Pipe Smokers Etiquette

[telescopes]

Net worth... I never understood why people do this and it gets me upset every single time... maybe it's a cultural mannerism. While I am usually a social person at work or when travelling for work, I did always prefer to keep my home closed as a sort of private sanctuary. This means that it was always rare for us to invite friends or colleagues from work over for dinner unless it was an absolute social necessity or we really felt in the mood for it. On these rare occurrences, we would usually have dinner and if I felt especially sociable I would invite the other party into my study for a cigar (never a pipe for hygiene reasons) afterwards.

I am a very forgiving person in general, but the one sure way to never get invited into my home again is asking about my salary or, even worse, casually asking how much an object costs, such as one of my pipes, and then trying to estimate my salary by asking how frequently I buy that object in the most obvious way possible.

Mind you, I'm not a rich person. I simply save up to keep my house in good condition, be it with selected furniture or objects of personal interest. My home is the central place of relaxation and inner peace for me... so, of course, a large part of my salary goes into my place of living. I have always valued living space as one of the very top priorities when planning my expenses.

Back when I lived in Slovakia people would drive the most expensive cars as a status symbol, while barely being able to afford to live in a 30m² flat as a family of four... I never understood that and the whole necessity of talking about money to others.

So well said. I live my life in a way that confuses people about our net worth. I took the path of the turtle, not the rabbit, and of course it worked. I can tell the confusion on people’s faces: they try to assess our net worth, but have a hard time doing so but our cars, material trappings are humble. And yet, we travel global extensively and live in a place beyond what others think we should. When asked, without blinking, “I tell them I try not to live off my endowment and hope to leave it to charity.”

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

I may not be worth much, but I am out of debt.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Net worth... I never understood why people do this and it gets me upset every single time... maybe it's a cultural mannerism. While I am usually a social person.... << Snipped bits out >>

...Back when I lived in Slovakia people would drive the most expensive cars as a status symbol, while barely being able to afford to live in a 30m² flat as a family of four... I never understood that and the whole necessity of talking about money to others.

In my experience asking someone directly about his net worth was a sin of the first order. It just wasn't done. If the person was close to you, and was forthcoming and trying to solve a problem with his assets, it might be disclosed.

Symbols of status? They are everywhere and a lot depends on the culture or lack thereof. I remember as a kid riding with parents on way to Florida seeing shack after shack with huge gleaming TV antennas, and a junker car in the drive way. (Obviously, this was before cable TV took hold, much less satellite transmission..)

 

[warren]

Net worth... I never understood why people do this and it gets me upset every single time

Curiosity and, perhaps, a bit of jealousy, causes people to act rudely. To take it personally and get upset is a simple waste of one's emotion. Being rude is simply the nature of many. And, some were never taught manners by parents. So, quit investing your emotions in something you have no control over and move along. Or, if you care about the person doing the probing, make it a "teaching moment and try to improve their manners.

 

[warren]

People ask rude questions on this site often. Never miss a chance to point such out to the poster, tactfully of course if so moved.

 

[Misanthrope]

Can you say Misanthrope?

You rang?

 

[Misanthrope]

I live in the PNW where people are simultaneously politely sociable and aren’t in an enormous hurry to be your BFF and trade life stories, so I don’t really get any of that “Hurr hurr can you smoke weed in that” or “Ayy bru lemme have a rip off that” or “Oh my god, my brother’s mother’s brother’s eighth cousin removed’s mother’s brother’s mother’s pet chinchilla’s littermate’s grandpa used to smoke a pipe back in the 1970s and I have SUCH a raging nostalgia boner right now” type stuff, thankfully.

Smoking is also a quiet, contemplative, and preferably solitary activity for me, and it’s difficult to enjoy when people want to chat me up, but I’m not generally rude about it.

 

[jaytex1969]

No one ever bothers me while I smoke.

If they did, I'd probably align the front sight with their chest cavity and ask them, "Who are you and why are you in my house?"

The only other place I really smoke is the local pipe shop and, I consider it fair game to speak and be spoken to there, as I intentionally placed myself amongst fellow smokers by entering.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Can you say Misanthrope?

Must be a regional accent thing. I pronounce it NORMAL.

 

[augiebd]

I am beginning to think the same rules that apply to pipes apply to motorcycles.

1. Don’t sit on another’s motorcycle,
2. Don’t ask to sit on another’s motorcycle,
3. Don’t even touch another’s motorcycle,
4. Don’t offer suggestions, criticism, or anything but praise about another’s motorcycle,
5. Don’t stare too long at another’s motorcycle. Move along.

I had some tattoos done by a fellow who had a sign in his shop that said “if you don’t ask to ride my motorcycle, I won’t ask to f**k your wife”. I think he had too many rude inquiries about his bike or needed an explanation for inappropriate behaviour with his clients’s wives.

I think it all comes down to the person who is approaching having the social skills to adjust to the pipe smoker they have happened upon and what they are up to. As that pipe smoker you have the freedom to decide how you respond to a stranger approaching you. Just like you would if you didn’t have a pipe, the circumstances dictate.

 

[olkofri]

Must be a regional accent thing. I pronounce it NORMAL.

Old normal or new normal? ?

 

[mau1]

So public restroom stalls are your ideal place for a smoke then...

Smoking Lataika...

 

[OzPiper]

This thread reminds me of a fishing trip sometime ago with a few mates. My wife wanted to know what we talked about. I pointed out that fishing trips was something you did in companionable silence.

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

Must be a regional accent thing. I pronounce it NORMAL.

Do you just take issue with everything...lol!!!!!!!

 

[olkofri]

View attachment 75899


Smoking Lataika...

Was gonna say, upon reading the cartoon... then I saw your text below.... Damn right!

 

[brian64]

Old normal or new normal?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Old normal or new normal? ?

Normal is yes or no not old or new.

 

[olkofri]

Normal is yes or no not old or new.

Share of the blend that gives you such wisdom!

Send tins to your representatives! .... Er, wait, they're anti-smoking... little wonder.

 

[Mr_houston]

So well said. I live my life in a way that confuses people about our net worth. I took the path of the turtle, not the rabbit, and of course it worked. I can tell the confusion on people’s faces: they try to assess our net worth, but have a hard time doing so but our cars, material trappings are humble. And yet, we travel global extensively and live in a place beyond what others think we should. When asked, without blinking, “I tell them I try not to live off my endowment and hope to leave it to charity.”

“Path of the turtle”. I like that. That’s how I got mine. That’s how Dad got his. And you know what? He had some left over, and I got a bit of that.

 

[depriest1022]

So well said. I live my life in a way that confuses people about our net worth. I took the path of the turtle, not the rabbit, and of course it worked. I can tell the confusion on people’s faces: they try to assess our net worth, but have a hard time doing so but our cars, material trappings are humble. And yet, we travel global extensively and live in a place beyond what others think we should. When asked, without blinking, “I tell them I try not to live off my endowment and hope to leave it to charity.”

Most people don’t understand that the millionaire next door is a millionaire BECAUSE they don’t treat money like they have it to burn.