As someone with emphysema caused by second hand smoke, and end up in a coughing fit near smoke. I would have to disagree with the statement that smokers only harm themselves. But do agree ‘we’ stop treating smokers like pariahs with ‘our’ superciliousness because ‘we’ never smoked. You are right to point out how society has become judgmental.
Many thanks for writing about one of my pet peeves (i.e. the nanny state). Thank goodness my dear mother was able to accompany the family on our move to Australia in 1990 because we were on one of the last QANTAS flights which allowed her to light up a pack of Kents. She died 4 years later of lung cancer at 79, but happy to the last puff. Another example is the requirement for bicyclists to wear a helmet. Growing up, I never heard of anyone endangering their brain on a bike. As an adult I would like to ride a bike without putting on a silly helmet. A treatise on "snowflakes" at a later date.
I was in my 20s when the smoking zealots started here. I tried to warn people that they wouldn't stop there. Of course 40 years later I was correct. Have a beer with your meal, dwi/dui. $10,000 later your cured of drinking. Of course, every week brings you a story of the alcoholic who kills someone driving.
Just last week another was arrested for the 20 something time.
Same with smoking, full disclosure I quit in 2019 for health reasons. In Minnesota they want to ban it in all rental properties, city parks etc.
But of course there is too much money to be made off tobacco to outright ban it.
Yes. It's neurotic. And it doesn't stop at an agreed destination. 'Harm prevention' is particularly dangerous in the hands of those who find harm everywhere they look. And it perpetuates itself. Much like how maniacally disinfecting surfaces in the 1990s led to a rampant increase in allergies! We're weakening our cultural immune system. Life is inherently risky. Oh, well. Try to enjoy it, eh?
The stats quoted in the opening paragraphs are nothing short of breathtaking and worse, they can't be attributed to the massive importation of religion-of-peacers. Could it be that shipping all the malcontents to here and Australia, followed by the great cullings of the best in two wars-to-end-all-wars has caught with you? (Says a guy who greatly fears that a similar poll over here would yield similar results. (The pollsters being otherwise occupied for the next few months means we won't know for a while.))
Idk. We live in a crisis era. It's normal for people to clamour for surety and order. (Look at the demand for the various 'isms' which explain everything in one paragraph.)
Also, 'Ban it!' is a crude expression of that desire for order. Of course, we've always had such people. But they've little influence in steadier, saner times.
M. Sour, the decrees of these sanctimonious pearl-clutching busy-bodies should not come to you as a surprise. It is the collective sacrifice that y’all pay to create literary geniuses like Orwell and Alan Moore. They would not exist in truly free societies. You see, I’m not sure if San Antone will ever produce any major works of literature, but I can have my cig with my Lone Star, just like God intended (granted, it still has to be outside, but still much better than UK’s virtue-signaling soul sister, Seattle). I’m afraid we need you to stay put where you are, M. Sour. Without your country’s zeal to save your body and soul through oppression, perhaps you would not be writing your delightful essays - and we cannot have that!
Agree 100%. The article I had intended to put out tomorrow has been moved aside for my own take on this issue, which is all polished up and ready to go! This country is becoming so oppressive in so many ways. The principle here is far bigger than the subject at hand. Congratulations on a well-reasoned response to this nonsense. Glad there is still a wisp of common sense floating about in the air!
Great article as always. There isn’t enough commentary on the 1970s East German behaviour of so many Britons during the lockdowns. And funnily enough one doesn’t seem to meet anyone these days that cheerfully admits to informing on their neighbours, aggressively telling total strangers to put on a mask and so on. Yet there were so many of them, and they’ll all appear again next time. Thus I’m grateful for your public service in reminding us all that these people are indigenous to these islands and still live among us.
Also, and on a different theme, is it just me or is the phrase “…in this space” really, really, fucking annoying? It may just be me. I’ve long felt this way but people seem to keep using it.
You’re absolutely right! It is just that. I’m very glad it isn’t just me! I violently hate corporate business-speak. And am permanently surrounded by it, or so it seems.
It certainly was crazy, unbelievably so. The disappointment I felt at the time was huge, and I couldn’t get anybody I knew personally or worked with to see it.
I’m grateful to you, I didn’t realise Orwell had said that. I shall be quoting that henceforth!
Yes. I remember people wearing a mask whilst sat in the pub, only to put the mask on when they stood up. Others would attack those who didn't play along with this obvious lunacy! Madness.
I know! Completely insane. I saw a fist fight at Waterloo Station start because a chap refused to put a mask on. I was shouted at a couple of times myself for not wearing one. Once while I was outside running for fuck’s sake.
Thank you! I’m most grateful. I will read that immediately.
