June 01, 2005
QOTD
via kiruba
A draconian move by the Indian government. Usually, I don't like any bans or laws that ban something. If people are stupid enough to do it, they deserve to die. But, this law, I like. It sure would help to deglamourize smoking among illiterates of India. The literates, who continue to smoke even after knowing the hazard, get no sympathy from me. They deserve to suffer and die.
Posted by Parag at June 1, 2005 08:54 AM | TrackBack
I hate smoking too! especially those who smoke in public with no regard for others.
Posted by: Shine at June 2, 2005 10:32 AMi think its silly to ban it ... people will smoke no matter what. the govt. has done its bit with a statutory warning.
here comes the cliche mundane bit, be ready for it:)
irrespective of how sidey hindi movies are, films and movies in genral are supposed to be a means of creative expression. for a lot of directors (the johars and chopras of this world certainly not included), it is a means to convey what to the viewers what exists in the world around us. smoking certainly does, and bannign it in movies is not going to change it.
if you think they desrve to die anyway, why bother. ban on smokig in public - yes, fine! but in movies? cmon ... its nonsense. there is enough crap in movies that we could do without, why single out smoking.
Posted by: Aditya at June 2, 2005 11:42 AMAditya: I agree with freedom of expression and that is why I don't like any bans either, but, I think this is a little different. I am talking about illiterates and star-struck kids who can't/don't read the statutory warnings. They are exactly the same people who watch only the Johar and Chopra sidey movies. They worship the heroes on screen as Gods and want to do everything that they see being done on the screen.
why single out smoking?
Running around trees, singing songs or doing other stupid things are not necessarily injurious to physical health (effect on mental health is a different issue). Hence, are not the same as smoking.
The people who watch the other kind of movies that depict the real world are not in this same situation. They know the hazards if they take up or continue smoking. And, they I think deserve to suffer and die for their deliberate mistakes.
Posted by: Parag at June 2, 2005 04:32 PMi agree - 'why only smoking' is a very lame argument. but i do not think that banning smokingin films is the solution. smoking a hukka or a bidi is a way of life in india, probably more so in rural india. chewing pan or tambaku is just an extended version of this ... and has been for years now. whether someoen does it on screen is not going to change it.
but you do set a precedent of draconian rules to supposedly improve the lot of people. do yoou stop there, why not stop alcohol use in films - since wife beating and other alcohol abuse effects are more likely (i have no statistics here, just perception) in the same rural folks who watch these movies.
to put this in an extreme perspective: democracy is good ... but better authoritarian than libertarian for the good of the people?
check out gaurav's post on this topic
