I'm becoming increasingly angry with the volume of unnecessary activism in the world today. I don't mean to undermine the work of peace activists, rather, I have a particular problem with people who have become self-proclaimed health enforcement agents, or what I like to call informed activists. Usually the informed activist has never felt the need to express their upset in any intellectual form, nor has the informed activist ever felt the desire to throw themselves in front of a rush hour train to make a point. Rather, their behavior largely consists of insensitive, egotistical displays of condescending ignorance. I'm sure you're familiar with this setting, for example: an individual pulls a pack of cigarettes out of their pocket at a bar. In this situation the informed activist would begin to cough unnecessarily, approach the individual holding the pack, and list the potential dangers of smoking.The informed activist is convinced that, of course, the smoker has never noticed the enormous Surgeon General's warnings across the pack of cigarettes that sits regularly in their pocket. Their reasoning: smoking is detrimental to your health, therefore a smoker must be some sort of outer-Mongolian caveman that cannot speak English as they are now smoking. Furthermore, the informed activist will often snatch a cigarette from your hand, grind it between their thumb and forefinger, and wait for you to thank them as if they have offered some sort of spiritual epiphany in your life.
People smoke, deal with it. It is a choice that an individual makes in full understanding of the risks. Despite what many will have you believe, smoking does provide some attractive features, such as stress relief. I'm not advocating smoking if you're stressed, rather, I am pointing out that people have their own reasons.
Smokers have their own opinions just as activists do, except they are not obnoxious and inconsiderate enough to tell you about it at each opportunity they have a chance. I don't know about you, but I personally enjoy the occasional cigarette, and I'd appreciate it if I didn't get a twenty minute lecture from you next time I choose to have one.
Take a moment to watch this. There is a funny, but good point to be made: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSV9MhHUYeM
3 comments:
I agree with you about these informed activists; they seem to think that they are the only ones who are informed. Mu co-author is a smoker. I wish he'd quit, really, I worry about his health, but lectures and shame do not work. In fact, I sometimes I even bum a cigarette from him. ( I guess that makes me an enabler.) However, I do have to admit that education about the health effects of smoking and the laws restricting where you can do it have been for the betterment of public health. It is better if people smoke less, but people shouldn't turn it into some kind of moral issue where the non-smokers think they are "holier than thou."
I totally agree with you on the informed activists! I went to high school and trust me even this five year old little girl lectured me about drinking diet coke...seriously.
About smoking...this is a tough one because for me just being around it sends me into a coughing fit. But i would never lecture someone else for doing it just because I have breathing issues. If I am in a bar and someone lights up next to me I walk away. Its none of my business what they do with their health, and I would expect the same courtesy.
Besides what do these people expect after their smoking lectures for someone to say, "oh I didn't know smoking was bad for you!" or "Oh ok i'll quit right now!" Smokers know what they are getting themselves into, people should just leave them alone.
I agree with your post for the most part, but there are some things you do not adress. I agree that it is not an acceptable practice for a stranger to come up to a smoker and lecture them about the side effects of smoking, but I have also seen smokers do horrible things to non-smokers. Many times I have been in small rooms where someone decides to light up a cigarette, much to my chagrin. For some reason I get very sick when I inhale large amounts of smoke in small places, but many of the smokers I have been with never seem to care! I have had friends politely ask people to possibly step outside for a few minutes, only to be answered with a snide comment. I have even seen people get mad at women who ask them to stop for the sake of their young child!
I guess what I am trying to say is that I understand your point of view, but I also hope you understand the "non-smokers" point of view. If non-smokers learned to not chastise those who light up, and smokers kept non-smokers into consideration, then the world would be a much less hostile place.
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