Just before we emigrated to Australia we went on a holiday to Scotland, when we went to Loch Ness my dad (probably the millionth person to do it) decided to have some fun and yelled out ‘there’s Nessie, there’s Nessie’ while gesticulating wildly, luckily for him though there was a bus of Japanese tourists there and the chaos as they charged through their bags for their cameras or just started firing of photos Willy nilly was genuinely memorable and hilarious
What uptight times we live in, too often courtesy of government. A fish rots from the head down, doesn’t it. I think you’re right that Starmer has just writ large his reflexive authoritarian tendency. And over a matter so fringe that it was on no-one’s radar. What an eejit!
Yes. Mostly tribalism, I think. Whatever My Team does is surely good! History suggests otherwise.
It's depressing. But we cannot despair. Please bring back the old Liberal Party. Anything would be better than the Tory/Labour clown show. It's like we're the children of an acrimonious, never-ending divorce!
The people who want restrictions permanently are the ones who want someone else to tell them what and how to live their lives as they are incapable of making decisions themselves. They reverted to the status of helpless children during The Unpleasantness and can't face returning to their adult lives. Too much effort.
I don't like smoking, and I'm asthmatic thanks to growing up with 2 smoking parents who are now ex-smokers, however I defend other's right to smoke to the death. Adults should be free to decide what to put into their bodies. Starmer is a weak, arrogant, miserable, clueless imbecile. Petty and narrow minded, he will be out of office before the end of this parliament.
Instead of a mutant strength Whiskey Sour, I would recommend a triple Scotch, neat. Reputedly, that was the source of the first Nessie sighting after all.
https://bit.ly/4gfbDP2
As someone with emphysema caused by second hand smoke, and end up in a coughing fit near smoke. I would have to disagree with the statement that smokers only harm themselves. But do agree ‘we’ stop treating smokers like pariahs with ‘our’ superciliousness because ‘we’ never smoked. You are right to point out how society has become judgmental.
Many thanks for writing about one of my pet peeves (i.e. the nanny state). Thank goodness my dear mother was able to accompany the family on our move to Australia in 1990 because we were on one of the last QANTAS flights which allowed her to light up a pack of Kents. She died 4 years later of lung cancer at 79, but happy to the last puff. Another example is the requirement for bicyclists to wear a helmet. Growing up, I never heard of anyone endangering their brain on a bike. As an adult I would like to ride a bike without putting on a silly helmet. A treatise on "snowflakes" at a later date.
Is it true that we have much worse accidents now due to the false sense of security provided by a helmet? I heard that somewhere.
Maybe they should make passive smoking a paralympic sport so that everybody gets something out of the deal.
Mr. Gage,
As always a thought provoking column.
I was in my 20s when the smoking zealots started here. I tried to warn people that they wouldn't stop there. Of course 40 years later I was correct. Have a beer with your meal, dwi/dui. $10,000 later your cured of drinking. Of course, every week brings you a story of the alcoholic who kills someone driving.
Just last week another was arrested for the 20 something time.
Same with smoking, full disclosure I quit in 2019 for health reasons. In Minnesota they want to ban it in all rental properties, city parks etc.
But of course there is too much money to be made off tobacco to outright ban it.
Thank you.
Yes. It's neurotic. And it doesn't stop at an agreed destination. 'Harm prevention' is particularly dangerous in the hands of those who find harm everywhere they look. And it perpetuates itself. Much like how maniacally disinfecting surfaces in the 1990s led to a rampant increase in allergies! We're weakening our cultural immune system. Life is inherently risky. Oh, well. Try to enjoy it, eh?
The stats quoted in the opening paragraphs are nothing short of breathtaking and worse, they can't be attributed to the massive importation of religion-of-peacers. Could it be that shipping all the malcontents to here and Australia, followed by the great cullings of the best in two wars-to-end-all-wars has caught with you? (Says a guy who greatly fears that a similar poll over here would yield similar results. (The pollsters being otherwise occupied for the next few months means we won't know for a while.))
Idk. We live in a crisis era. It's normal for people to clamour for surety and order. (Look at the demand for the various 'isms' which explain everything in one paragraph.)
Also, 'Ban it!' is a crude expression of that desire for order. Of course, we've always had such people. But they've little influence in steadier, saner times.
M. Sour, the decrees of these sanctimonious pearl-clutching busy-bodies should not come to you as a surprise. It is the collective sacrifice that y’all pay to create literary geniuses like Orwell and Alan Moore. They would not exist in truly free societies. You see, I’m not sure if San Antone will ever produce any major works of literature, but I can have my cig with my Lone Star, just like God intended (granted, it still has to be outside, but still much better than UK’s virtue-signaling soul sister, Seattle). I’m afraid we need you to stay put where you are, M. Sour. Without your country’s zeal to save your body and soul through oppression, perhaps you would not be writing your delightful essays - and we cannot have that!
You have a point. 😅
Excellent.
