I do not promote smoking! However, smoking has an ingrained mysticism attached to it in our society. Smoking ascended to immense heights in the first three quarters of the twentieth century. Smoking was not only wildly popular but a broadly acceptable social habit. Smoking was marketed as and accepted to be sexy, mysterious, a trait of outgoing behavior, a symbol of rugged individuality [sic] and status (if you smoked the right brand while you drank the right whiskey). Movie stars smoked. Presidents smoked. Newscasters smoked while anchoring the news live on television! It seemed, for a long while, that everybody smoked with abandon.

Enter the very late twentieth century and today. The act of, conversation regarding or even the contemplation of smoking has transformed into the social bane of enlightened [sic] society (and for good reason). It kills the smoker. It kills those around the smoker. It damages our environment and corrupts us as one of the few (still legal) personal crutches. Everybody agrees, publicly or in secret, that smoking is, well... bad for everybody.

But still! Even in an era of "quit", "don't start", "I don't date smokers" and "i'll sue this restaurant if you allow anyone to smoke in here while I'm dining"... the visual allure and mysticism of smoking survives. If you dig around on deviantArt you will find that some of the most popular photographs are of people engaged in the act of smoking. Most are gratuitous while others are more profoundly rooted in the subject's character. Whatever the reason, even people who don't smoke and even vilify people who do publicly or privately enjoy the imagery of smoking.

I smoke! You shouldn't. Quit. Don't start. Don't date a smoker and I'll sue your restaurant if you allow anyone to smoke in here while I'm dining.

Light'em up!