Smoking is Cool!
It’s The New Land Rover…
The New Rolex…
The Ferrari you always wanted…
Once upon a time watches that couldn’t keep time and Cars that didn’t run were the Status Symbols of the Rich.
All you needed was a Rolex on your wrist or a Land Rover in your gara… well, in the shop… and you advertised for all who cared that you were doing so well that you could afford stuff that didn’t work. You Had Arrived!
But thanks to folks like Nanny Mike Bloomberg, things are a Changin’.
Now a Smoking Habit is all the rage for those wishing to demonstrate their ability to prolifically waste money.
It’s the New Cool…
From Movie Stars to your next door neighbor.
How did this occur?
Well, when you take something that is a mediocre product, harmful even, and Force the price up so high through taxing and regulation that ‘normal’ everyday people cannot afford it something changes… (Remember Palm Pilots? Saffron? Pepper used to be this way too, but it’s very unlikely any of you are that old.)
Why?
Because only the Rich, and those who want you to think they’re Rich, will buy them. The Genuinely Rich get to continue eating. The Rich in Name Only get the benefit of losing weight, but looking very, very hip.
That Product becomes a Talisman for all to see which says “I’m doing Awesome! In fact, I’m doing way better than you. And, I can afford this crappy item whenever I want. Nana nana nanaaa…”
I suppose there might be some honesty well after the fact of owning these things is over… I’m guessing Lung Cancer will be considered a drawback after the Coolness wears off as it’s hard to sell or give away.
Same with a Land Rover…
Ask anyone who owns one and they’ll regale you with what an ‘amazing’ and ‘wonderful’ piece of… equipment… it is. But return after they have sold it and you get the truth. Prepare yourself by setting aside an hour or so to listen to the horror stories of wasted time and vast black hole of expense associated with such items whose equity is built entirely on Status making for a very small and inexpensive secondary market. But Rich people can often lose the kind of money that would make the rest consider stepping in front of a bus…
I have stated before my Love of Rich People. My opinion has not changed.
They are the Guinea Pigs for the rest of us. Companies experiment on them and the only the best ideas find their way down to the masses (me). I like it that way. Rich folks can afford to waste their money-making my life better. Bless their Hearts.
But I just can’t figure out how smoking fits into that paradigm… unless removing themselves in the slowest possible way from being a long-term healthcare burden on the rest of us is taken into account. However, I don’t give most folks the credit for thinking that far ahead, or being that benevolent.
Regardless of how turns out in the long run I will always be fascinated be the unintended consequences created by The Meddlers like Bloomberg, et al.
The hilarity of it all makes me want to light up.
And sip another Whiskey.
makeaneffort 