Agree 100%. The article I had intended to put out tomorrow has been moved aside for my own take on this issue, which is all polished up and ready to go! This country is becoming so oppressive in so many ways. The principle here is far bigger than the subject at hand. Congratulations on a well-reasoned response to this nonsense. Glad there is still a wisp of common sense floating about in the air!
Yes. Neurotics everywhere. Profoundly envious of advanced European nations. Send over your piece when it lands. Cheers!
https://open.substack.com/pub/juliadpickering/p/puff-and-nonsense?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=1hm9gb
Great article as always. There isn’t enough commentary on the 1970s East German behaviour of so many Britons during the lockdowns. And funnily enough one doesn’t seem to meet anyone these days that cheerfully admits to informing on their neighbours, aggressively telling total strangers to put on a mask and so on. Yet there were so many of them, and they’ll all appear again next time. Thus I’m grateful for your public service in reminding us all that these people are indigenous to these islands and still live among us.
Also, and on a different theme, is it just me or is the phrase “…in this space” really, really, fucking annoying? It may just be me. I’ve long felt this way but people seem to keep using it.
I think, 'In this space,' is the new 'moving forward.' Dullards love such corporate inanities.
Wasn't it crazy? And so many now claim they 'were always against the lockdown.' Ha! No. It was about ten percent at very most.
Orwell said that 'nosey parker' was the most offensive term in the English ear. Not anymore...
You’re absolutely right! It is just that. I’m very glad it isn’t just me! I violently hate corporate business-speak. And am permanently surrounded by it, or so it seems.
It certainly was crazy, unbelievably so. The disappointment I felt at the time was huge, and I couldn’t get anybody I knew personally or worked with to see it.
I’m grateful to you, I didn’t realise Orwell had said that. I shall be quoting that henceforth!
Yes. I remember people wearing a mask whilst sat in the pub, only to put the mask on when they stood up. Others would attack those who didn't play along with this obvious lunacy! Madness.
Ah. The essay is here. Much of Orwell's writing could be written today. https://orwell.ru/library/essays/lion/english/e_eye
I know! Completely insane. I saw a fist fight at Waterloo Station start because a chap refused to put a mask on. I was shouted at a couple of times myself for not wearing one. Once while I was outside running for fuck’s sake.
Thank you! I’m most grateful. I will read that immediately.
You were literally running away. The logic of that. I shouldn't laugh, but it's the only thing that'll stop these people.
I recommend all of his work. Orwell's essays are too good. There's a Substack somewhere... I'll find it for you.
You’re so right, we must laugh at them.
That’s extremely kind, thank you. I’m very grateful. Yes, I’ve only read a small amount of his work, I must correct that straightaway.
Just before we emigrated to Australia we went on a holiday to Scotland, when we went to Loch Ness my dad (probably the millionth person to do it) decided to have some fun and yelled out ‘there’s Nessie, there’s Nessie’ while gesticulating wildly, luckily for him though there was a bus of Japanese tourists there and the chaos as they charged through their bags for their cameras or just started firing of photos Willy nilly was genuinely memorable and hilarious
Hahahahahaha!
As I say, I’m sure it wasn’t original and I’m sure many others have done it, but for my dad the timing just worked out perfectly 😀
Don’t diss Nessie, she’s my neighbour. And she smokes Gauloises.
Gauloises are lovely. Not sure they make them anymore? Too pleasurable.
What uptight times we live in, too often courtesy of government. A fish rots from the head down, doesn’t it. I think you’re right that Starmer has just writ large his reflexive authoritarian tendency. And over a matter so fringe that it was on no-one’s radar. What an eejit!
Yes. Mostly tribalism, I think. Whatever My Team does is surely good! History suggests otherwise.
It's depressing. But we cannot despair. Please bring back the old Liberal Party. Anything would be better than the Tory/Labour clown show. It's like we're the children of an acrimonious, never-ending divorce!
Loch Ness is real and vapes cherry menthol. Just so you know.
I'm a menthol man. And I love Cherry Coke. Nessie, who obviously exists, at least has taste.
The people who want restrictions permanently are the ones who want someone else to tell them what and how to live their lives as they are incapable of making decisions themselves. They reverted to the status of helpless children during The Unpleasantness and can't face returning to their adult lives. Too much effort.
I don't like smoking, and I'm asthmatic thanks to growing up with 2 smoking parents who are now ex-smokers, however I defend other's right to smoke to the death. Adults should be free to decide what to put into their bodies. Starmer is a weak, arrogant, miserable, clueless imbecile. Petty and narrow minded, he will be out of office before the end of this parliament.
I honestly feel like they've burned years' worth of political capital in two months.
Smoking is bad. Smoking outside, considerately, is nobody's else's fucking business.
WE NEED PR!
Absolutely 💯 agree!
Instead of a mutant strength Whiskey Sour, I would recommend a triple Scotch, neat. Reputedly, that was the source of the first Nessie sighting after all.
Ha! I do enjoy it neat. Though, Japanese is the king.