Couple Forbidden From Smoking In Their Home

Vedderlution_Baby

Ahnimus wrote:

I quit posting on this forum. I just had to comment on this topic. Suprisingly forums.pearljam.com is a good source of recent news.

I stopped posting because this forum is full of prejudices that are condoned by the masses. There doesn't seem to be a lot of reasoned debate as suggested by the forum description. It's primarily emotional venting, given that underlying tone, I find it difficult to act appropriately myself.

When my opinion is questioned on merely the basis that I do not have a formal education, I feel the validity of one's opinions stems from their academic acheivements regardless of their niche.

My view that sociocultural prejudices are proliferated by the preconception that sociocultural prejudices exist, and by concluding discriminately that specific ethnities or skin pigmentations harbor these prejudices, ultimately illicits the provocation of said prejudices.

It's in accordance with the psychological principles of information-processing and the ecological-systems viewpoint. That analysis is typically held to be either racist or fascist. However, I feel this is due to those prejudices.

In other words, I think racism or prejudice in general primarily exists within the mind of the individual. By preconceiving the existance of prejudice as a normal function of society, one expects to find prejudice and they will typically find it, wether it truly exists or not.

Regarding smoking and the rights of smokers in contrast to the desires of anti-smokers. Smoking is rightfully targetted as a bad substance, I just feel the methods used to absolve society of responsibility is producing negative effects. I am truly suprised advocates of smoking do not emphasize the numerous other hazards existant in society.

As an example, pregnant mothers should not smoke, it may stunt the growth of their unborn child. However, other teratogens have exponentially worse effects, including Aspirin, Alcohol, Vitamin A (e.g. Accutane), Amphetamines, Antibiotics, Barbiturates, Sex Hormones. As well as various diseases and viruses, STDs, Chicken Pox, Cholera, Diabetes, Influenza, Malaria, Mups, Rubella (German Measels) and UTIs. They all have pretty adverse effects to unborn children. Smoking is however the suspected cause of SIDS.

The emphasis is on smoking. You will not find a picture of a pregnant women with the phrase "Vitamin A kills babies" on a bottle of Accutane. Vitamin A can cause cleft palate, heart malformations and other serious birth defects.

However, regardless of what I know about the biochemical effects of smoking, the addictive and habitual properties of it, as well as the typical thought process of a smoker. Any understanding I attempt to apply to it is merely seen as an "Excuse" by anti-smokers. Therefor, I don't see much point in discussing the topic in-depth.

We are all fundamentally identical at birth, wether you invest your belief in innate purity, original sin or the trabula rasa (blank slate) theory. This means that some genetic and experiential variables gradually evolve our percepts and prejudices into our current personalities. So, if I shared the exact karyotype of an anti-smoker and endured the same experiential influences, I would have the same opinions they do.

I hope that makes sense. It's not excusing smoking as a bad habit and a serious health threat to smokers and non-smokers alike. Rather, it's an attempt at applying reasoning and understanding to the conflict.

My conclusion as I stated before, is that the majority of participants of this forum are just venting emotionally.

Man, I still love ya