Alexis Ong: In defense of smokers
What's interesting is how smokers have become the new modern pariah.
For the past two weeks, the way smokers in Singapore have been crucified in the papers recently -- requests for smoke-free apartment blocks and smoking bans on sidewalks -- you’d think they were lighting up heroin wrapped in dead babies.
They're not. But what's emerged from all this debate is the complainers haven’t first tried to handle the problem themselves.
Surprise, surprise, they want the Singapore authorities to do it.
This behavior is clearly a result of the self-righteous “precious snowflake” syndrome that characterizes our present culture, and many Singaporeans' attitude that the government has to fix everything right down to the last stubborn smoker.
Smoking has in the last few years, become a polarizing issue of utmost importance. Even Europe has cracked down on it, so you know it’s serious.
It is a terrible habit, it’s gross, it’s addictive and it’s hard to quit -- there’s nine years’ worth of tar in my vitals that wholeheartedly agrees on that subject -- but if I'm a smoker and you're standing next to me in a perfectly legitimate smoking area, you have the option of going away.
Frankly, I’d prefer it if you did go away, because if you didn't and started with the condescending facial expressions or attempt to give me the Smoking Lecture, I’m pretty sure I’d tell you to sod off and then things would get ugly.
What doesn't help are the logistical problems in separating smokers and non-smokers in public areas. Why place designated yellow smoking boxes so close to non-smokers’ precious air space? This totally defeats the purpose even if the smoker is in the box to begin with.
The way smokers have been crucified recently, you’d think they were lighting up heroin wrapped in dead babies.
And while the onus is on the smoker to give way to the non-smoker, why do so many non-smokers overly complicate matters by expressing their disapproval like a grandma: glaring, muttering, making retarded hand fanning motions.
Exhibit A is a spectacularly pathetic plea from Colin Yam in TODAY, in which he complains that football-watching smokers in coffee shops don’t stand in the yellow box where they are lawfully permitted to engage in their fiery crimes against humanity.
He writes, “the coffee shop owners can't do much to stop offenders -- who would dare confront those smokers who look like thugs?”
So if you hang out in a coffee shop and smoke, you’re a thug! That’s special.
If some guy was trying to catch a crucial footy match at a local open-air coffee shop, is it so hard to begrudge him a cig to go with his beer? If it bothers you so much, grow a pair and say something to him instead of crying to the EPA. I promise you won’t get stabbed.
Then there’s the guy who wrote in about his neighbor’s smoke bothering him in his flat.
He suggests that the Housing Development Board should consider smoke-free apartment blocks.
You, my friend, are a mental case.
Thankfully, lots of other readers already pointed out that this is totally unfeasible. You know how the government is always trying to foster harmony in local communities? Here’s a crazy idea, knock on your neighbor’s door and explain your concerns. You might find that most people are decent human beings. You can work something out.
Same goes for the guy who wants to ban smoking on zebra crossings, sidewalks and pedestrian areas: OK, we get it, you don’t like walking next to someone who’s smoking.
You cry about smokers blowing smoke “directly into your face.” You’re upset that perhaps, at a red light, the man in the car next to you is smoking with his windows rolled down and it’s making you die faster.
Big picture-wise, I can think of worse things. The world is full of annoying things, many of which last longer and hit harder than a passing puff of smoke.
Someone’s always going to be doing something you don’t like around you, but there is only so much that can be done about it, either deal with it yourself, or suck it up.
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