When Is A Pipe Pretentious?

[cosmicfolklore]

To be pretentious, in my opinion, there has to be some level of F-You in the mix. Otherwise, it's just snobbery, and I love snobbery. You don't have to be rich to be a snob. You can be corncob snob, a Grabow snob, a Captain Black snob, or a Dunhill all the way snob. And, I love an opinionated person. They're always much more fun to talk with, especially if I disagree with them. Snobbery becomes pretentious when the finger is pointed at me for what I am doing. "I am better than you because I smoke only meerschaums" "Look at you and that Becker pipe" ...or whatever. It has to have that element of F-You.
But, the video is just someone who is smoking in a way that many disagree with. I could care less how someone else smokes. Doing that is just upping yourself into that F-you bracket into pretentiousness. Never tell a cowboy how to ride his horse. Don't tell me how to ride my horse, or which horse is acceptable to ride. But, if you think you're corncob clidesdales are the best in the world, come over here, have a seat and tell me about it. A snob is much more interesting than someone who will smoke anything in anything and doesn't have an opinion on what is better. Someone who has no opinions on what is better is boring as heck. We would have nothing to talk about concerning pipes.
Long live the pipe snobs!! ha ha!!

 

[weezell]

I don't think it's possible for a pipe to be pretentious. The man or woman holding it is another story...

YES! A jack-ass in a Mercedes is still a jack-ass. A decent person in a Mercedes is still a decent person. If I''m smoking a Dunhill (Not that I own one) , I'm not smoking it to put on airs, It's because I like it as a pipe tobacco delivery system...

 

[menuhin]

This virtual pipe club is full of interesting topics to discuss especially members likes mso489 relate pipes to some more abstract and philosophical matters.

::
@phil67

I think the smoking lady in the video might well be possibly a beginner pipe smoker, as the pipe she's smoking has the top of the bowl of her red pipe, unlike her lips, all darkened - very well fitting to her smoking style in the video. I posted this video because she gives me an impression of "claiming a position of distinction or merit especially when unjustified" as mso489 suggested. However, she herself is not a pipe.
The word 'Pretentious' applies mostly to people instead to objects, and I would agree with Jeremy about "... the pipe doesn't define the man ..." to a certain degree. However, I can easily think of a lot of products being 'pretentious', like this one (I mean for example a ferocious looking sports car with a crappy engine and steering, etc):

A smoking pipe is a piece of engineering design and it must function. Choice of briar, meerschaum or other materials, processing of the briar with the aim of better smokability, decision about how to open the tobacco chamber and the air-way all point to function. It may have a certain form that looks good or magnificiant, but it may perform worse than a less-than 20 bucks basket pipe.

If one wants to treat a pipe as solely a piece of artwork, a sculpture, then it is difficult to say this piece of artwork is 'pretentious' even when there is no tobacco chamber or the air-way is totally blocked. But by definition, a smoking has to perform its task.
To say if a person holding a certain pipe is 'pretentious' or not is not so simple. Let's say the lady in the video is smoking a pipe because she wanted to impress the viewers of her (in her opinion) sophisticated way of smoking a pipe. But it is by no mean we can really know what "a position of distinction or merit" she is trying to claim at all. That holds true for all those smoking a pipe in view of other non-pipe-smoking people - we really cannot tell.
And for those who smoke a pipe alone in a smoking room, in sight of nobody, does that mean then it is impossible to be 'pretentious'? It is also not true. I can well try to impress myself and make a claim to myself. Let's see if I drive only the most expensive vintage sports cars, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Bugatti, etc, and smoke the rarest designer pipes, and vintage tobacco and drink the best vintage whiskeys - does that mean I will automatically acquire 'taste' or become automatically an expertly sensitive palate of great taste? Obviously not. It's similar for those females (or males) who hate their gender identity and want to be the opposite gender and they would behave and dress as if they are male, go to the man's room instead, even when they are not observed. Does that make these females automatically acquired the positions they want to have?
For a totally 'unpretentious' pipe-smoker, I can think of an imaginary scenario, but it is unheard of by myself: a pipe-smoker may tell you that his whole family smoke a pipe, including his mom and grandmom, and sisters, and his grandpa or dad taught him to smoke already when he was below 10, and pipe-smoking is part of his and his people's lifestyle.

Ah.... Native American Indians in the forgotten history.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

...and, sometimes criticizing someone else's pretentiousness starts to become pretentious, ha ha.

 

[gloucesterman]

"Pretentious behavior" is when it is done for it's effect on others(as is apparent in the video). But we must all keep in mind that perception is not universal. What is usual for one might be seen as pretentious by another. Pretentious behavior is in the intent of the doer not in the act. My observation would be that true pretentiousness is often accompanied by an arrogant and condescending attitude. That's something not often encountered in the true pipe smoker. We're just enjoying what gives us great pleasure.

