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Its a free country, and I've known lots of smart people who are smokers.
I know my grandfather smoked for years, he started, and ran his own successful business. My mother is a college graduate, and a LPN, and she smokes.
Smoking isn't linked to mental retardation, its just something some people enjoy. If they aren't hurting you, and they aren't, leave them alone.
All this BS about second hand smoke and third hand smoke is stupid. You inhale more harmful gases in your car on the drive to work, than you do with second hand smoke.
... Is smoking stupid? Yes, it can very well shorten your life,
This operates under the assumption that every human being cares how long their life is. You're passing your opinion off as objective without taking the time to delve into the philosophies of life held by those who smoke.
To the OP. No. Smokers can be just as intelligent as non-smokers. The problem is accessing that intelligence.
In my personal experience, smokers:
Forget quite easily the most simple of things.
Make mistakes that are blatant and would otherwise not have been made.
Are unnecessarily aggressive compared to non-smokers.
at least younger ones, do not have the same drive as a nonsmoker to get stuff done.
This is in my personal experience. I know past and present colleagues where it's clear that they have the smarts...but they do a fraction of what I do in the same position even though I know they can do the same level of work I'm doing. Silly mistakes are made. And they both have aggressive personalities - not hostile or anything, just aggressive.
To note our President as unintelligent is offensive. He's quite intelligent. However, I see the bullets above (except the fourth) applying to him quite readily. There are a lot of things he's said and done where he apparently forgot having said and done them. Him going on that show and saying that there was no tax at all in the new HC bill even though the bill clearly noted an excise tax was a blatant mistake where he likely forgot that line was added at some point. And if anyone questions what he is doing, he gets defensive, even hostile at points. Previous presidents, Bush included, never acted nearly as bad as Obama does when someone questions him.
To the OP. No. Smokers can be just as intelligent as non-smokers. The problem is accessing that intelligence.
In my personal experience, smokers:
Forget quite easily the most simple of things.
Make mistakes that are blatant and would otherwise not have been made.
Are unnecessarily aggressive compared to non-smokers.
at least younger ones, do not have the same drive as a nonsmoker to get stuff done.
This is in my personal experience. I know past and present colleagues where it's clear that they have the smarts...but they do a fraction of what I do in the same position even though I know they can do the same level of work I'm doing. Silly mistakes are made. And they both have aggressive personalities - not hostile or anything, just aggressive.
To note our President as unintelligent is offensive. He's quite intelligent. However, I see the bullets above (except the fourth) applying to him quite readily. There are a lot of things he's said and done where he apparently forgot having said and done them. Him going on that show and saying that there was no tax at all in the new HC bill even though the bill clearly noted an excise tax was a blatant mistake where he likely forgot that line was added at some point. And if anyone questions what he is doing, he gets defensive, even hostile at points. Previous presidents, Bush included, never acted nearly as bad as Obama does when someone questions him.
Yeah, because the President forgets common quotes like "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, won't get fooled again" or having to write his top 5 policy issues on his hand, so he won't forget them.
And how is he to aggressive? Most Republicans I know say he isn't aggressive enough.
What mistakes were made by his smoking, that he wouldn't have otherwise made?
Seriously, are you just making stuff up? To become a drug altered behavior, it has to be a common, every day issue. The President has made mistakes, to be sure, but its nothing that was caused by his smoking.
All this BS about second hand smoke and third hand smoke is stupid. You inhale more harmful gases in your car on the drive to work, than you do with second hand smoke.
You might feel differently if you had someone you love die of second-hand smoke. And yes I often wonder why she didn't just leave the area that people were smoking in but a lot of times she didn't have a choice because it was at her job. There have been a lot of laws passed since the incident with my relative that ban smoking in public places precisely because it is recognized that second-hand smoke is so dangerous and can be fatal. If you think those laws are frivolous then maybe you should talk to a doctor.
You might feel differently if you had someone you love die of second-hand smoke. And yes I often wonder why she didn't just leave the area that people were smoking in but a lot of times she didn't have a choice because it was at her job. There have been a lot of laws passed since the incident with my relative that ban smoking in public places precisely because it is recognized that second-hand smoke is so dangerous and can be fatal. If you think those laws are frivolous then maybe you should talk to a doctor.
I'm sorry that you had a relative who died. However, saying that it was second hand smoke that killed him/her is just an assumption.
If I decide to open a bar, and let people smoke in my bar, then that should be my decision. If I were black, I wouldn't go to a KKK fund raiser either. This is a free country, and no one has to go to any business establishment, unless they just want to.
"That's not a myth. Studies that followed nonsmokers who lived with smokers found some increase in lung cancer and heart disease. But they studied people who were exposed to lots of smoke, often shut in with chain smokers for years in claustrophobic situations like homes and cars. Even then, some of the studies found no effect. Nevertheless it's been enough to launch a movement to ban smoking most everywhere."
Here is a less biased source. You can either choose to educate yourself on the effects of smoking, and second hand smoke, or you can choose to believe the hype that is being forced down your throat.
Again, I don't want to be insensitive about this, we all lose loved ones and I'm sure the one you lost had a profound effect on you. Most people try and give meaning to the loss, or blame someone for it. Smoking, is usually not the real reason behind the death, but it makes for a great scapegoat.
And how is he to aggressive? Most Republicans I know say he isn't aggressive enough.
You're confusing "aggressive" with "vigorous". They're two different things in my context. Perhaps "self-assertive" is a better term to clarify what I mean.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Merriam Webster Online
self-assertive connotes forwardness or brash self-confidence <a self-assertive young upstart>.
With emphasis on the word "brash". And yes, I know self-assertion can be a positive thing as long as it's not overplayed. The ones I know take it to the extreme, to the point that they will raise their voices over something trivial.
Quote:
What mistakes were made by his smoking, that he wouldn't have otherwise made?
Seriously, are you just making stuff up? To become a drug altered behavior, it has to be a common, every day issue. The President has made mistakes, to be sure, but its nothing that was caused by his smoking.
I didn't say it was caused by the smoking. I said in my personal experience, smokers have exhibited these traits compared to non-smokers. Since I did not know Mr. Obama personally before he became president or even now, I can't say for certain that he would or would not have made the same mistakes if he weren't a smoker. I'm not stating my opinion as fact, I'm stating my opinion as an observation of behavior. There are people I know who were quite sharp before they started smoking, then descended into lax behavior. Was it the smoking that caused it? I don't know. But it's the only notable change between when they were sharp and when they weren't.
I taught one guy to play the piano, work computers, and context of speech. At one time he was my equal in terms of getting stuff done. Joined the Army, started smoking, now he seems to have forgotten the stuff he once knew. Did the smoking do it? I don't know. But I'm of the opinion that it did.
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