A long time ago, I worked at a resort as a waitress. We would get two to four hour breaks in between meals. When I started working there, I did not smoke, but I started up again shortly, there was nothing else to do on the breaks.
Upstairs, with the non-smokers, no one was ever talking to each other and they would just sit and read by themselves. Downstairs, it was like a party, we were all happy and chatty. Once, while downstairs, someone there mentioned that smokers were much more sociable then non-smokers. From that example, I would have to agree.
Well, there are two women in our office who smoke. One will say hi to me. The other hasn’t spoken to me in the 2.5 years I’ve been here. But I don’t think that has anything to do with her smoking. I think she’s just a grouch.
My circle of friends is pretty much non-smoking. We’re as noisy and rowdy and silly as anyone. So I can’t agree with you. It’s all a matter of personalities, I’m guessing.
I’d say that it was possible. I mean, with cigarettes, their is a possible social atmosphere, where you ask to borrow a light or a cigarette. It’s a way to break the ice.
I know plenty of friendly non-smokers, but I’ve heard some waiters mention that they’d rather serve the smoking section because the people are friendlier in that situation.
The smokers I run into are rude jerks. Think about it. They smoke anytime anyplace they feel like it, elevators, restaurant, at the doorways of buildings, in movie theaters (and refuse to put it out when the employees ask them to), in very explicit “No Smoking” places, and on and on. And, IMHO, this disregard towards others carries over into a lot of other social situations. People with that kind of attitude towards others are hardly “friendly” in my vocabulary.
I think it’s the waitressing. I didn’t smoke until I started waiting, and now only smoke when I’m either at work or drinking. Maybe it has something to do with some smokers being orally fixated, and talking is a form of using your mouth.
And ftg and others who hate those of us who do have the occational ciggie: Ever considered that perhaps you don’t associate the non-obnoxious smokers AS smokers? You notice them because they’re being jerks and/or smell, not because they smoke. You wouldn’t notice a smoker who DIDN’T smell.
I’d say that it definitely gives us something in common. We’re generally given a small area to smoke in, so we become pretty familiar with one another in a shorter amount of time than our non-smoking counterparts.
I wouldnt assume that non-smokers were automatically unfriendly.
(At least not until I read through this thread. Good grief.)
I don’t know, most seem pretty obnoxious with the whole killing-others-with-second-hand-smoke and tossing-cigarette-butts-every-goddamn-place-they-go thing.
Smokers are definitely friendlier, and those that smoke in offices, make very strong friendships with the other smokers - doesnt matter if the person next to you outside, is a vice president, clerk, or a janitor, all are friends and all are sociable.
Were it not for the new non-smoking rules, you would not see so many managers and vice presidents talking as friends to so many others in lower positions. You would not see so many from different departments, and different ways of life, all together outside as friends. You would never see so many from so many different classes, talking to each other about so many different personal things.
I don’t know about smokers being sociable, but now I have a theory about nonsmokers being meaner. I remember when I was a nonsmoker I didn’t go out of my way to say something to someone, that they’ve no doubt heard a billion times, at every opportunity i get. And I never was that bothered by smokers. I think it’s this new anti-smoking campaign where nonsmokers are encouraged to feel they’ve been horribly wronged by smokers.
When I don’t think smokers are naturally more social, but I do believe smoking pushes people together and they form a sort of a kinship. We’re doing something ‘wrong’ together and are somewhat like partners in crime.
…Well that’s how i see it.
Xavier That’s disgusting. What kind of smokers do you know?
Good grief.)