The Perfect Humanoid Symbol, 15
Indeed, those capable of smoking in presence of children or pregnant women, not to mention pregnant women and fathers−to−be themselves, demonstrate the extent addiction can distort and subvert awareness, common sense, importances, priorities and the sense of decency and of right and wrong. Incidentally, smoking in the presence of others is a vile act, but smoking in the presence of children is an absolute vile act, for a number of reasons: children are the most unaware, the weaker, therefore the most defenceless as well as the most receptive, looking at adults for models to learn, and the most liable to unwittingly absorb models of “winning” personality to surrender to in the future without even realizing what is really going on, or even unwittingly and innocently trying to keep alive a betrayal as if it were something good. If there ever was a case of setting a bad example, well, this is it. In my humble opinion, regularly smoking in front of one's children ought to be considered as reasonable grounds for suspending or losing parental responsibility. Should this appear excessive, what would you do if it was any other addiction instead of smoking? And if it also had the peculiarities of smoking listed here? Whether they do it out of hubris or helplessness, the truth remains they completely fell for the addiction swindle, and it is the “little child” the one completely right, the one they ought to learn basic wisdom from. But in spite of plain common sense, with an inverted Midas touch, the smoker turns into sickening infected filth everything he or she touches, beginning with self. Not to mention one’s deepest inner self some may want to call one’s immortal soul, this contagion proceeds from the vital basic of one’s breath, carrying on with one’s mouth, throat, lungs, fingers and hair, a degrading tide will expand endlessly and flood the whole universe: from one’s clothes, personal possessions and spaces, to those of any other, to everything and everyone, everywhere. The smoker, left alone and unrestrained, will not stop until the whole world will be turned into a perennial gas chamber and a packed ashtray. Ever noticed for instance how smoking accounts for a good 50 percent of filth on roads, pavements and the like?
