more intelligent than myself, who made unhealthy choices.
Perhaps intelligent in their own field but stupid otherwise.
Maybe, but you're also trying to argue that you need to make healthy choices in order to be intelligent, and I'd like to see something tangible from you to back that claim up.
So you are calling someone who knowingly makes bad choices for one's health is being intelligent? He might be intelligent in physics, for example, but not when it comes to health.
I'm saying an intelligent person can knowingly make poor health decisions and still be intelligent. I am saying that practicing good health is not a prerequisite for intelligence, and you still haven't shown me anything that proves me wrong.
Perhaps intelligent in their own field but stupid otherwise.
I'm not talking about intelligence in a specific field, I'm taking about smarts as a whole. If you stated in your original post that they were making stupid health decisions, I wouldn't have refuted that. But you claimed that they were stupid because of their health decisions. You are looking at their actions in one area, health, and judging the whole of their intelligence based on that; I'm looking at their character as a whole and can see that unhealthy choices do not indicate inherit stupidity.
Intelligence is always difficult to gauge and quantify, but I know enough on the topic to know that you shouldn't condemn someone as an idiot because of their perhaps unwise decisions in one area.
You did, "I'm claiming that they're two separate things, which they are, and that shouldn't require explanation on my part any more than saying that work performance and sunbathing are two separate things.". Was that not meant as an explanation?
but you're also trying to argue that you need to make healthy choices in order to be intelligent,
Smoking is a health issue. If you smoke you're not intelligent in regard to health.
I'm saying an intelligent person can knowingly make poor health decisions and still be intelligent.
Intelligent in a specific field but not when it comes to health.
I'm not talking about intelligence in a specific field, ...
"A healthy minded person does not smoke in the first place." From my original post...
Where there do I talk about intelligence in general?
Intelligence is always difficult to gauge and quantify, but I know enough on the topic to know that you shouldn't condemn someone as an idiot because of their perhaps unwise decisions in one area.
You did, ... Was that not meant as an explanation?
Just... just read it, please.
Saying that two things are the same (or separate) is an assertion. An attempt to describe or support it would be an explanation. In my post I said: "I'm [assertion], which they are, and [my assertion] shouldn't require explanation on my part any more than [example assertion].
Get it, now?
Smoking is a health issue. If you smoke you're not intelligent in regard to health.
Intelligent in a specific field but not when it comes to health.
You're getting warmer; I can see we're making progress.
Where there do I talk about intelligence in general?
"Point is, smoking is bad and if you're smart enough you don't do it."
"A healthy minded person does not smoke in the first place."
"Making healthy choices is being intelligent"
"Perhaps intelligent in their own field but stupid otherwise."
As for who, you called Francis Crick, Hunter Thompson, Sigmund Freud, and Carl Sagan stupid, not unhealthy, but stupid (in general) for their decisions regarding health.
So, you compared one with another. Wasn't exactly a good example...
You're getting warmer; I can see we're making progress.
Progress? In what way? My opinions haven't changed. Perhaps I failed at not explaining in more detail at first.
"Point is, smoking is bad and if you're smart enough you don't do it."
How is that not true?
"A healthy minded person does not smoke in the first place."
The same.
"Making healthy choices is being intelligent"
When it comes to health. But can easily be dumb in other areas.
"Perhaps intelligent in their own field but stupid otherwise."
This is in general? When I say intelligent in some fields but stupid otherwise?
I didn't quote you, I was using a synonym.
I know very well what idiot means. It may be a synonym but idiot is a stronger word.
As for who, you called Francis Crick, Hunter Thompson, Sigmund Freud, and Carl Sagan stupid, not unhealthy, but stupid (in general) for their decisions regarding health.
Which part of "Perhaps intelligent in their own field but stupid otherwise." can't you understand?
Perhaps I failed at not explaining in more detail at first.
Like I said, progress.
How is that not true?
Despite numerous requests on my part you haven't furnished any evidence that only stupid and unhealthy minded people smoke. My assertion has been that you can be intelligent in general but still smoke, and that you can be generally healthy minded while still making decisions that aren't always 100% healthy 100% of the time.
This is in general? When I say intelligent in some fields but stupid otherwise?
If I changed it to say "Intelligent in some fields but stupid in general," the sentence pretty much has the same meaning.
I know very well what idiot means. It may be a synonym but idiot is a stronger word.
I never said you didn't know what I means, I was just defending my use of it as a valid synonym for "stupid."
