by which I mean cigarettes, are my topic of today.
I'm going to rant a bit. So what's new, right.
Most people (hopefully) understand why cigarettes suck. You know, the whole paying for an early death thing. The whole cancer thing, mouth rotting thing, children having asthma thing.
We've heard all of this. What brings me here today is a certain group of smokers- the anarcho-punk-rebel smokers. You know the type- they were the studded belts, black hoodies or black jean jackets, punk band patches on their arms, skinny pants. Cigarette in mouth.
I used to hang out with this crowd. I would mosh with them at punk house shows, go to protests, wear duct tape on my mouth, hell I even wore all black and studded belts and shit. I had my first and only cigarette from one of these friends.
Last night I went to Occupy Oakland, and I went with a group of similar minded folks. On the way to the BART, on the long march from the port to camp, they burned through cigarette after cigarette.
And with all the "Fuck corporations" "Fuck capitalism" it seemed almost laughable. Are you serious?
Now the list of hypocrisies by anti-corporation "anarchists" could go on forever, but many of them I think are somewhat excusable. Buying only locally made food and clothes is extremely costly in terms of both time and money, and turning to products of large corporations is sometimes the only option for people of lower incomes. You need food, you need clothes.
Cigarettes, however, are not only the products of large corporations; they are necessary and harmful products.
Nothing is a bigger example of how corporations can control people. Tobacco companies are so successful at manipulation they have convinced people to buy a product that is known to be harmful to themselves and others.
And yet anarchist after anarchist will smoke cig after cig, condemning corruption and greed and corporations.
Guess what? You are the bitch of those corporations.
Some people will say, I got addicted when I was young because of X family member or friend. Undoubtedly this is the case for some people.
But it is also definitely the case that it is part of the culture. Anarcho-punks complete their "rebel" look by having a smoking cig coming out of their mouth. Just like I had my first cigarette when a girl with a studded belt and dyed hair offered one to me, generations of punks will have started the same way.
So I'm begging of you, anarcho-punks. Ditch your arrogant belief that you are a human among sheep. If you smoke you are giving your money to corporation to die earlier and give young children breathing difficulties.
Be different. Rebel.
Next time your green mohawked friend whips out a cig bitchslap that shit right out of his mouth.
