Ah, but therein lies the rub. When you make the choice of what is correct it is precisely because what you wanted most at that moment was the correct thing.
Good and Bad Experiences Smoking in Public
- Thread starter SlayerGG
- Start date
The choice was not stay home from work and relax or go to work as expected. The choice was to do the correct thing or not. You may have really really wanted to stay home and really really not want to go to work but that was not the choice you faced. The choice faced was ‘do the right thing or not’ and you wanted to do the right thing more than not.
No choice to make, not even a consideration. I took an oath. No discretion allowed. No options. Giving one's word often means doing what we would otherwise opt not to do. Unless you want to make this discussion circular. I did make a choice when I took the oath. After that? The only choice is how to accomplish the chore with as little exposure as possible.
the key word there is ‘otherwise’. Yes, you might choose the other option if it didn’t violate your commitment to your oaths. That’s why I said ‘at the moment of choosing’. In your scenario, at the moment of choosing, those ’otherwise’ options aren’t on the table. However, your oath commitments are and you honor them because you want to honor them and don’t want to violate them. We always choose, at the moment of choosing, the thing we want the most given the actual choices on the table at that moment. It can’t be otherwise. It’s not your oath that is determinative, it’s your desire to keep your oath. You want to keep it therefore you (choose to) keep it.
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No choice involved I'm afraid. That decision was made years ago. One does what one must. I'm not a believer in situational ethics.
But, once again I find myself in a circular discussion. There simply is no internal discussion in these situations, simply no time, other than tactical choices. My choice was exercised when I took the oath. It's really very simple in my understanding. See what needs to be done and do it. Simple as that.
Yes, you are right. It is very simple in your understanding. I see no need to pursue our discussion further. Thank you for the exchange of ideas.
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I smoke in public frequently. I'm not sure anyone has ever said a negative word within earshot.
I've lost count of all the people who approach me and share a memory or give a thumbs up.
Could just be Kentucky..
I've lost count of all the people who approach me and share a memory or give a thumbs up.
Could just be Kentucky..
I try not to leave my house. But those times I do, I'll have a pipe in my mouth where possible. I don't hear a whole lot of comments one way or the other. That's one of the upsides of tinnitus.
The comments I do hear are fairly neutral. The common "My grandfather smoked a pipe", "Wow, you don't see someone smoking a pipe often", "Look, that guy is smoking a pipe". Most of those comments are from people taking to the folks with them, not to me. The people talking to me are generally positive. "That smells really good" type of comments. Of course, I try to smoke more pleasant smelling tobaccos in public.
One of the biggest reasons I stopped smoking at the cigar lounges around was because of conversation. Cigar smokers tend to be a more social bunch, at least when around a pipe smoker. Same reason I stopped drinking in bars.
The comments I do hear are fairly neutral. The common "My grandfather smoked a pipe", "Wow, you don't see someone smoking a pipe often", "Look, that guy is smoking a pipe". Most of those comments are from people taking to the folks with them, not to me. The people talking to me are generally positive. "That smells really good" type of comments. Of course, I try to smoke more pleasant smelling tobaccos in public.
One of the biggest reasons I stopped smoking at the cigar lounges around was because of conversation. Cigar smokers tend to be a more social bunch, at least when around a pipe smoker. Same reason I stopped drinking in bars.
In Chicago, folks reacted to my pipe positively, mostly nostalgic. I got a number of, “my (grandfather/father/uncle) smoked a pipe” comments. One lady remarked, “I usually don’t advocate tobacco use, but that really smells good!” (Can’t remember if it was Iwan Ries Blue or Captain Black that solicited that one.) I also found myself stopped for a quick exchange with other pipe smokers; not often, but regularly (I think most pipe smokers in Chicago kept to themselves, like me.)
Seven years ago, I moved back to my hometown in northern Michigan. I know there are other smokers of the pipe up there, but I only ever run into them at Nolan’s; I never see them anywhere else. I don’t smoke in public often, or where other people are concentrated, but there are benches, hiking trails. I know people notice when I’ve got a pipe lit, but I’ve yet to be approached by anyone about it. I think folks up here are too polite, or otherwise unmotivated, to bring it up.
Seven years ago, I moved back to my hometown in northern Michigan. I know there are other smokers of the pipe up there, but I only ever run into them at Nolan’s; I never see them anywhere else. I don’t smoke in public often, or where other people are concentrated, but there are benches, hiking trails. I know people notice when I’ve got a pipe lit, but I’ve yet to be approached by anyone about it. I think folks up here are too polite, or otherwise unmotivated, to bring it up.
In my city, it would be a spectacle to see a human being smoking a pipe. People would say, hey, look, there's the fool getting attention. That's how sad it is. There is a degradation of personality, a loss of reality, people get so bored, and they have to let off steam, throw up their insecurity. However, all you do is smoke tobacco. Anyway, I only smoke at home, and at the Golf Club. The only places, where you can find yourself at ease, smoking tobacco
Thank you for bringing this back on topic.