Which part of "Perhaps intelligent in their own field but stupid otherwise." can't you understand?
Why are they stupid otherwise?
If it's the decisions regarding health, that's a very low blow on your part.
Comparing one with another in order to make one see the likeness or difference is not explaining?
My assertion has been that you can be intelligent in general but still smoke, and that you can be generally healthy minded while still making decisions that aren't always 100% healthy 100% of the time.
Okay, can be healthy minded generally, but stupid when it comes to smoking.
If I changed it to say "Intelligent in some fields but stupid in general," the sentence pretty much has the same meaning.
"In general" includes "intelligent in some fields". In general means it includes all aspects.
I never said you didn't know what I means, I was just defending my use of it as a valid synonym for "stupid."
They may be depicted as equals in dictionaries, but using one in place of another is not always valid, as I mentioned it is stronger than stupid.
Why are they stupid otherwise?
If it's the decisions regarding health, that's a very low blow on your part.
Regarding health yes. A very low blow? Was not. Their own field as in what they are good at... and the rest is what they aren't good at for various reasons, the otherwise stupid part.
You are saying a mentally healthy person would knowingly damage him/herself? I think not.
People can be mentally unhealthy and still be smart in some areas. I've known a few who are smart in physics, for example, and they smoked, probably still do. All the while knowing that smoking is bad for health. Clearly showing they do not care about their own health.
If you know that something is bad for you and you still do it there's something awry in your nut.
If you know that something is bad for you and you still do it there's something awry in your nut.
Is the point of life to end up 6 feet under, unscarred, unblemished, in perfect condition? Is the point of life to endure on this planet as long as possible? Or is enjoying yourself perhaps at the detriment of your longevity an equally valid life goal?
Personally I'd much rather die at 60 having thoroughly enjoyed and experienced all life has to offer than die at 80 after living in a bubble my whole life, and I have yet to hear anything from you that proves me stupid for saying so. And you, Mr. Healthy Choices Only, are defiantly living in a bubble if you unconditionally avoid drugs, sunbathing, cars, junk food, sex, traveling, and everything else potentially harmful to your health.
Is the point of life to end up 6 feet under, unscarred, unblemished, in perfect condition?
Point of life in general? Survival.
Individual? Go ahead and damage yourself with stupid habits, but don't say what you are doing is right nor good.
Is the point of life to endure on this planet as long as possible?
And how does smoking contribute to that? And other drugs?
Will cigarettes infect us with their influence, will they create an invasion of some sort?
Or is enjoying yourself perhaps at the detriment of your longevity an equally valid life goal?
???
Personally I'd much rather die at 60 having thoroughly enjoyed and experienced all life has to offer than die at 80 after living in a bubble my whole life, and I have yet to hear anything from you that proves me stupid for saying so.
If you live a healthy life you can have your full life till 80 or 90, in some few cases even longer. Considering smoking and other damaging things to your body as a "full life" is stupid. If you do then don't advertise it as something good and right.
Those who die at 80 have lived their life in a bubble? Where did you take something as stupid as that?
If you aren't dead by 60 you are going to make a suicide to have your "full life"? Or risk living in a bubble? What are you talking about??
"Full life" is highly debatable. I'd rather have a full and happy life (the full essentially meaning healthy).
Generally speaking, life is about survival, not enjoyment but would be good if one could do both at the same time. If you live your life only for self-enjoyment then you are wasting it.
And you, Mr. Healthy Choices Only, are defiantly living in a bubble if you unconditionally avoid drugs, sunbathing, cars, junk food, sex, traveling, and everything else potentially harmful to your health.
You topped your previous stupidity with this.
If you are smart you avoid drugs, sunbathing in excessive amounts, junk food, some other things.
Cars? they get a person from one place to another, and fast.
Sex? How is that unhealthy exactly?
Traveling???
And everything else potentially harmful to my life? Are you serious? LIFE itself is harmful, there are risks everywhere. You understand your contradiction? If I were to avoid everything potentially harmful to my health I wouldn't be talking to you... because the most logical choice in that scenario would be me being dead this very moment.
Individual? Go ahead and damage yourself with stupid habits, but don't say what you are doing is right nor good.
I can live with that, if you can refrain from calling is wrong and bad.
And how does smoking contribute to that? And other drugs?
Will cigarettes infect us with their influence, will they create an invasion of some sort?
What? I was asking if you thought the point of life was to endure.
???
??? to what aspect of my post?
Generally speaking, life is about survival, not enjoyment but would be good if one could do both at the same time. If you live your life only for self-enjoyment then you are wasting it.
