Saturday, February 7

A passage from UPSC Question Paper


It is true that the smokers cause some nuisance to the non-smokers, but this nuisance is physical while the nuisance that the non-smokers cause the smokers is spiritual. There are, of course, a lot of non-smokers who don't try to interfere with the smokers. It is sometimes assumed that the non-smokers are morally superior, not realizing that they have missed one of the greatest pleasures of mankind. I am willing to allow that smoking is a moral weakness, but on the other hand we must beware of a man without weakness. He is not to be trusted. He is apt to be always sober and he cannot make a single mistake. His habits are too regular, his existence too mechanical and his head always maintains its supremacy over his heart. Much as I like reasonable persons, I hate completely rational beings. For that reason, I am always scared and ill at ease when I enter a house in which there are no ash-trays. The room is apt to be too clean and orderly, and the people are apt to be correct and unemotional. Now the moral and spiritual benefits of smoking have never been appreciated by these correct, righteous, unemotional and unpoetic souls. In my opinion the smokers' morality is, on the whole, higher than that of the non-smokers. The man with a pipe in his mouth is the man after my heart. He is more genial, more open-hearted, and he is often brilliant in conversation. As Thackeray observes, "The pipe draws wisdom from the lips, of the philosopher and shuts up the mouth of the foolish; it generates a style of conversation that is contemplative, thoughtful, benevolent and unaffected."

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gosh! This ought to be THE most stupid piece I have read till date. "contemplative, thoughtful, benevolent and unaffected"!!!-the most incorrect use of the words. It is not about being sober but about making choices-that are good for you.
Correctly said that one ought to be beware of a person without weaknesses but what about a person who has a weakness that his very harmful for his own self? I think such a person is more dangerous...
Whoever put such stuff in UPSC question paper!

Anonymous said...

Dear Raj
i know what made you to post this passage over here.
I respect your feelings and emotions.
off course nobody will accept that what i am doing is wrong.
everybody says i am right.
and its perfectly fine.
But i still think that smoking and drinking is a social evil.

Prashant said...

Where is the new post you've been promising since last week?? :P

Unknown said...

@ Prashant....

soon! Very soon! Keep your fingers crossed!

@ Preeti

Individuality, my dear!

@ anonymous

people have their own perception, i believe in respecting everyone's individuality....till it hurts someone else!

Unknown said...

mast likha hai yaar, mauj aa gayi padh kar,
i appreciate ur words and ur thought.......