Posted by laima on October 29, 2006, at 22:50:03
In reply to Re: vices debate: cigarrettes VS alcohol, posted by Jost on October 29, 2006, at 22:25:10
Like I said, the discussion was pretty theoretical and based on what most people seemed to be up to in real life. And initiated by a guy who wanted to know which was his worse problem. Maybe this is too abstract to discuss here successfully. And so many variables that a comparrison of the two "vices" seems tough.
It's true- I know Wikipedia is usually accurate- it's just that I hear anyone at all can edit the entries, which is scary.
But I just went to the most amazing author talk tonight, which put my thinking about the notion of "vices" into a bit of a blender anyway. Marjane Satrapi. But my thoughts and digestion of her remarks haven't gelled yet, so they're hard to discuss. But they had to do with live a little, in moderation. Savour, don't gulp. She grew up in Iran as the revolution broke out, things got very oppressive, and now lives in Paris. Her new book is basically about what makes a life worth living, and as an aside, she remarked that if she wants to smoke a little because that is something she absolutely loves, she will. It was..a very un-American way of thinking, and she talked a little about how striking it is to her how everyone here denies themselves foods, drinks, smokes, etc. for sake of our health- but we all die anyway. She wasn't talking about overdoing anything or gluttony, either. Very interesting-and yes-very easy to misconstrue.
> Wikipedia is generally pretty reliable, in the sciences at least. A recent study to that effect, by scientists. Although there are inaccuracies-- but not much more than Encyclopedia Brittanica--
>
> On moderate use-- not sure I consider your examples as reaching moderate use-- and even less sure that either of them, as defined, could be considered a real vice.
>
> Vice to me involves something a little more immoderate than 2 cigarettes several times a week.
>
> Eight or nine caramel-mocha frappaccinos (sp?) a day might qualify. Gigantes, of course.
>
> Sorry not to be more help-- Im not sure you can contrast alcoholism with a two-pack a day cigarette habit-- without going into the exact pros and cons-- it depends on what follows-- how long you do it-- how each affects you--
>
> Short-term, probably smoking is less bad-- long-term-- well, the odds are you could end up with some terrible problems-- although even short term smoking, two packs a day, can involve later consequences-- or you could be lucky. Also might depend on how much you drink, and how much it affects other parts of your life.
>
> Jost
poster:laima
thread:698744
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/subs/20060727/msgs/698930.html