How so? Why can't enjoyment equal or surpass survival as a life purpose?
And everything else potentially harmful to my life? Are you serious? LIFE itself is harmful, there are risks everywhere.
Exactly! Your entire argument is based on the fact that smoking is wrong and bad and should be avoided at all costs because it is potentially harmful to your health (and it is potentially; if the Surgeon General could say smoking will cause cancer as opposed to it can, it would be said). But all of the things I listed, sex, cars, and the like, are also potentially harmful to your health, as you admitted. If you have sex even though you might get an STD and die, you are assuming a similar (albeit, not as statistically worrisome) risk to that of smoking. If you get into a car knowing you might lose your head in an accident, if you travel knowing you might pick up some foreign disease, if you eat food that might have adverse effects you are accepting that the pros of the given activity outweigh the cons, or the potential cons. I don't see why you can rationalize this with sex or automobiles but not smoking.
I can live with that, if you can refrain from calling is wrong and bad.
Refrain from saying what is wrong and bad? Even if I do know what is? I don't think so, someone has to keep reminding since so many fail at noticing and understanding.
What? I was asking if you thought the point of life was to endure.
Do you mean endure as an individual or as a species?
to what aspect of my post?
The whole sentence.
How so? Why can't enjoyment equal or surpass survival as a life purpose?
If you want that as your life's purpose then go ahead, but when it comes to the survival of the species, you are wasting your life. Unless your "enjoyment" contributes to the rest in some manner.
Exactly! Your entire argument is based on the fact that smoking is wrong and bad and should be avoided at all costs because it is potentially harmful to your health
Not potentially, it is harmful to health if done. That is why it is wrong and bad.
But all of the things I listed, sex, cars, and the like, are also potentially harmful to your health, as you admitted. If you have sex even though you might get an STD and die, you are assuming a similar (albeit, not as statistically worrisome) risk to that of smoking. If you get into a car knowing you might lose your head in an accident, if you travel knowing you might pick up some foreign disease, if you eat food that might have adverse effects you are accepting that the pros of the given activity outweigh the cons, or the potential cons. I don't see why you can rationalize this with sex or automobiles but not smoking.
You do know what smoking does to ones body?
Smoking has no benefits, unlike the other things you mentioned. It only harms. When it comes to reducing stress then there are far more effective ways.
I have never even tried smoking and never will. Aside from being harmful it is also a total waste of money.
Refrain from saying what is wrong and bad? Even if I do know what is? I don't think so, someone has to keep reminding since so many fail at noticing and understanding.
Well then we don't have an agreement; smoking is great and awesome. =D
People understand quite a bit, they usually just don't care. Unless you've been living under a rock for the last 40 years, you've had anti-cigarette propaganda shoved under your nose your whole life - probably why you're debating me so vehemently about something you've never tried; because of all the negative things you've been told about it.
Do you mean endure as an individual or as a species?
Individual.
The whole sentence
To reword it more simply, is enjoying yourself in the way that you desire, even if it maybe means a couple years off your life, not an equally valid life purpose?
If you want that as your life's purpose then go ahead, but when it comes to the survival of the species, you are wasting your life. Unless your "enjoyment" contributes to the rest in some manner.
Oh come on, dude, we are wayyy past the point of survival as a species being an key issue. If anything we need to thin out our population, what with the lack of natural resources and severe overpopulation. Out of curiosity, though, do you base all your decisions off of how much it will benefit the herd? You're quite a team player; humanity really owes you one.
Not potentially, it is harmful to health if done. That is why it is wrong and bad.
They would say so if it was. Not everyone who smokes has adverse health effects. I loathe personal examples, but my grandpa is in his mid 90s, smoked pretty heavily since his teens, and has no related health problems. And what about people who enjoy a cigarette once in a blue moon, on special occasions, perhaps? The smog from living in any major city is worse for your lungs than a very occasional cigarette.
You do know what smoking does to ones body?
I know what it can do, which is why I keep saying potentially.
Smoking has no benefits
Pleasure is a benefit, no? Or do you only support sex for the purpose of consummation? Only support driving as a form of getting where you need to go? And my vacation example was pure pleasure; you incur several additional risks the moment you leave your home turf. But I think that pleasure it a perfectly good reason to do something, and I think if you look at your own life you will see numerous examples of things that you do because you personally want to, not because they benefit humanity as a species or because it's absolutely essential towards your existence. And once you realize that perhaps you can view smoking in the same light. Or perhaps you really are one in a million.