Please, fewer O/T posts, esp. argumentative philosophical ones,
Please, fewer O/T posts, esp. argumentative philosophical ones,
I smoke my pipe almost everywhere I can and haven't had a problem. Occasionally a young person will ask if I am smoking weed. Having said that I do not smoke in non-smoking areas, do not take it into stores or businesses unless it is a tobacco shop (fewer now).
My office landlord texted me that the buildings and 'public' sidewalk is now going 'smoke free'. I do not smoke in my office and as far as I know no one else smokes 'tobacco' in any of the three buildings so I do not know what problem this new solution solves. Perhaps there is something else going on that i am unaware of ... could be an insurance discount issue.
Then again, I am getting older now and ceasing to exist in the eyes and minds of many walking around ...
My office landlord texted me that the buildings and 'public' sidewalk is now going 'smoke free'. I do not smoke in my office and as far as I know no one else smokes 'tobacco' in any of the three buildings so I do not know what problem this new solution solves. Perhaps there is something else going on that i am unaware of ... could be an insurance discount issue.
Then again, I am getting older now and ceasing to exist in the eyes and minds of many walking around ...
I generally stopped smoking a pipe in public. It's a hassle and I rec'd some disapproving looks. If I'm in an uncrowded area, traveling, I'll break the pipe out (like in a hotel parking lot, etc.).
I had a great smoke a few weeks ago at a large hotel near the NJ shore - on a hotel patio that was deserted (empty event center)..
The worse experience was smoking a cigar, a number of years ago, at Antietam Battlefield, on the 4th of July "Salute to Independence" event. The Maryland Symphony orchestra performs patriotic songs then fireworks. Up to 20,000 people attend, it is a zoo. I was smoking cigar, near the end of the show, at the perimeter of the field, not near anyone. A female park ranger walked over and said "sir, do you mind not smoking that here, it could be annoying the other spectators. I said: "Well, I do mind. My father fought in WWII, Korea and Vietnam for my right to smoke a cigar out in a great big field". She harrumped and walked back to her post (my family/brothers/uncles all cheered). The orchestra then started playing the 1812 overture to finish and there were 20-couple Maryland National Guardsman in a row, they fired off several round of artillery shells, to cheers from the crowd. In a few minutes, at dusk, the entire field was enveloped in artillery smoke. I walked over to the Park Ranger and said "that artillery smoke is bothering me, could you ask the to stop?" Before she could answer I said "no don't you feel silly?" and walked away. The other Park Rangers were cool and a lot of fun (my restaurant feeds all the volunteers/rangers and symphony members).
I had a great smoke a few weeks ago at a large hotel near the NJ shore - on a hotel patio that was deserted (empty event center)..
The worse experience was smoking a cigar, a number of years ago, at Antietam Battlefield, on the 4th of July "Salute to Independence" event. The Maryland Symphony orchestra performs patriotic songs then fireworks. Up to 20,000 people attend, it is a zoo. I was smoking cigar, near the end of the show, at the perimeter of the field, not near anyone. A female park ranger walked over and said "sir, do you mind not smoking that here, it could be annoying the other spectators. I said: "Well, I do mind. My father fought in WWII, Korea and Vietnam for my right to smoke a cigar out in a great big field". She harrumped and walked back to her post (my family/brothers/uncles all cheered). The orchestra then started playing the 1812 overture to finish and there were 20-couple Maryland National Guardsman in a row, they fired off several round of artillery shells, to cheers from the crowd. In a few minutes, at dusk, the entire field was enveloped in artillery smoke. I walked over to the Park Ranger and said "that artillery smoke is bothering me, could you ask the to stop?" Before she could answer I said "no don't you feel silly?" and walked away. The other Park Rangers were cool and a lot of fun (my restaurant feeds all the volunteers/rangers and symphony members).
I have an asshole mode, I just choose to not turn it on very often. Once on, I have a hard time turning it off, so I resist.
Here (France) pretty much no one would care if I smoked a pipe or not. My pipes tend to stay home unless Im traveling or at a family gathering. In public Im generally busy. If Im in a restruant (outside) I could smoke but typically I wait until I get home. If I took my pipe to an outdoor cafe or restruant I would certainly be sure I wasnt getting smoke in peoples faces and such. I dont like it when Im eating either.
I am met with indifference and the occasional “that smells good” while enjoying Boswell Aromatics.
I think it would take a “special” kind of person to reprimand a big tattooed guy wearing a clerical collar for smoking his pipe.
I don't smoke that much in public but rather behind the wheel or at my home primarily, haven't had bad experience yet, but unlike Russia, in Finland&Sweden pipe smoking were always more popular thing than in Russia which traditionally were and still is cigarette consuming country, as of now , pipe smoking in Russia is Mosty seen among aficionados , Imports of pipetobaccies are in deep decline & prices up for 50% due to international sanctions