Smoke a cigarette, grab a drink, drop a bet…it can all be somewhat enjoyable, somewhat exciting, and somewhat relaxing. Cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and gambling are some of the most popular of human pleasures. So then why in the end is it all so bad for you?
Cigarettes, alcohol, and gambling are vices that they – corporate America – push you to do, then punish you for doing it, and then make more money through their rehabilitation services.
It’s really ironic how Corporate America actively promotes smoking, the consumption of alcohol, and the playing of games of chance…KNOWING that it can all be harmful to the consumer, and that once addicted, will require extremely hard work and dedication to turn it off, if that is even possible for a lot of people.
So why even start? What the lure? Is it that some people have addictive personalities? Is it the romance of what it all appears to be on TV…in the movies? Is it all marketing genius that gets an individual to try something, to use it, even with the knowledge that the probably of harm is fairly good?
What is it that coerces a person to do something that could very well destroy them?
Cigarettes are the first step to addiction.
Let’s push them to do it.
Cigarette companies are huge corporations and they make a LOT of money. A lot of the companies had some of the catchiest slogans and most iconic commercials on TV. Until it was all stopped. Because of the health consequences of smoking cigarettes.
Punish them for doing it.
Did you ever wonder why people in other countries don’t suffer as much from the health problems of smoking cigarettes as people in the US? There are manufacturing differences, much like in food products. The people of this country get punished for cigarette smoking with emphysema, lung cancer, throat cancer, etc. For some people, smoking is a death sentence.
Over 16 million Americans are living with a smoking-related disease. Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body, causing a multitude of diseases – smoking and secondhand smoke exposure actually cause over 480,000 deaths in the U.S. each year.
Then get them into a rehab to stop them from doing it.
Because of the nicotine in American cigarettes, smokers become easily and quickly addicted. Therefore, they need help…medical and psychological treatment to overcome the addiction. Some people can do it, but most people, even if they are able to stop for a short time, never seem to be able to totally extract themselves as a part of the smoking population.
Alcohol starts out as a social act, often becomes an escape, but then the person is trapped in addiction.
Let’s push them to do it.
Beer ads. Wine ads. Liquor ads. They all are directed at different parts of the population, but all encouraging you to drink alcohol. Like everything, consuming alcohol is fine and good in moderation. However, how often do you see that someone must have “just one more” to drink? One leads to two which leads to three. And for the most part, when there is drunkenness, there is usually a problem that emerges. Ask anyone how a fight, an accident, an illicit affair started…and quite often it will have started with “too much alcohol.” Alcoholism is an addiction that is a constant battle.
Punish them for doing it.
After you’re hooked, and you’re an alcoholic, you will pay the price. Because your actions while under the influence will cause a multitude of problems. Your life could fall apart and there will very likely be legal actions for laws broken and damages caused.
Then get them into a rehab to stop them from doing it.
AA is one of the most popular support groups in the country. Why? Because way too many people have to become a member and utilize that support system. Some people will even have to go to a rehabilitation and detoxification facility because simply saying “No” won’t cut it.
Gambling is a totally unnecessary game that just takes advantage of the weak for corporate profiteering.
Let’s push them to do it.
Whereas gambling was frowned upon, especially around professional sports, now there are gambling corporations that are active sponsors of major sports teams and the sports themselves. There has proven to be so lucrative that the sports world has caved in to the guaranteed revenue stream.
Gambling is probably the most enticing of these vices. Because you THINK you have a chance of winning big. But you never actually win at gambling. You may win at the beginning, a little carrot dangling in front of your face. And they WANT you to win initially because that will make you want to play even more. But, then, ZAP! You lose everything. But you keep playing because you think you will make it back. But that never happens. The house always wins and they bleed you dry.
Punish them for doing it.
Eventually, gamblers end up owing out large sums of money. They can’t pay their bills and they lose everything – their cars, their homes, everything. You are eventually on skid row, that’s your penance.
Then get them into a rehab to stop them from doing it.
Once they bleed you dry, then, much like AA, they have Gamblers Anonymous. You are committed to the system’s rehabilitation program in order to get yourself out of the jam that the profiteering capitalistic system cajoled you into.
Enjoy the simple pleasures in life…until they are no longer so simple.