Well then we don't have an agreement; smoking is great and awesome.
If you want to harm your health, go ahead.
People understand quite a bit, they usually just don't care.
Some understand and don't care, I doubt the same goes about most.
you've had anti-cigarette propaganda shoved under your nose your whole life - probably why you're debating me so vehemently about something you've never tried; because of all the negative things you've been told about it.
You got it wrong.
In my life I have never been influenced by propaganda of any kind. Perhaps very briefly, when I was younger, till I noticed what was wrong with whatever it was.
Smoking is bad for health. Have you not seen the effects yourself? On people who have done it for years and regularly?
Individual.
As long as you don't harm others with your ways.
To reword it more simply, is enjoying yourself in the way that you desire, even if it maybe means a couple years off your life, not an equally valid life purpose?
Not a native English speaker...
To me it is not. My life's purpose is to be useful for humanity in some way and at the same time have some "fun".
When it comes to individual life's purpose one may do whatever one wants, as long as others aren't harmed by it in any way.
Out of curiosity, though, do you base all your decisions off of how much it will benefit the herd? You're quite a team player; humanity really owes you one.
When it comes down to it that is all that matters, our long-term survival.
But fundamentally, "universally", nothing matters, by this anyone may do whatever they want, no restrictions of any kind. This is not what I base my opinions on.
smoked pretty heavily since his teens,
Some have higher resistance to all kinds of crap, but rather few. My grandmother (86) has been a smoker her all life, still is.
And what about people who enjoy a cigarette once in a blue moon, on special occasions, perhaps?
I'm fine with special occasions, say a few or several times a year. The issue is that smoking is done by very many people and in large quantities. Quantities that are very unhealthy.
The smog from living in any major city is worse for your lungs than a very occasional cigarette.
That is why I will never live in a big city.
For that I'd have to move to another country. The air in the cities of my country is clean, and they are frequented with trees, even evergreens. But they are just towns when compared to US cities.
Pleasure is a benefit, no?
I didn't mention it since that alone is not good enough to do it. There are different and better ways of getting pleasure.
Or do you only support sex for the purpose of consummation?
Consummation as in completing a marriage? Marriage is pointless, you either are with the person or you are not.
For pleasure and children.
Only support driving as a form of getting where you need to go?
I don't see much point for joy-rides. But still, why not? Only damage comes when you hit a wall or someone else, therefore you'd have to know how to drive well enough to avoid all that. It also helps with coordination when using vehicles, as you know roads aren't always exactly straight.
But I think that pleasure it a perfectly good reason to do something,
Even if overall influence is negative?
and I think if you look at your own life you will see numerous examples of things that you do because you personally want to, not because they benefit humanity as a species or because it's absolutely essential towards your existence
To be useful for humanity and have "fun" at the same time.
And once you realize that perhaps you can view smoking in the same light.
Pleasure alone does not outweigh the negatives of smoking. Unless you don't care about having a healthy life.
Some understand and don't care, I doubt the same goes about most.
Good point. Worldwide, perhaps you're right. However on my commute to work (ten min. drive) I pass 6 anti-smoking ads. Anti-smoking lectures have been given throughout my experience in grade school, as well as covered in every health and physical education class I ever took. On the rare occasions I watch TV, there's usually at least one anti-smoking per commercial break. Though that might have something to do with the stations I watch.
You got it wrong.
In my life I have never been influenced by propaganda of any kind. Perhaps very briefly, when I was younger, till I noticed what was wrong with whatever it was.
Lol. There are very few people on the planet who are entirely free from the influence of someone with big money, and I doubt you are one of them. Everyone wants to think they are immune to propaganda and advertising, and if you can see through most of it I dont doubt you in that and I think it's good, but there is some really subtle, manipulative shit out there that's influencing you one way or another, I assure you.
Smoking is bad for health. Have you not seen the effects yourself? On people who have done it for years and regularly?
Of course. I've seen morbidly obese people, too, and I still frequent junk food. I have seen flaming auto accidents and mangled corpses, but I still drive. I have seen pictures of what my penis will look like if I get certain STDs, but I still have casual sex. For me the pros outweigh the cons.
Not a native English speaker...
I wasn't trying to be condensing, my apologies if I came off as such; I really was just trying to state it more simply.
To me it is not. My life's purpose is to be useful for humanity in some way and at the same time have some "fun".
When it comes to individual life's purpose one may do whatever one wants, as long as others aren't harmed by it in any way.
