lately i'm fascinated by reading, especially books about malaysia, its multiculturalism and the malaysians themselves. i've spent the last few days hanging out with my friends, all studying in malaysia, listening to their stories of living in the country as a student for the past few years. and some even opened up a little bit more and share stories about their great grandfather, grandfather and father's stories. but nevertheless, its all about malaysia, the country i was born into, the country i came to love, even with its slower than a snail moving internet speed and the jam packed traffic with sounds of honks and engines from cars after working hours.
but this is not about the stories we shared while spending our time knocking off colourful balls on the squared table using a long stick, nor about the stories we talked while sipping from our drinks and eating 'roti bakar' as the crumbs from the breads fell onto our smelly jeans after being used again and again over the week.
this is about my own thought throughout my own observation while i strolled around the city, meeting people all over the place, catching up with old friends, pals, or whoever i saw in those few days.
everywhere i go, i saw many people, and a fraction of those people share the same similarities among them. they all have a 1 inch long soft stick between their middle and index fingers. some might call them cigarettes, others used cigars. but whichever terms, the concept is the same. the item is to be sucked in, and in return you blow out some smokes. and i assumed that's how they came up with the term 'smoking'. because you let out a guff of smokes.
i'm not in the position to complain about smoking. even if i'm not smoking myself. but instead, i found one interesting thing about people who smoke. not all, but many.
many people who are smoking seems to hold a high position in a company, or the government even. some have a five digits income monthly, and received good education and awareness to know the extent to which such habit is detrimental to their bodies.
and sometimes even the ads on the cons of smoking are made by people who smoke themselves.
but to what reason do they all cling to their smoking habit, unable to rid themselves to the act as though its an addicting drug while the truth is its all just mindset.
from what i saw, people who smoke seems to have power on their side. and when i say power, it means everything from wealth, big cars, luxury houses and many others which i can't think of right now. why?
firstly, to smoke, you must have the cigarettes, and to get cigarettes, you must have the money to buy it. that's how wealth came about. plenty of cigars, plenty of money. *my own justification. based on feelings.*
secondly, when you smoke, you meet many new people who share smoking space with you. you talked, you tell stories, they tell stories. you become friends with them. they are property agents, brokers. can help you buy lands, houses, stocks easily. cheap price, but with incentives. to them.
maybe two reasons aren't enough to support my point of power and smoking, but the main important thing i wish to push here is by smoking, people felt they have power. why? all the people with positions do it. perhaps that's one of the reasons why so many of our youths took on the habit. they are just following the act of someone who to them, seems to have a good life. maybe it's not true, but maybe it is.
can we then blame our child for starting smoking, when everywhere around him, he's living in an environment that promotes the habit in the first place? nevermind the pictures and ads on the cigarettes packet and the oversized billboards on the effects of smoking. i heard someone said, that by purchasing the cigarettes, they actually contributes money to those who have the disease shown in the picture on the cigarettes' packet. the message just didn't reach them.
i've laid all my points here. to me, smoking is one thing i can never do. not because i can't, but i chose not to. and maybe then i'll have less power, because i don't smoke. but i'll find a replacement. haven't found it yet, but i'm sure in 10 years time i will. and when i do, probably i'll share it here in this old blog of mine.
ps: this post is just pure opinions and thoughts.
but this is not about the stories we shared while spending our time knocking off colourful balls on the squared table using a long stick, nor about the stories we talked while sipping from our drinks and eating 'roti bakar' as the crumbs from the breads fell onto our smelly jeans after being used again and again over the week.
this is about my own thought throughout my own observation while i strolled around the city, meeting people all over the place, catching up with old friends, pals, or whoever i saw in those few days.
everywhere i go, i saw many people, and a fraction of those people share the same similarities among them. they all have a 1 inch long soft stick between their middle and index fingers. some might call them cigarettes, others used cigars. but whichever terms, the concept is the same. the item is to be sucked in, and in return you blow out some smokes. and i assumed that's how they came up with the term 'smoking'. because you let out a guff of smokes.
i'm not in the position to complain about smoking. even if i'm not smoking myself. but instead, i found one interesting thing about people who smoke. not all, but many.
many people who are smoking seems to hold a high position in a company, or the government even. some have a five digits income monthly, and received good education and awareness to know the extent to which such habit is detrimental to their bodies.
and sometimes even the ads on the cons of smoking are made by people who smoke themselves.
but to what reason do they all cling to their smoking habit, unable to rid themselves to the act as though its an addicting drug while the truth is its all just mindset.
from what i saw, people who smoke seems to have power on their side. and when i say power, it means everything from wealth, big cars, luxury houses and many others which i can't think of right now. why?
firstly, to smoke, you must have the cigarettes, and to get cigarettes, you must have the money to buy it. that's how wealth came about. plenty of cigars, plenty of money. *my own justification. based on feelings.*
secondly, when you smoke, you meet many new people who share smoking space with you. you talked, you tell stories, they tell stories. you become friends with them. they are property agents, brokers. can help you buy lands, houses, stocks easily. cheap price, but with incentives. to them.
maybe two reasons aren't enough to support my point of power and smoking, but the main important thing i wish to push here is by smoking, people felt they have power. why? all the people with positions do it. perhaps that's one of the reasons why so many of our youths took on the habit. they are just following the act of someone who to them, seems to have a good life. maybe it's not true, but maybe it is.
can we then blame our child for starting smoking, when everywhere around him, he's living in an environment that promotes the habit in the first place? nevermind the pictures and ads on the cigarettes packet and the oversized billboards on the effects of smoking. i heard someone said, that by purchasing the cigarettes, they actually contributes money to those who have the disease shown in the picture on the cigarettes' packet. the message just didn't reach them.
i've laid all my points here. to me, smoking is one thing i can never do. not because i can't, but i chose not to. and maybe then i'll have less power, because i don't smoke. but i'll find a replacement. haven't found it yet, but i'm sure in 10 years time i will. and when i do, probably i'll share it here in this old blog of mine.
ps: this post is just pure opinions and thoughts.
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