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by JoshNJ
on Mon Jun 22, 2009 7:07 pm |
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Asmoker2 wrote: hahahaha... I've read 'em all once... I'm not masochistic.
Let me know if this one rings a bell... |
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JoshNJ
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by Smoker Sympathizer
on Sun Jul 19, 2009 9:23 pm |
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What a shame that such asinine workplace policies are alienating employees for no reason whatsoever. I'm sure all you want to do is go to work and do your job, but those in charge are making that increasingly difficult. I'm sure many of you even work harder than your collegues in order to prove that you're not "one of those smokers who goes on break all the time, leaving others to pick up the slack." And where has that gotten you but stereotyped and judged? We all have our own way of coping with day to day life; you show me an employee who is 100% productive all day and I'll show you a liar or a robot. I'm sure if non-smoker's productivity were measured against smokers, the difference would be negligible. What about childless smokers who take maybe a half-hour's worth of smoke breaks per day vs. an employee with a couple kids who has to call in when they're sick, take them to appointments, call them on company time, etc? Now I am absolutely not saying there's anything wrong with that. I believe children are priceless and need to be put first. What I am saying, however, is employees with different needs/lifestyles need to show one another tolerance and respect. It's not a one-way street. It's not as if our ancestors started walking upright with the dawn of the anti movement. America accomplished tremendous things when much of the population was made up of smokers. Put average worker productivity from the 1950's up against productivity in 2009 and I'll bet there would be no contest. Us modernites would be blown out of the water. And many of those people smoked. Yes, I'll say it again in case any anti's fainted and didn't hear me. Many of those people smoked.
If I every had my own company, I would make it as smoker-friendly as the law would allow. I would encourage tolerance and decency for all and would strongly discourage whining about trivialities. I would snap up all those talented people who were being marginalized for such a trivial reason as tobacco status, and I'd be grateful for their creativity, hard work and discipline. I'd also feel a tad bit sorry for those companies hostile to smokers for not realizing that they are throwing away some of their best and brightest. |
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by garhkal
on Mon Jul 20, 2009 4:55 pm |
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| That is a damn fine point. I know many workers in the US Navy who spend MORE time off work, on our dime so to speak, taking care of the wife or kids (or husband) than those of us who smoke do. BUT rarely are they spoken about in a negative light compared to us smokers. |
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garhkal
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by Smoker Sympathizer
on Mon Jul 27, 2009 12:10 am |
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| When hatefulness and discrimination is allowed in any form, it is like the blob, consuming everything in its path. And it's not only allowed but encouraged in many workplaces, like those poor people who are either not hired or fired because of smoking. Employers these days seem to think they're entitled to dictate how people live their lives. They don't own us; they just rent our time. I think companies that forget that should be subject to legal action. |
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by garhkal
on Mon Jul 27, 2009 5:06 pm |
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| Well said, especially on the owning us part. IT seems that these days more and more companies are trying to push everything they can into the 'owning us' mentality. |
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garhkal
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by smallbird
on Mon Jul 27, 2009 10:45 pm |
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garhkal wrote: Well said, especially on the owning us part. IT seems that these days more and more companies are trying to push everything they can into the 'owning us' mentality.
Welcome to "1984"  |
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smallbird
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by Smoker Sympathizer
on Tue Jul 28, 2009 12:03 am |
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smallbird wrote: garhkal wrote: Well said, especially on the owning us part. IT seems that these days more and more companies are trying to push everything they can into the 'owning us' mentality.
Welcome to "1984"
I should have my English major card revoked or at least suspended because I've never read "1984". It is a major part of our cultural consciousness though, so I do get the basic gist. My quesiton, however, is how do we get to 1985? It seems that most people are aware that the book was a warning and that the warning is largely being ignored. But how do we reverse the parts that have occured and prevent the parts that haven't yet from occurring? |
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by smallbird
on Tue Jul 28, 2009 8:26 pm |
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I strongly suggest you read the book Ms. Sympathizer. It speaks of a lot of technology that was not readily available at the time it was written, but is now everywhere! Orwell was really a forward thinker. It was science fiction at the time, now it is a foretelling of the real future unless we all do something.  |
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smallbird
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by Smoker Sympathizer
on Wed Jul 29, 2009 12:20 am |
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Thank you for the advice Smallbird. I will make it a point to read "1984". While technically a workplace does have the right to restrict behavior on their property on worktime, I think the whole concept of a "smoke free" workplace is disrespectful to employees who happen to smoke. Honestly, how hard would it be to carve out a pleasant little area where people can smoke a quick cigarette and get on with their day? My guess is not very. I'll never understand the mentality of those who have a chance to make people happy at little cost to themselves and instead decide to bully and coerce them.
I think part of the problem is that a lot of people are uneasy about the direction of our society and want to do something, but they have no idea how or what, and don't want to risk their reputations for something that might not even make a difference. |
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by dumpstermcnuggets
on Wed Jul 29, 2009 3:55 pm |
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activist0000 wrote: The worst part is that if people know you smoke, they assume you are taking a smoke break every time you get up from your desk. One time I went a year without ever smoking on my employer's property, not even at lunch or on breaks. I would go the entire work day without smoking, and no one even noticed it.
One day I got up to go to the bathroom and my supervisor said, "Going on a smoke break?" It pissed me off because I realized then that he believed I was taking a smoke break every time I left my desk. I don't think he even believed me when I told him I hadn't smoked during work hours for months. I finally said to hell with the rule because it made no difference in how people perceived me anyway.
Amen, activist! I've had a few friends of mine ridiculously assume, after learning I smoke, that I'm one of those 'everyday smoker' types, when I am ANYTHING BUT an everyday smoker. I smoke only on weekends, when I socialize with friends, and once in a great while during the week(but usually not). And yes, I do realize I'm inbetween being an everyday smoker, and a social smoker, but I vowed before I begun smoking that I wouldn't become excessive(just like I do with any other vices I have, keeping them in moderation) with having a smoking habit, and am proud I've stuck with my vow since I began smoking years ago!
And of course, I definitely do not judge people negatively if they choose to smoke more than me, or less. |
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dumpstermcnuggets
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