I think we invariably and accidentally hurt others all the time; every time I turn on my car, for example, contributing to air pollution, or unknowingly buy something made from sweat shop labor. But good to know smoking fits cohesively with life's purpose.
I didn't mention it since that alone is not good enough to do it. There are different and better ways of getting pleasure.
This is an entirely subjective opinion, one I doubt you could prove objectively.
Consummation as in completing a marriage?
Again, my apologies, I think I just mixed some ideas up in my head and didn't notice as I typed them out. I mean procreation. Having children.
I don't see much point for joy-rides. But still, why not? Only damage comes when you hit a wall or someone else, therefore you'd have to know how to drive well enough to avoid all that.
I smoke weed and I've got a bumpin' sound system in my car now, so blazing and mobbing around some beautiful mountain roads listening to some good music is a favorite past time of mine. But the damage still comes from air pollution, and damage can come from someone else, too, someone who can't drive well enough to avoid, say, running into you. Point is a lot of things we do for fun are detrimental and risky, and I think you either need to tone down your vehement stance towards smoking in this regard or start taking other potential health risks more seriously.
Even if overall influence is negative?
Yes.
Pleasure alone does not outweigh the negatives of smoking. Unless you don't care about having a healthy life.
For you personally, yes. But not for me and not for others. Working with a multitude of senior citizens has helped me realize that we pretty much all end up in a state of shitty health at some point, and I'm comfortable meeting that end sooner than later if i can look back on my life and say I lived it to the fullest. Not the fullest as is the longest I could possibly stretch it out for, but the fullest as in the most full of stuff done and experienced. I've been addicted to an recovered from 3 different substances so far in my life, all to the point of being able to resume occasion recreational use of that substance without spiraling back into addiction, and the experience changed me enormously. But it was a growing experience for me, I learned a lot about myself that I wouldn't have otherwise and that, too, was worth it. I can look back on my life and say I was once a smoker and once not a smoker, and in that regard alone my life is more full than yours. I try a lot of things and abstain from very little, and when I try things if it goes over well I usually go big, because I want the full experience.
I've used this metaphor before, but I see my body like a fast, expensive car. I can spend a whole lot of time trying to preserve the car in it's perfect, stock state (i.e. leave it in the garage and wax it weekly; maybe drive around a little on Sunday), or I can use the son of a bitch and 1. probably have a great time and 2. probably end up with a few dings, dents and scratches and, if I'm terribly unfortunate, perhaps total the car. But leaving this awesome vehicle in the garage so that it stays perfect when I only have a finite amount of time to enjoy it anyways seems the real waste to me.
Have you come to terms with the inevitability of your death? Even if you do everything to preserve yourself, you are still subject to the possibility of a painful, humiliating, degrading, slow death. You could end up unable to recognize and remember your own children; you could end up living out the last decade of your life a vegetable. Seeing as how you can end up there even if you do everything "right," and I find proper behavior most often is quite boring, I choose to do, in your words "wrong" because it's fun and this body isn't going to last, anyways.
There are very few people on the planet who are entirely free from the influence of "someone with big money", and I doubt you are one of them.
Like who for example? I can't think of anyone.
Everyone wants to think they are immune to propaganda and advertising, and if you can see through most of it I dont doubt you in that and I think it's good, "but there is some really subtle, manipulative shit out there that's influencing you one way or another", I assure you.
Can't think of any in this case either. I'm rather sensitive to all kinds of shit, I notice them. I have my own values I base my opinions on, makes influencing me a lot more difficult, I'd say even impossible, or the least very near-impossible.
I've seen morbidly obese people, too, and I still frequent junk food.
Meaning they did no physical exercises or did it too little or ate too much or had a disease. Or did/had some of those at once.
I have seen flaming auto accidents and mangled corpses, but I still drive.
There's a reason for safety regulations and safe driving.
I have seen pictures of what my penis will look like if I get certain STDs, but I still have casual sex.
That's like saying there are certain diseases I can get because I am alive. Sex is for "fun" and for procreation.
For me the pros outweigh the cons.
Because you clearly don't care about your health and very possibly about your life.
I think we invariably and accidentally hurt others all the time; every time I turn on my car, for example, contributing to air pollution, or unknowingly buy something made from sweat shop labor. But good to know smoking fits cohesively with life's purpose.
Accidents are different, they happen without anyone knowing they would.
This is an entirely subjective opinion, one I doubt you could prove objectively.
