Smoker, attitude and discipline.
Few days ago, I was having lunch with my friend at next building cafeteria. The building’ location is in Jakarta business district where high raised building crammed. White collar workers swarming the streets at lunch hour looking for places to rest and lunch.
Those white collar workers are educated workers, I believe most of them have degrees from reputable university. You know, attitude and education are not always aligned. They may have good education but attitude and discipline are not.
After we get our foods, we try to find a good spot to sit. We found a spot next to the way in that not too crowded and hot since air circulations are better. It’s an open air cafeteria. We were eating peacefully until a man sat on the opposite side of the long table.
He start to light his cigarette immediately. I know it’s open air but, he didn’t even care whether people around him will be bothered or not by the smoke. Oh yes, it’s in the middle while we having our lunch.
It’s been deeply rooted in our culture, toleration value, but not in good sense. We tolerate when they smoke BUT they never tolerate to non smoker around him. I don’t know what inside their mind, doesn’t know or doesn’t care to non smoker.
It’s common secret in Indonesia, law enforcement is not being upheld strictly and consistently. Not long ago the government just issue new law to prohibit to smoke in public places. The “echo” was sustained for weeks only. After that, it’s just like the law never existed before. Pathetic isn’t it?
We can’t count on the awareness to make the smoker care nor the law for now. We should educate children, the next generation to have the awareness and discipline. Even though the result is not immediately but in the long run the result will be solid. Let’s learn from Singapore, they take generations to educate citizen to have discipline, until the old generations are “phased out”.
In this case, I can get angry and furious to the smoker but that won’t make things better. I chose to tell the world to be aware. Would you take your part?
@Robby: Kepikir aja pak,...
ah, gua jg sebelll banget nih.
di gedung kantor gua udah disediain space buat merokok di lt. 4, tapiiii masih ada aja yg ngerokok di tangga darurat lt. 3, bikin bete!!
tiap kali gua turun dari lt. 4 ke lt. 3 dan ketemu mereka, langsung pasang jutek mode on dan jalannya sengaja dihentak2in supaya mereka pusing (tau sendiri dong gimana bergemanya tangga darurat itu, hehehe), apalagi kalo ada salah satunya yg lagi online di telp, sukurinnnnn.
jadi curhat disini.
sesama korban saling berbagi gitu loh.
I wish I can fart anytime I want and donate some gas while pass thru the smoker.
I must admit, those comments coming from an Indonesia, is quite rare…well actually, a lot of people think like you, but prefer to stay quiet. We never know what those people can turn out to be. Something you need to know, Since the “MERDEKA” of Indonesia, citizens of the country miss understood the meaning of the word. They’re actually have the freedom to do whatever they want. Breaking laws is one of the biggest freedom they have. And it doesn’t stop about the smoking law, but everything…the most common one, is the bribery to the police, which not even the government take care of. No actions was ever made about this. Freedom to cut trees everywhere, freedom to throw your garbage everywhere, water, streets etc.
All this come from discipline. And all this start from the education people receive at home. Keep letting your kids out late at night, keep watching those boring “Sinetron” which teach the watchers to act like assholes, smoking is cool etc.
By the way! Did you know that the law prohibit cigarettes “Iklan” on streets board? Take a good look on Sudirman, or any other main streets in Jakarta, flags sponsors, big LA Light, Djarum…Now, when i think that Canada F1 has ban every logo sponsors of cigarettes, which is punishable by law, jail, find. The Indonesian government would do so much money if they were just more strict about it. Cigarettes company would have to pay big amounts for those infractions.
Anyway, i could talk a lot about this. Maybe another time.
We respect the smokers, but smokers do not respect the non-smokers.
Thanks Marc for your comment. Well, I guess I can start to “break the egg” and let the message spreading.
Long time no see marc, let’s play diablo again :D, btw it’s about to get to the third installment. Can’t wait to check it out.