7 ms·

This stuff just strikes me as very petty. Something about smoking or smokers just drives people a bit crazy. Before she retired, my mom would regularly bitch to

This stuff just strikes me as very petty. Something about smoking or smokers just drives people a bit crazy. Before she retired, my mom would regularly bitch to me about the smoke breaks her coworkers took. She’d say “maybe I’d like to just go outside for a little walk”. So do it then! The smoking is bad of course, but the specific focus on it, to me, feels pretty hinky. How about taking breaks every once in a while because you work hard, and you’re a human, not a robot? That should be ok without the passive-aggressive framing. I dunno. Just seems a bit “off” to me.

internetman55 9y ago
That's what I do (just periodically go for walks outside). Some managers don't like it, but I usually just ignore them (sorry dawg, my health is more important to me than pretending to be productive for your sake). I usually ended up getting a lot more done when I was doing it as well.
wlesieutre 9y ago
The reason your mom was complaining is that if she just went outside for a little walk, she'd probably get written up and eventually fired because only smokers are allowed to take those breaks at most workplaces. If you have a boss who's more fair about it, that's great, but I don't think it's typical. This is especially true for places on timeclocks, probably less if you're salaried.
- draw_down 9y ago
  Sorry, I don’t buy it. I think people tell themselves that to justify why those evil smokers have hearted the system! Obviously it is ok to take a break if people are taking breaks to smoke.
  - wlesieutre 9y ago
    I agree with you, but just because it's obvious to you or me doesn't mean it's obvious to anyone else. Have you never had a manager who enjoyed micromanaging and enforcing rules pointlessly? If you haven't personally, have you never even heard of someone else having such a manager? If a company wants to have breaks for smokers only, there's nothing stopping them: http://www.hrhero.com/hl/articles/2015/07/31/are-for-smokers-only-breaks-unfair-maybe-but-usually-not-illegal/ http://www.hrhero.com/hl/articles/2015/07/31/are-for-smokers...
  - SolaceQuantum 9y ago
    Is it actually okay? I used to work in places where it was questioned why I went to the bathroom as often as I did, but smoke breaks were fine.
  - s73ver_ 9y ago
    Take one of those jobs and find out.
zeveb 9y ago
> Something about smoking or smokers just drives people a bit crazy. I think that there must be some sort of human need to have a group to hate, and that in the West today that unlucky group is smokers. One may say the worst things about them in any social or business setting — that they are stupid, filthy, foolish, whatever — without any risk of being contradicted, indeed with the expectation that everyone will agree with you. When I started at my job, the head of HR noted where the (outdoor, uncovered, across a street) smoking area was, 'but I don't think you're that sort of person.' He'd never have felt free to say that about other behavioural choices. I suspect that part of it is that smokers were so dominant for so long that those who suffered in the past are enjoying having the upper hand.
- ams6110 9y ago
  > One may say the worst things about them in any social or business setting — stupid, filthy, foolish, whatever — without any risk of being contradicted, indeed with the expectation that everyone will agree with you Trump voters, conservatives in general often feel this as well.
  - s73ver_ 9y ago
    Please do not try to taint this discussion with the idea that Trump voters are the real victims.

internetman55 9y ago

That's what I do (just periodically go for walks outside). Some managers don't like it, but I usually just ignore them (sorry dawg, my health is more important to me than pretending to be productive for your sake). I usually ended up getting a lot more done when I was doing it as well.

wlesieutre 9y ago

The reason your mom was complaining is that if she just went outside for a little walk, she'd probably get written up and eventually fired because only smokers are allowed to take those breaks at most workplaces. If you have a boss who's more fair about it, that's great, but I don't think it's typical. This is especially true for places on timeclocks, probably less if you're salaried.

draw_down 9y ago
Sorry, I don’t buy it. I think people tell themselves that to justify why those evil smokers have hearted the system! Obviously it is ok to take a break if people are taking breaks to smoke.
- wlesieutre 9y ago
  I agree with you, but just because it's obvious to you or me doesn't mean it's obvious to anyone else. Have you never had a manager who enjoyed micromanaging and enforcing rules pointlessly? If you haven't personally, have you never even heard of someone else having such a manager? If a company wants to have breaks for smokers only, there's nothing stopping them: http://www.hrhero.com/hl/articles/2015/07/31/are-for-smokers-only-breaks-unfair-maybe-but-usually-not-illegal/ http://www.hrhero.com/hl/articles/2015/07/31/are-for-smokers...
- SolaceQuantum 9y ago
  Is it actually okay? I used to work in places where it was questioned why I went to the bathroom as often as I did, but smoke breaks were fine.
- s73ver_ 9y ago
  Take one of those jobs and find out.

zeveb 9y ago

> Something about smoking or smokers just drives people a bit crazy. I think that there must be some sort of human need to have a group to hate, and that in the West today that unlucky group is smokers. One may say the worst things about them in any social or business setting — that they are stupid, filthy, foolish, whatever — without any risk of being contradicted, indeed with the expectation that everyone will agree with you. When I started at my job, the head of HR noted where the (outdoor, uncovered, across a street) smoking area was, 'but I don't think you're that sort of person.' He'd never have felt free to say that about other behavioural choices. I suspect that part of it is that smokers were so dominant for so long that those who suffered in the past are enjoying having the upper hand.

ams6110 9y ago
> One may say the worst things about them in any social or business setting — stupid, filthy, foolish, whatever — without any risk of being contradicted, indeed with the expectation that everyone will agree with you Trump voters, conservatives in general often feel this as well.
- s73ver_ 9y ago
  Please do not try to taint this discussion with the idea that Trump voters are the real victims.