Like the title of this entry suggests, I’m going to be talking about something I’ve always had a particularly negative opinion of: smoking. I don’t mean smoking marijuana, I only mean cigarettes (who am I to judge weed smokers?). So why am I blogging about this? Well, in class this week we went over Rogerian arguments, and our prompt for the week is this:
Find an example in the media or news where a Rogerian argument has been used or should be used. Explain why compromise helps solve the problem or alleviate the negative consequences of choosing an extreme position. BONUS: Also provide an explanation of a warrant that is present in this argument.
For those who don’t know, a Rogerian argument is an argument (duh) that focuses on agreement and compromise of an issue rather than fighting for or against a point. I chose the debate against smoking as my example because I have noticed very polar opinions about this. Smoking is dangerous, but addictive. This fact warrants arguments from both smokers and non smokers over the freedom or prohibition of cigarettes. Of course, the arguments against cigarettes stress the dangers to not only oneself but also others through second-hand smoke. The solution proposed is to ban cigarette sales completely and force smokers to quit “cold turkey.” It makes me wonder if these people realize how addiction works (they probably don’t). On the other side, debaters say, “It’s my body, I should be able to treat it however I want.” Again, there is a complete disregard for the opposing side to this argument, because the smokers’ side ignores how smoking can affect others. Both sides of this argument, in these extremes, don’t provide useful solutions. Therefore, the best solution is a compromise, which has actually already been in practice in many places in the world: designate specific areas for smoking, and prohibit it in other places, especially indoors. There are enough smoking areas to prevent nicotine withdrawals, yet they are far enough away from non smokers not to pose a threat. Also, there are numerous campaigns to try and stop smoking once and for all by showing the dangers of it through facts and/or real life stories.
I work in construction, and a vast majority of my coworkers are avid smokers. Because of this, I developed a hatred of cigarettes, due to the smell and the pain I get in my throat when I breathe it in. However, my family has a history of addiction. I’ve been warned about it my whole life, and I’ve witnessed the effects that addiction can have on a person. That being said, I still don’t like being around smokers, but I can understand their need to smoke. Being close-minded and judgmental about the situation didn’t solve anything for me. My best solution was to avoid being around them when they smoked. They get to enjoy their nicotine, and I get to enjoy not being anywhere near it.
The Alley Way 