Cigarette smoking is, in general, an odd thing to me.
Most smokers I think would agree that it's a bad habit and wish it were easy to quit. So very well; to each their own.
But then there are certain aspects of chain smoker culture that totally baffle me. One of them is littering their butts on the ground.
(If you're so addicted that you need to be smoking right now, wherever you happen to be standing, it's still on you to find a trash can, as you'd do if you were eating a ham sandwich or drinking a Gatorade. Your degree of addiction doesn't change the norm.)
And then there are the people who show up smoking in your face, at a bus stop or while you're sitting on a bench or at a crosswalk waiting for the light to turn, etc.
If other people need to congregate and stand there, how is it not just super obvious that you shouldn't blow your gross harmful smoke on them?
I'm sure most people who smoke cigarettes agree with me and don't do this. Indeed, it's a sub sect who reflect poorly on the group in general.
I've barked at them or made snide comments before. You really have to be in the mood for it, and nothing good has ever really flowed out of it.
Perhaps I could change my approach with them. I actually am genuinely curious about the thought process (or lack thereof). Do they realize it's probably a nuisance to other people and just don't care, or is it more like it's never occurred to them that other people might not like it?
Maybe next time I'm in the mood to confront them, I'll be gentle and curious about it.
In the meantime, I've decided to take a picture of them.
Today we had that goon do it at a traffic light. (It's Halloween π» but my feeling is she'd fit the criteria of a goon any day.)
My little steemit blog isn't as action-packed as it used to be. Once in a while @rasamuel will stop by. But maybe I can be an inspiration to others and more people can do this.
It feels very satisfying and right anyways. You're gonna be weird and smoke a cigarette in my face, okay.. I'll step a safe distance away and point my camera at you.
Goon.
Smoking is almost by definition insane. Harmful and you know it, but yet you keep doing it.
Something you said struck me, that they throw their butts on the ground its so disconnected with social norms, and it is not a necessity, so why do they do it? It makes me think of something else I heard recently, cant remember where...
The idea was why people get grumpy when they dont eat, and they say things like "Im hangry dont bother me". But your hunger doesnt excuse your rudeness. You are not entitled to be rude just because your hungry, or cold, or addicted to smokes.
Its like they are saying "Im in a crap place in my life, therefore you be should too".
Yaaaa!!! I've thought the same thing, like they want to drag people down to their level.
(Subconsciously of course.. and then it evolves to be a norm and we take it for granted that smokers do these bizarre things lol)
Hahaha ya I never get the hangry thing!! If I'm really hungry I eventually might start to be not the strongest version of myself but I never feel like I need to be rude or something lol, like the two things just have no connection at all.
Maybe it's like they always want to be rude and angry and have to try really hard not to be.. so then when they're hungry and start to lose focus it comes out πππ€·π»ββοΈπ€·π»ββοΈ
thanks for stopping by btw!! I haven't been on here as much, but gonna take a gander at your blog in a bit and see what you're up to! ha
Ive been on and off also. Busy with life and so less active here. Thanks and have a great day.
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another one already!!
We got em!
ππ
she had so much sass. I felt worried she was gonna see me π
Lol she is really taking that smoke in deep
lollll yup ! π¨ π¨
Throwing lit cigarettes into trash cans will get you into more trouble than littering.
Especially when nobody cares enough to enforce littering norms.
So throw them in the trash can when they're not lit?
lol I don't get that. If it's not safe to put something in a trash can, it doesn't mean you drop it on the sidewalk. Only with cigarettes do people think that way. With other things, it's obvious that you need to take the effort to dispose of it properly.
Does stepping on it put it out all the way? You could step on it, pick it up, and throw it out. Or pour water on it for good measure.
If there isn't a practical way to dispose of it safely, maybe it's best to not smoke right now, until you're near an ash tray or whatever. Or carry a disposal method with you (like a bottle with water on the bottom).
C'mon, these are people that know they are killing themselves.
They can't be bothered by adding littering to the list.
I bet some do though. I bet there are plenty of smokers who don't litter or smoke right next to people. And we've just gotten used to tolerating what's actually kind of bizarre behavior from the other ones.
I'm describing what they should do and the standard they should be held to. But ya, I see why it isn't surprising that they'd behave like that. (That's why we should start photographing them in action.)
I remember when cigarettes were the greatest things in life.
Couldn't imagine facing life without them.
Now, I know what I was doing to others.
I got sympathy for nonsmokers now that I am one.
When I smoked, I'd have told you to fly a kite.
Ain't addiction grand?
All it takes for bad to hold the field is for good to sit on the sidelines.
hehe, I like that quote!
Glad you're a non-smoker these days!!! #angel
Me, too.
It's one of the good things being a social revolutionary has gotten me.
haha this post is lit πππ
I live in a country where people throw waste literally anywhere so can't say i dont know how ya feel. And blowing the smokes without care for people around - just awful awful.
RE: the sub hangriness thread in the comment up there, I gotta say I do know the feeling of hangriness. Hunger - real hunger without hope for sustenance - is the worst bro.
And yeah I also don't like it when shit happens and people get all like "this isn't the real me." Like uhm maybe it is the real you only latent and this situation just brought it out BUT -
I've been hungry and trust me, two situations where i give exception is hunger and loss. Those two really bring out the worst in us, and even though it's still no excuse, i tend to be more considerate and forgiving towards them.
And also -
Happy Halloweeeeen!!!! Who'd you dress as? Did you even do any costume? Did you dress the doggos? Dress as the doggos? π
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yaa the blowing is the worst! The littering.. it's like someone throwing their butts on the ground maybe doesn't have too big of an impact, but it's surprising how we just tolerate it of smokers as tho it's totally normal. If I finished my can of Pepsi and tossed it on the ground, I feel like people would at least look at me funny, lol
yaa!!!! definitely. I feel like that's not even hangry, that's just legit hungry!!! I give exception there too. Hangry is like entitled people who are fortunate enough to have food around them but missed a meal for whatever reason and can't hold themselves together
aahaahahha
I really wish I did one of the two, dressing as them woulda been amazing.. if I was gonna be anything for Halloween..... I'd def wanna dress as one of my doggo friends, nothing else would be as good.
but I did nothing!!!!
I ate candy tho... Mike and Ikes and sour patch kids and stuff like that..... it's slowly working thru my digestive system like glue ππ