Damage that comes from long-term smoking. Making it not worth it.
I mean procreation. Having children.
Pleasure and children, both.
Point is a lot of things we do for fun are detrimental and risky, and I think you either need to tone down your vehement stance towards smoking in this regard or start taking other potential health risks more seriously.
Some detrimental? and risky things can be done safely if known how, if not known how then should stay away and find other things.
Smoking, aside for giving pleasure to some people, also gives definite damage to those people, if done regularly and over a long period.
Yes.
I think I've said it before... Fine by me if you don't care about your own health.
...if i can look back on my life and say I lived it to the fullest.
Subjective.
I can look back on my life and say I was once a smoker and once not a smoker, and in that regard alone my life is more full than yours.
Full life is subjective.
Have you come to terms with the inevitability of your death?
Why shouldn't I have? Everyone and everything will die eventually. As far as is known.
You could end up unable to recognize and remember your own children; you could end up living out the last decade of your life a vegetable.
It's not important to recognize them when the time comes. Once I cannot do anything myself, I am no longer "important". Important is what I have done with my life and for them and for others.
I would not allow myself being a vegetable for years happen. Just being alive and being worthless like that is, well, worthless.
Seeing as how you can end up there even if you do everything "right," and I find proper behavior most often is quite boring
You think someone like me cannot do some "exciting" things? Perhaps the things I find exciting are different? Not toward rash but more toward considerate?
I choose to do, in your words "wrong" because it's fun and this body isn't going to last, anyways.
Nothing will last, but that doesn't mean one should do stupid things.
I don't smoke cigarettes because there's no point. I did for a while, but I just didn't see any reason to, so I stopped, and haven't had one in about a year and a half, don't plan on it again. It doesn't make me happy, I don't think it's cool, and it was bad for me.
However, there are many things you can smoke that do have positives. I'm happy doing weed, sheesha, dokha, in moderation, as they all have some sort of benefit, which I see as 'worth it' overall.
I started smoking junior year and smoked till senior year, i first smoked a ciggarette every couple to a few months, i then started smoking more and more frequently till i was smoking between 3-5 everyday, i quit cold turkey new years eve of this year, and after a couple weeks or so i felt no need to smoke practically, every once in a while i see someone pull out a ciggarette i think how i miss it a little, but the reason i quit is how quickly addictive it is, its an accelerating addiction, the longer you smoke the faster and faster you're addiction to it becomes it feels like, unlike other addictions. Admittingly I smoked a few months later visiting a friend i known since 4th grade up in flagstaff in celebration of my visit, after that i had no need to smoke again, a few months later a friend that moved away to Texas moved back and we hung out a "ramen night" (night where kids from anime club at my high school, i just got done with, hang out) and it was all the older kids, and i smoked then in celebration of my friends return, and i wound finding myself someone who can smoke once in a blue moon, but it doesn't bother me cause it means im in pretty good control of my habit, but sooner or later i should probably quit for good, idk. I think majority of people have a hard time controlling the addiction of ciggarettes cause it is more addictive than most hard-core drugs, not that its worse for your health but it is more addictive. my brother did all sorts of hardcore drugs in his youth and he has quit them all turning his life around, and claims that ciggarettes are the hardest thing for him to quit. I still technically smoke but i would be on the side of not smoking ciggarettes, another reason i liked to smoke was because it would boost your effect when smoking marijuana.
I don't smoke because it practically slowly killing yourself. Why smoke when you know your slowly your life is going to diminish. It doesn't make sense. Also when you smoke you can get lung cancer and you will have trouble breathing due to the tar that you inhale through the cigarettes.
Well, i'm 14, so that might be why..? Anyway, of course smoking is bad, but we shouldn't censor it. I'm not sure if any one else has experienced this, but at our local shops where i live, they have a curtain covering the cigarettes. If you want one, you'll say the brand name, they guy will sneakily open the curtains very quickly and get it to you before anyone else can see. This is ridiculous. I'm not saying lets all go back to the sixties and have our GP's recommending we smoke Camel, just loosen up a little bit! The only reason cigarettes aren't illegal, is because the government is scraping money of the industry. Of course, it doesn't care about the public health, just wants more money.
Smoking just decreases your life. Why are you doing this to yourself just to look cool? You can look cool by being rich, not by killing yourself. I feel sorry for you. Good luck...
I don`t smoke because it can effect you, friends and your family. You can get lung cancer from smoking, and there is more than 200 known posions in smoke. Reapting I DON`T SMOKE