What Makes a "Serious" Pipe Smoker?
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Maybe, MSO. But, if they smoke cigarettes 99.9% of the rest of the time, and only smoke a pipe a few times a year, then are they serious still? Or, if someone smokes five cigars a day and dips between them, and then smokes a bowl of Prince Albert on Sundays, then are very serious?
Anyone who picks up a pipe and starts to smoke it, whether it is their first time or not is a pipesmoker, at least for the duration of the bowl. So, I think one can be a pipesmoker without having to dedicate too much thought to it.
And, my neighbor friend whom smoke one pipe and has only ever smoked Prince Albert in it, but smokes it all day long has never been seen without his pipe. In fact if someone wanted to refer to him in conversation he would be known town-wide as, "the angry guy with the pipe." If that's not serious, then I have no idea what you are talking about.
Then we have fanatical levels of pipesmokers that have collected the most pipes or amassed the most tobaccos. Sure, they are serious, but probably beyond.
To me it just makes more sense to say that someone who makes the pipe their preferred means of smoking tobacco is then a serious pipesmoker. All other indicators of pipe fanaticism is merely dick swinging to make themselves look more serious that someone else.
Anyone who picks up a pipe and starts to smoke it, whether it is their first time or not is a pipesmoker, at least for the duration of the bowl. So, I think one can be a pipesmoker without having to dedicate too much thought to it.
And, my neighbor friend whom smoke one pipe and has only ever smoked Prince Albert in it, but smokes it all day long has never been seen without his pipe. In fact if someone wanted to refer to him in conversation he would be known town-wide as, "the angry guy with the pipe." If that's not serious, then I have no idea what you are talking about.
Then we have fanatical levels of pipesmokers that have collected the most pipes or amassed the most tobaccos. Sure, they are serious, but probably beyond.
To me it just makes more sense to say that someone who makes the pipe their preferred means of smoking tobacco is then a serious pipesmoker. All other indicators of pipe fanaticism is merely dick swinging to make themselves look more serious that someone else.
Serious pipe smoker = oral fixation?
If you have pipes in the glove box, console, visor, bedside table, breakfast nook, briefcase, assorted jacket pockets, sitting on the desk, stashed in different desk drawers, strewn around the workbench, the wife carries a pipe or two in her purse for emergencies, and a tin of tobacco accompanies each and everyone of these ... I would concede you are probably a dedicated and serious pipe smoker, as it is much simpler to carry around a pack of "ready rolled" for the occasional nic hit.
If you have pipes in the glove box, console, visor, bedside table, breakfast nook, briefcase, assorted jacket pockets, sitting on the desk, stashed in different desk drawers, strewn around the workbench, the wife carries a pipe or two in her purse for emergencies, and a tin of tobacco accompanies each and everyone of these ... I would concede you are probably a dedicated and serious pipe smoker, as it is much simpler to carry around a pack of "ready rolled" for the occasional nic hit.
You can go word crazy and start sounding like Jean Paul Sartre, but this thread is kind of fun, whittling away at what "serious" might denote in this context. My dad was a one-pipe-at-a-time smoker of Granger, from about age fifteen to sixty-five, when he quit cold turkey. He took a few years off for King Edward Cigars only. He wasn't serious about higher grade pipes, premium blends, tobacco esoterica, nor other aspects of pipe smoking, so he could be serious or not, depending on how you're defining things. It's kind of an engaging word puzzle and philosophical exercise.
I am very curious how to define "serious" in this context. I know that there is certainly a moment upon which I can look back and recognize that I became a serious pipe smoker. I don't know what defines that moment, though. I really don't think it is number of bowls a day or pipes, or any of that. It really is the preference for a pipe, but it is a general love for that pipe, even if it is only one. It is the pipe as a friend and not a tool. It hinges on the comfort with a pipe to me. I don't know, now I am questioning everything.
I believe we have all contributed to define a "serious pipe smoker." And, the conclusion is ... it all depends on how each of us defines "serious" ... at the moment.
Now, if one of us offered up a definition, to be used in the discussion, of a "serious pipe smoker" we could name off those that fit the definition "de jur" as it were. Lacking that, we are left to our own devices and that, given the membership, can only lead to mirth and merriment. So ... carry on!
Now, if one of us offered up a definition, to be used in the discussion, of a "serious pipe smoker" we could name off those that fit the definition "de jur" as it were. Lacking that, we are left to our own devices and that, given the membership, can only lead to mirth and merriment. So ... carry on!
Interesting takes. And I'd suggest it doesn't make a whit of difference as long as it's enjoyable.
Thank you all so much for the comments and input. Its always difficult to pinpoint something as ephemeral as pipe smoking, but even harder to do without the input of others.
Its a very rough metaphor, but....it seems "serious" is in the eye of the beholder.
And I am perfectly fine with that
Its a very rough metaphor, but....it seems "serious" is in the eye of the beholder.
And I am perfectly fine with that
P
pipebuddy
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When you hide, or try to hide 95% of all your tobacco and pipes purchases, you are serious. :puffpipe: :worship:
I suppose I'm with the simpler crowd. I think a serious pipe smoker is any lady or gent that indulges in his or her tobacco by smoking it in a pipe. I don't believe the guy that travels to every single pipe show in the country and buys the most costly and beautiful pipes in the world, as well as the all the finest tobacco in the world with a cellar that could stretch him 5 lifetimes is any more of a serious pipe smoker than an older man that has smoked PA or CH exclusively for 50 years and only owns a single pipe at a time.
Not saying each of us don't have their differences, but I consider a pipe smoker, a pipe smoker. Nothing more, nothing less. We all put our britches on the same way, just some of us have fancier britches than others. Some of us smoke CH and some of smoke Black Frigate. The CH fan may never have heard of it, but some lifelong Budweiser drinkers have never heard of a Duck Rabbit Milk Stout either. To each his own.
Not saying each of us don't have their differences, but I consider a pipe smoker, a pipe smoker. Nothing more, nothing less. We all put our britches on the same way, just some of us have fancier britches than others. Some of us smoke CH and some of smoke Black Frigate. The CH fan may never have heard of it, but some lifelong Budweiser drinkers have never heard of a Duck Rabbit Milk Stout either. To each his own.
A person who opted to smoke a pipe, after serious thought, only as an affectation or prop in order to appear serious, then they must be a serious pipe smoker? Yes? No? Don't care? No opinion? Not worth serious thought?
Seriously Warren, you can't be serious. That has to be the most seriously misuse of the word serious that I have ever seen. Seriously, you should take a serious look at what may be a serious condition causing such serious outbursts. :mrgreen:
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