 

[sablebrush52]

A pipe is not pretentious. Well, I've seen some overly decorated pipes that struck me as pretentious, that that's just a matter of taste.
Smoking a pipe because one thinks it makes one look cool, or because one thinks that it projects a desirable persona, rather than smoking a pipe because one enjoys smoking a pipe, is pretentious. It's pretentious because the act is a pretense. Duh...
Jeremy brings up a good point. Do we make self conscious choices of pipes and/or tobacco to bring to a pipes show or a pipe club meeting? When I attended my first pipe show last November, I picked out pipes to bring along in the same way that I would pick out pipes to bring along on a trip. I did bring a selection of rare Barlings, but that was because I was going to show them to another member here who collected Barlings and who had expressed an interest in seeing them, and also to show to Jon Guss, who knows more about Barlings than anyone else.
When I go to a club meeting, I bring along a couple of pipes of different chamber shapes so that I can enjoy some of the tobaccos that get shared. So far, I haven't actually thought about what anyone might think about the pipes that I bring. I actually don't care what anyone thinks about my pipes. Except me me. I care about what I think of my pipes. I also bring along tobaccos to share that I happen to like, or I bring along tobaccos that I know that others like even though I don't

 

[admin]

IMHO, a pipe is only pretentious when smoked by one who is pretentious. Now, perhaps some pipes are a bit "much" in public but any pipe can be pretentious, given the "right" owner.
Mike S.

I agree with Mike.
As to the video, it is most definitely content created for smoking fetish fans rather than pipe smokers. (I know a little something about this, having worked in that online segment many years ago on the business side.)

 

[blueeyedogre]

Years ago when I bought my first new motorcycle I was told that Harley owners would look down on my poor little Japanese cruiser. Then I spent the winter in Daytona Beach, the home of "bike week" and the mecca of the Harley rider, and I was ready to be mocked and ridiculed for riding a foreign bike...... Well it never happened. I was welcomed with comments of "nice bike" and invited on rides with Harley owners and no one really cared what my bike was, it was more important that I just ride then what I rode. People are so quick to label other but even quicker, at times, to label themselves. "If I smoke a pipe will people think I'm a hipster?", "If I wear this Harley shirt will people think I'm a biker?", If I wear these cowboy boots will people think I'm a hick?". The answer my friends is simple...... Why should you care???

Pretentiousness is not something brought on by what you wear, drive, or smoke. Smoking a pipe no more makes you pretentious then being Irish Catholic makes you a member of the IRA. Pretentiousness is found in your actions, your deeds, and your attitude, not your accessories.

 

[brass]

The general definition of pretension is "attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed." So, an inanimate object, like a pipe, can not be pretentious by definition.
More often than not, it is someone with middle class roots who projects an aura of sophistication and worldliness that they aspire to but done't possess. These posers tend to smoke smoke briar pipes which are more expensive than they can afford and probably can't really appreciate.
Occasionally you meet a person who is pretentious because they pretend to be unpretentious. The pipe can also become a prop for this group. A wealthy scion is pretentious when they smoke a cob in order to present an image of being just another working stiff.
In any event, pretentious people aren't comfortable in their own skins and are over-compensating for perceived inadequacies in their lives. Most of the time they earn pity but if they project airs of superiority, they can become unbearable.
The poor man who smokes a pipe or rolls his own, does so usually because it is the least expensive way to get a satisfying smoke. They'll pick up the pretensions of the middle class bourgeois or rich poser in a heart-beat.
Pax

 

[beastkhk]

So is it pretentious to use the term "pretentious" then?
My vernacular might not be of a great enough caliber to qualify such a terms use. I have found that I second guess myself using a word/term if I have to look it up to make sure I am using it in the proper context. Even if used properly, I question if it is appropriate. Since I had to look it up the receiver of the message might have to also, at that point I would feel I am being pretentious.
I love lamp. Wait, did I just use the term vernacular? What happened, where am I?

 

[sjfine]

As to the video, it is most definitely content created for smoking fetish fans rather than pipe smokers. (I know a little something about this, having worked in that online segment many years ago on the business side.)

I'm sorry, but am I to understand that the video was really a fetish thing (read: porn)? I make no judgments, of course, but I am completely incredulous.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Lusting over a pipe, pipe fetish, pipegasm, pipe porn, those terms that we use on here don't necessarily mean actual sex. It's a metaphor for how we (or some of us) view these most precious belongings, things. To some they merely nicotine delivery systems, and to others they are much more. Just trying to clarify the terms. There may be some who actually get a sexual stimulation from seeing pipes, but I'd just rather not know about it, ha ha.

 

[sjfine]

Lusting over a pipe, pipe fetish, pipegasm, pipe porn, those terms that we use on here don't necessarily mean actual sex. It's a metaphor for how we (or some of us) view these most precious belongings, things.

I know that. I was referring to the other thing.

There may be some who actually get a sexual stimulation from seeing pipes, but I'd just rather not know about it, ha ha.

So, is it or isn't it? I mean, if it is...well...wow.

 

[bigpond]

If smoking a pipe isn't pretentious, I've been doing it wrong.

 

[okiescout]

The pipe in that video must be about to burst into flames. How is she holding on to it? :crazy: But the point is well made, that is pretentious

behavior.

 

[buckaroo]

Yeah, poor pipe. A short but great life. I don't get that fetish stuff.

 

[andrew]

I don't get that fetish stuff.

This thread tho.

 

[monty55]

 

[minfarshaw]

Menuhin,
I wonder what she is smoking. I think she is watching herself make out with her pipe. Like a selfie pipe fetish. I wonder what she is smoking? The sight of her inhaling is just making me nauseous. Lol.

 

[mso489]

Anyone with more than, ah, fifty pipes or should fall quiet when the subject of pipe fetishes is raised. My pipes and I have nothing but the most respectful relationships.