question for school

[Lord Gargoq the Quaxocibi]

This has nothing to do with warhammer, BTW so if the Mods want to shut it down, thats fine.

Currently in Drama we are studying an artform known as Verbatim theatre. What that basically means is our scripts are taken word for word from inverviews with other people.

I've been asked to collect interviews from the internet, so I'm going to ask you all a fairly general question and ask that you deliver your oppinion on it. Mind you, you may be quoted if you respond.


In todays western society, smoking, especially young people smoking is widely frowned upon. And yet, many teens and young adults still smoke and start smoking, knowing all the risks and cultural loadings associated with it.

Why would they do that?
_________________
Icecream is a dish best served cold

[turmi110]

I have never smoked myself, so I cannot tell from experience, but the excuse (or reason rather) that they give often is that its to relieve stress, but whether that stress they are trying to relieve is stress from not having their 'fix' or from everyday stress in their life, who knows?

I believe most young people start smoking for one of two reasons, the desire to be rebellious, or due to peer pressure, wanting to fit in with their peers, even if the cost is to get into an unhealthy addiction. Once they're in, its hard to come back out.

Another possibility is that their parents smoke, and don't discourage their children from doing so (I mean it would be hypocritical to do so wouldn't it?), or even worse, encourage their children to do so. Smaller towns seem to have a higher prevalence of smoking too, I'm not entirely sure why, but at a guess I'd say boredom has something to do with it. In a small town there isn't much to do, so people often turn to drugs and crime to pass the time, or to give them the 'excitement' that small towns rarely offer in a more wholesome way. Intelligence may also play a part in it, and I don't just mean knowledge of the effects of smoking. For instance, in the small town factory which I work at now, probably as much as 50% of the people there smoke (no exaggeration!), wheras in the hall of accomodation (hostel) I was staying at when I attended university, of the 150 people there, less than 10 of them smoked. Hardly convincing evidence I know, but not an insignificant result. It could be because the factory is in a small town and the university was in a city, or the people in the factory are typically from a poorer background than those that attended uni, or more likely a combination of reasons.

This is all just my opinion, I haven't done any extensive research on the matter, just a few observations here and there.
_________________

[kroak]

Even though I have never smoked, here are my opinions on why many of today's youth pick up the habit. I believe the greatest influence why a young person will start smoking is to fit in. I think everyone strives to find their place within a social network, but this is especially important to a young person who is still working out who they are. I think smoking is a way of seeking acceptance, something that a group shares. Kids go out for a smoke break and socialize; they become part of a group and achieve the acceptance that they are striving for.

I think other important factors would include emulating parents, education, social economic status, self confidence & self esteem and simply the rebellious nature of that age group.

just my thoughts on the subject, hope that helps
_________________
I am the rocks of the eternal shore. Crash against me and be broken! ~Apocalypse~

[Warpanda]

I wonder how effectively one can translate text into spoken words; conventions for emphasis, structure, and nuance are all quite different, and responses are unlikely to be written with the same eye for the dramatic that a script has—especially about a very intellectual topic like this. Nevertheless ...

All the dumb stuff teens do—smoking, drug experimentation, sex, dangerous physical feats, driving cars—comes back to two major factors. One, they're crazy, and two, the culture surrounding them is kinda weak.

Point the first: teens are at an awkward stage in their life where some cognitive competencies are fully developed whilst others are barely better than juveniles. The schism between these easily develops into delusions, often called The Personal Fable (i.e. I am special, no one has suffered/loved/lost/felt like I have, I will change the world, I can do anything, It Won't Happen To Me) and The Invisible Audience (i.e. everyone is looking at me, everyone is watching me, I have to be cool and calm and tough and suave and witty and mature or they won't like me, they're judging me, always judging, social acceptance is paramount or I will be a pariah). I do not hyperbolize when I call them delusions; they have just as much strength as any clinically diagnosed disorder. Some teens may be more or less susceptible, based on any number of factors, but nearly all will make some choices based on these sorts of flawed thinking,

Point the second: our culture accepts that teens will be teens, and do dumb crazy shhhtuff, and in this way tacitly acknowledges and supports their stupidity. The prevailing wisdom these days is, "be safe". Underage drinking is fine, just don't drive. Sex is okay, just use a condom. Smoking pot is acceptable, but leave crack alone. Etc. Compound this with very ambiguous and mixed messages of what it means to be an adult—something that teens are striving for, remember? They have to appear mature—and it's easy to see where all this ends up.

Smoking looks adult, it looks mature, it looks countercultural and independent and unique, it's part of what makes them special, and lung cancer? Yeah, It Won't Happen To Me. Addiction? I can break that, I'm a goddamn hero.

And the rest of us? Those among us who have grown up, who are no longer delusional? We do very little to effectively correct these patterns of thought. We let it happen.
_________________

[bobhope99]

Thought you might want to hear from someone who actually smokes. I can't speak for everyone but I know that I started smoking mostly because it was forbiden and exciting and those of you who do not smoke might not know this but when you start smoking you get a serious buzz, almost like a short pott high every time you light up. Smoking also makes you a part of an ever smaller group of people who are heavily discriminated agianst, almost all smokers I have met feel like they are part of a select community.

Hope this helps you in your class.
_________________
as GW writes, so it must be..