Body shaming, and "My Big Fat Fabulous Life"

[Pyrrho]

You know, using a needle would not bother me so much, even for getting high in public, as long as the person was not recklessly waving about the needle, endangering others.  If what someone does affects themselves and no one else, I am generally okay with it.  But when they start affecting others (and not just their "feelings"), then I object.  This is where the smoking matter comes into play.  If they inhaled all of the smoke, and did not exhale any of it, and if they did not leave butts all over the place, then it would be a concern for them, not for me.  But when their smoking puts smoke in my lungs and their damn butts on the ground, then I object.  For the needle to be a problem, they would have to be injecting me without my consent (or some other analogous conduct).  And obviously, I would object to that, just like I object to people putting smoke in my lungs without my consent.

Of course, not everyone feels as I do, and many want to impose their will on others.  But I personally think people should be allowed to kill themselves if they want to do so, whether it be fast or slow.  As long as they do not harm others in the process.  The fact that someone else is upset counts for nothing to me.  No matter what one does, someone is upset.  The fact that fascist assholes are upset when someone else decides to live their lives as they see fit (in a way that does no harm to others) upsets me, so they should fucking stop that if we are all going to be concerned about everyone's feelings.

I really wonder how often smokers put smoke in your lungs without your consent. Maybe if you spend a lot of time in Casinos in Nevada or Bars in Alaska. Other than that I can't really think the last time I was even exposed to second hand smoke.

Maybe you are a young whippersnapper and do not remember how things were in the U.S. years ago.  These days, it is not nearly the problem in the U.S. as it was in the past, though still people smoke in public places where I need to go and so I still am breathing some smoke occasionally.  (Smokers often like to smoke near doorways to buildings, so that anyone who needs to enter the building is subjected to their smoke.)  But it was quite a bit different for the earlier part of my life, and now things are much better for people who do not want to be forced to breath smoke from other people's choices.

The point, though, is that what others do is rightfully a matter of my concern when it actually affects me.  If what someone does only affects themselves, then that is their business and not mine.

The change to how things are now is in part due to calling the smokers out on their activities affecting others.  And changing laws to stop people from forcing others to breath their smoke (which is why there are so many nonsmoking areas now).

If people ate their cigarettes instead of smoking them, I would be fine with them doing that almost anywhere.  But smokers do not keep their smoke to themselves, and so it is a matter that affects those around them.  That is how it differs from someone injecting or eating or drinking their drug of choice.  I do not care that they choose to use a drug; I only care that they share it with people against their will.  If I started injecting people with drugs against their will and forcing drugs down people's throats, I would be regarded as a monster.  Yet smokers force their drug on those around them, typically without giving a fuck about it at all.  That is why so many people justly hate so many smokers.  Of course, as I have already stated, not every smoker is an inconsiderate asshole, and so not all of these comments apply to every smoker.  But to those to whom they do apply, they cannot die fast enough.