I have never been able to figure out what would possess a person to put something that smells like cigarette smoke in their mouth. Beyond that, most people I know who have tried smoking found the initial experience physically unpleasant (smoke burns the throat and lungs). The only explanation I'm aware of for people continuing to smoke after the first time is social pressure. From what I've observed, hackers tend to resist social pressure more than most people.
It only tastes unpleasant at first, then it becomes normal.
I actually have an interesting story that has to do with this. Last summer I was taking a newer smoking cessation drug named Champix. The drug works by binding with the same receptors that nicotine does, and prevents nicotine from having its effect. You take this drug while continuing to smoke, and about two weeks later, cigarettes lose their lustre. You still want the buzz, but you don't get a thing out of smoking.
Now here's the interesting bit. Without the buzz, cigarettes tasted gross again. I mean really gross. I didn't want anything to do with them. They smelled differently as well. Obviously I'm only relating a personal experience, and I can't say whether other people experience the same thing.
And to whom it may concern, I found the drug had other side effects (which may have also been related to smoking cessation), which lead to my smoking again. I lasted about two months, all in all, but throughout the entire period I was mood swinging like crazy. In the end, I found the solution worse than the problem, and decided to stop taking it.
Don't ask me what led me to know this or use this comment to make inferences about my musical tastes, but Carter Albrecht --- the guitarist from (don't laugh) Edie Brickell & New Bohemians --- took Champix and then drank a lot, went completely nuts, tried to break into his neighbor's house, and got shot in the head.
I smoked for nine years and I never really liked the taste, it only got slightly better once you got used to it but was still quite vile. Although the whole experience was pleasant and enjoyable. I suppose I could be unique in that regard, I've never tried to investigate the matter.
I have sort of the opposite take. I have smoked maybe 10 cigarettes in my life, but I think smoking is enjoyable. I don't do it because of the adverse health effects, but otherwise I'd love to have an occasional smoke while programming.
I started smoking when I was 13. Mostly because it seemed like something "forbidden" to do. My parents smoked, so it was easy to get access to cigarettes.
As I got a little older, the "cool kids" smoked, so it gave a shy kid some openings for socialization.
I quit 5 years ago, and it was easily the hardest thing I've ever done. Some mornings I still wake up and reach for my pack before I'm fully awake
The only explanation I'm aware of for people continuing to smoke after the first time is social pressure.
I think this is a bit off. The best explanation for smoking the first time is social pressure. Maybe the first few times. After that, the best explanation for smoking is nicotine addiction. When you are used to the effect of nicotine, smoking a cigarette makes you feel good.
Also, not that I advise smoking cigarettes, but you can avoid burning your throat and lungs with good technique. Don't just suck on it like you are sucking juice through a straw; you will inhale too much smoke too quickly. Instead, only loosely touch your lips to the end of the cigarette, and inhale slowly. That will both let air mix with the cigarette smoke and give it some time to cool. If you do it right you should not burn your throat or lungs at all and the experience should be purely pleasurable.
(Damn... I'm going to talk myself back into smoking if I'm not careful.)
I have. There are a great many things others enjoy that I do not, but do understand. Among them are strawberries, onions, large luxury cars and programming in Perl. There are many things I enjoy that I fully understand why others do not. Among them are India pale ale, hot peppers, minimalist sports cars and programming in Lisp.
There are certain things some people enjoy that I do not understand the appeal of. Among those are smoking cigarettes, drinking urine and self-flagellation.
There are certain things some people enjoy that I do not understand the appeal of. Among those are smoking cigarettes, drinking urine and self-flagellation.
Pretty sure that if you enjoy self-flagellation, you're doing it wrong.
There are certain things some people enjoy that I do not understand the appeal of. Among those are smoking cigarettes, drinking urine and self-flagellation.
Wow. One of these things is not like the others... I mean, drinking urine?!
I was trying to be funny, since I would expect most people would view smoking as the odd one out, the other two being difficult to understand. Clearly I failed. :)
When you don't smoke for a year or so, that first one when you un-quit is unparalleled pleasure.
It's worth starting and enduring the pain of quitting just to be able to come back and feel that glorious mind blowing forbidden pleasure of the first one back. The power trip in not starting again is also delightful. I like having a cigarette about every year or so. A few times I quit, I was lured back, but I've only had one full cigarette since June of 2008.
Smoking is definitely not a good lifestyle for the long term. But as very occasional guilty pleasures go, it's truly top-notch.
