Why Do Smokers?

Some Light of a Sort on an Old Problem Why Do Smokers?

Why do smokers smoke? Do they smoke to confirm their adulthood; as a substitute for a feeling of ' m P ortan^ e ; v b^ they think it accelerates their inspiration; because they have a longing for adventure?

)R. H. B. CYRAN, who graduated in medicine from the University of Posnung, Poland, and who ;ow lives in Sydney and takes a secial interest in psychology, has een looking into the smoking habit utely, and has produced a paper in the subject which he suspects :iay be of interest to the tobacco ims.

If Islands residents have any rguments about his views they may <et a chance to discuss them with dm face to face. He hopes he may .e able to work in the South Pacific.

These are the points he makes m smoking in his paper, “Investi gations Into Motives Underlying the iabit Of Tobacco Smoking”.

The Reasons

The basic motives for smoking, le says, can be divided into two croups— the needs rooted in an in iividual—and the needs rooted in a cultural group. There is no sharp iemarcation line. Among those reasons are: Confirmation of Adulthood: The unchallenged youthful smoker finds confirmation of his virility. Smok ing is an ego booster.

Substitute for Feeling of Import ance: The muscular form of the cheeks, which is achieved by holding a cigar or cigarette in the mouth, is that of roundness, and it is identical to the “blown up” position adopted by boastful, impertinent or self-sure people. The more central the holding position of the cig arette, the more ego-centric the smoker.

Need for Concentration: The bowl of a pipe, the glowing end of a cigarette, constitutes a central point which assists in gathering the stray thoughts. The converging angle of the eyes created by manipulating the smoking item, assists the con centration of thought.

Spanish Wall Effect : In a difficult situation, where a postponement of decision, or a crushing effect of speech is required, the time in volved in lighting a smoke provides a Spanish wall between the two sides —a time stretching effect.

Replacement for Missing Appreci ation: After a task has been per formed, the ego demands apprecia

tion, and this is given by a pre mium “have a smoke”. (It stresses a point that all life is a constant give and take).

On the Threshold of Adventure Complex: This is from the associa tion of the effects produced by the bluish smoke of the burning tobacco, with the bluish haze of the distant horizon, beyond which lies adven ture. There are also associations with memories of actual adventure, such as burning logs in camp fires, pioneering days, burning autumn leaves, haze on distant shores.

A Craze to he Free from Obsession ; Freedom and a feeling of the wide open spaces, from associations with the bluish smoke, its free and con stant run and change of pattern — all as a remedy for congested, re stricted, oppressed and pre-deter mined patterns of present-day be haviour.

Missing Link Provision : In periods of waiting or of boredom, and in intervals between actions, smoking constitutes a continuation of activity, which prevents the rise of a feeling of unrest or irritation.

Feeling of Traditional Unity. The desire of identification with a social group (“What was good enough for my father and grandfather is good enough for me”). This provides a second grade feeling of security, de-

rived from a sense of uninterrupted continuity.

Inspiration Accelerator ; The free run of smoke and unrestrained de velopment of pattern can trigger in spiration.

Secondary Reasons

According to Dr. Cyran, there are also secondary reasons for smoking.

There are: Epicurean Complex: This is a sense of fullness, a desire to top up the good things, to round off everything in a harmonious unit — e.g., after a good meal, a good smoke.

Misconstrued Belief : That smok ing is a remedy for nervousness, obeisity, for sleeplessness.

Prestudied Effects ; The desire to give himself a variety of airs—e.g., (a) preoccupation —the smoker talks with a cigarette in his mouth, (b) carelessness —the smoker waves the

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With a cigarette like this, perhaps you could obey doctor's orders and cut down your smoking to only one a day!

Members of New Guinea's Pacific Islands Regiment, on a recent visit to Sydney, inspect the results of a cigarette making machine at W. D. & H 0. Wills' factory at Raleigh Park.

Why does this islander smoke? With a pipe like that, we'd guess it probably has some thing to do with what Dr. Cyran refers to as a substitute for a feeling of importance.

smoking item (which is an eye catcher in itself), in a sweeping motion, (c) nonchalancy the smoker keeps the smoking item hanging out of the corner of his mouth, (d) poise—the smoker uses a long cigarette holder and operates it elaborately.

Australian Smoking

According to Dr. Cyran, a youth set on proving his adolescence will smoke in spite of nausea and vomit ing. And many adults disregard what they have been told about dangers from lung cancer and con tinue to smoke because the basic motives underlying their egos are stronger than reason.

Where, he asks, could you find a more exemplary gesture of em phasising manhood than in the gesture of tossing away the butt before starting a fight? (Over)