malignant badness
Remember the first time you smoked a cigarette? When you coughed so hard that you thought you’d throw out your lungs? You were coughing so hard that you were literally in tears. But you did it again. So how did it go on your second cigarette? And third, and fourth, and after two or three packs? Did you notice how tolerable it becomes as you get the hang of it? Your body has become insensitive to its effects. You adapted to how it affects your body.
No replace the word “cigarette” with a different vice, like drinking, stealing, adultery, corruption. Same analogy. Same thing right? You get guilty the first few times you did it, but then after a while, it doesn’t seem bad at all. You get used to doing it. No wonder our government sucks. We raise hell and get all angry when we find a new “scandal,” but after a few weeks or months, we get tired and not bother anymore.
It’s just funny how really bad things become something much more tolerable. We seem to justify it with smooth words. There was a time when smoking and drinking was considered a vice. But we have forgotten what a vice really is. Go ahead, google it.
See? But now, smoking, drinking, PMS, adultery, stealing, etc., are transliterated into something much more appealing, we now call it “freedom.” When somebody tries to stop you from doing these things, people say your “freedom” is suppressed, when it was once considered a vice. Here’s a funny example: When you’re poor and you drink a lot, people call you lasenggo. But if you’re rich, we call it social drinking. Smooth words. Real smooth.
I used to have a lot of vices. I probably even had and/or did all of it. I’m just like everybody else. I was young. I got curious. I tried it. And I enjoyed it. But then I realized it wasn’t something I want to do all my life. Driving home from Paranaque to Manila in the wee hours of the morning, drunk and stinking of cigarettes, and almost hitting that balut vendor and that jeepney with a few passengers wasn’t something I want to get used to. I feared that I might go numb and look for something “stronger.” So I gave it all up. I never looked back.
I am not trying to sound noble, or superior, or anything. This is just a wild wonderment, a brain fart if you will. Something I’ve been thinking for weeks now. Maybe it’s because of the Holy Week. A time to repent.
Brain fart. I like that. Other form of thinking out loud. I’ve never tried smoking and heavy drinking. Which sometimes I think I should have tried while I was still young. Heeehee. But seriously, there are so many things that seem right just because of the practice. It’s everywhere.
i’ve learned a lot from the stupid things i’ve done. they have been part of my life, and I am not ashamed of them. glad to say that i have learned from them
yes, we’ve all done stupid things in our lives…but the important thing is that we know when to stop, move the opposite direction, and, just as your have done, never look back!
kg´s last blog post..The legacy of The Legacy Group
I remember smoking a stick of cigarette out of my persistent curiosity. For some reason I’m pretty firm when it comes to decisions like that and it never happened again!
Ha, we may be receiving loads of advice but, personally, my own experiences seem to hit me the hardest.
Wits: Yup. A brain fart. Never tried huh? Well you didn’t miss much. Saludo ako sa iyo. My point too. Just because everybody’s doing it doesn’t make it right.
kg: The best thing here is that we learn from every mistake (no matter how stupid). One great irony is from doing something stupid, we get something awesome and amazing hindi ba?
obscure0bject: Me too. I did it because everybody was doing it. But after some time, I realized that it’s just not me.
Nearing graduation in college, I thought of myself being the very serious student sHenG who has never tried anything bad to demean myself in school nd my personality, I went with a friend, and tried lighting one. The smoke hit my lungs like bitter ash, and I had to cough myself out of the experience.
There was a dance somewhere near the flat where I was staying, my friends were asking me to go and just watch, I just can’t. A friend brought s Stallion. I had a gulp, And I got another gulp, until I was red all over. My head spinned like crazy, and I thought I was conforming to the world.
The dizziness downed when I had a cup of tea, and I went to sleep.
When I woke up the next day, I had a splitting headache, I realized how stupid I was the night before… and I never went back to any of those things… even if it means socializing….
sheng´s last blog post..Introducing…
Those were some of the happy days of my life ( yosi, hard drinks, disco hahaha… concert). Being carefree and all ahhhh…. But I never regret any of it. Just like you and everyone else. I had a good time. Since everyone was doing it I thought I should too. But soon I realized it was just not for me. I just hope AJ will grow up to be a very good girl. Hahaha…
jetty´s last blog post..I’m TIRED!!!
I hear yah.
When I was in my first year of college, I tried social smoking. It’s that type of smoking where you’ll puff a cig or 2 whenever you go on a nightout with friends -old and new, and believe me, I go out every single weekend . Then I realized that it doesn’t make sense to me to be thrashing my health when I know that I’ll be accepted by people whether I smoke or not. I also realized that smoking is not cool. So, I quit cold turkey. Never regretted quitting. Now, I still have my evil vices. Vices such as dining out, taking trips, drinking coffee and consuming lots of dark chocolates.
whenever i see people who “chameleoned” themselves into a group just to feel belonged or they’d smoke and drink so they’d be labeled “cool”, i sometimes feel envious, bakit sila, kaya nila? then I’d start regretting not smoking and social drinking in college. but nah, i’d look TH hehe. it’s not my thing.
kaka´s last blog post..Facebook and Breastfeeding
nung college, di naiiwasan ang peer pressure. pero motto ko nun, it’s better to be alone than in bad company. i never tried drinking or smoking and wala ako pinagsisihan dun. you don’t have to do the same things just to be in the “flow” lalo na kung mali diba?
dyanie´s last blog post..Revisiting Cebu
Good for you!
Hmmm, I never tried a single stick in my entire life… always hated the smell of cigarettes. I guess peer pressure has never been a problem too because I never liked going along with what’s “IN” with the crowd. My vices are probably less serious,… maybe even funny. So I’ll probably just keep for with myself.
Garando´s last blog post..Our Backpack Chronicles: New Delhi (part 1)
Sheng: There are other forms of socializing. It doesn’t need to have alcohol and smoking.
Jetty: Part of becoming a parent is realizing how your kid will become later on. Let’s all hope we get the good kid.
Dyosa: Real friends will stay with you no matter how “uncool” you might be. I like your vices. I have those too.
Ka: People who are with those “friends” have no idea how superficial a friendship like that is.
Dyanie: Tumpak! Kung “in” tumalon sa tulay ng Pasig, tatalon ka ba?
Garando: Like I said, you didn’t miss much.
Add A Comment