The US is also really part of that 'passionate convert' mentality. The world as a whole has been living with terrorism for over fifty years now and they seem to be a whole lot better adapted to it. Whereas the US more or less just discovered it four years ago, and they're like a smoker who's just quit and is now out to make sure everybody knows how bad smoking is.
That smoker has come up to me a few times... I just wish I had the gumption to say what a friend of mine did to a guy at Disneyland...
"Excuse me, but smoking is bad for you and.." "Are you calling me an idiot?" "i..uhm...no...." "Then why do you come up here touting information that everyone on this planet knows already as if I have never heard it before?" "uhm... I uh... just thought..." "No, you didn't. You thought you would be a self-righteous pompous-ass and come up here and try and prove how much better you are than me because I smoke and you don't. Well I hate to tell you Mister, but I know smoking is bad for me and I chose to do it anyway, It's part of living in a free country, I can do what I enjoy doing. Now if you don't mind, your Communist ass is blocking my ashtray."
You might have difficulty getting your ex-smoker to follow your script. I'd suggest something shorter & pithier:
"You know, smoking is bad for your health." [No change of expression]"Thank you. You have changed my life." [blows smoke in face.] "Really. Thanks. Did you know that masturbation causes carpal tunnel?"
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2005-07-07 12:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-07-07 12:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-07-07 12:45 pm (UTC)Just make sure to footnote properly or the instructor will have to dock you points. (:
no subject
Date: 2005-07-07 12:57 pm (UTC)"Excuse me, but smoking is bad for you and.."
"Are you calling me an idiot?"
"i..uhm...no...."
"Then why do you come up here touting information that everyone on this planet knows already as if I have never heard it before?"
"uhm... I uh... just thought..."
"No, you didn't. You thought you would be a self-righteous pompous-ass and come up here and try and prove how much better you are than me because I smoke and you don't. Well I hate to tell you Mister, but I know smoking is bad for me and I chose to do it anyway, It's part of living in a free country, I can do what I enjoy doing. Now if you don't mind, your Communist ass is blocking my ashtray."
Oh to be young again.
no subject
Date: 2005-07-07 01:11 pm (UTC)"You know, smoking is bad for your health."
[No change of expression]"Thank you. You have changed my life."
[blows smoke in face.]
"Really. Thanks. Did you know that masturbation causes carpal tunnel?"
no subject
Date: 2005-07-07 01:49 pm (UTC)I thought it was "Did you know that every time you masturbate God kills a kitten."