What will Japan be like in 10 years' time?

[noodle]

Before I say anything, I just want to let you know that I don't smoke or drink. I've never drank in my life and I have maybe 2 or 3 cigarettes a year when I'm very stressed. It has a kind of placebo effect on me.

Originally Posted by MMM

I am not so sure you can simply say it has been proven that the negatives of alcohol outweigh the positives on an individual basis.

I don't think this is as true when it comes to smoking cigarettes.

This statement doesn't really make much sense, unless I've misunderstood it... I'm not talking about an individual basis, because everyone is different; You always hear the remarkable stories of a man smoking his whole life and not getting lung cancer whilst his room mate or partner or whatever that has never smoked a cigarette in their life gets lung cancer from second hand smoke!

Sorry, I don't understand what you mean with that second sentence.

Originally Posted by MMM

To say that schizophrenics have a higher rate of smoking is somehow a form of self-medication seems to be a leap in logic to me. By that same vein we could also conclude that smoking causes schizophrenia.

That's just out of the blue for me. I don't think I've seen the word schizophrenia before today, so I definitely wasn't talking about this when I was talking about "benefits of tobacco".

Originally Posted by MMM

Saying the damage done by smoking is reversable is very different than proving health benefits. We can recover from broken bones, too, but that doesn't mean breaking a bones has any health benefit.

Regardless, even if Alcohol has no health benefits and Tobacco does, that is not the general perception, and that is what influences the decisions of lawmakers.

I am not sure that you can conclude that Alcohol and Tobacco are equally bad for you...I have seen nothing to make me come to that conclusion, but again, that isn't the perception, and it is the perception that matters.

I agree with that... I'm not saying that reversal=benefit. I mentioned that to illustrate my point of the severity of tobacco being exaggerated! Nothing else!

I'm not against the lawmakers. The only reason I debate FOR smokers is because I see them as being mistreated! I don't have to be a smoker to debate on their side!

For me, the dangers of alcohol are more than it causing liver disease etc. I also take into consideration the effects it has on people's behaviours, morals and self control. Even if having a glass or two of wine doesn't make someone drunk, it makes a lot of people addicted (I don't know if that's the right word here). And for me, any kind of addiction is negative!

[godwine]

I think Humanoid robots will be seen in service roles. There will be cars with no wheels, and everything is through auto-pilot.

Fashion wise, the SCI-FI movie's latex outfit probably won't make it, but similar cutting will be seen.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by noodle

Before I say anything, I just want to let you know that I don't smoke or drink. I've never drank in my life and I have maybe 2 or 3 cigarettes a year when I'm very stressed. It has a kind of placebo effect on me.



This statement doesn't really make much sense, unless I've misunderstood it... I'm not talking about an individual basis, because everyone is different; You always hear the remarkable stories of a man smoking his whole life and not getting lung cancer whilst his room mate or partner or whatever that has never smoked a cigarette in their life gets lung cancer from second hand smoke!

I clarified it. My point was it is much easier to find case studies on the benefits of alcohol over the benefits of tobacco.

Even if someone smokes 100 years and never gets lung cancer, that still doesn't prove a benefit to smoking, or account for the dangers of the second hand smoke from those around him.

Originally Posted by noodle

That's just out of the blue for me. I don't think I've seen the word schizophrenia before today, so I definitely wasn't talking about this when I was talking about "benefits of tobacco".

That was what the link above it talked about. Reading it, it seemed pretty dubious, but if you want to post more reliable links about the health benefits of smoking, please do...though we are both a little off topic here.

Originally Posted by noodle

I agree with that... I'm not saying that reversal=benefit. I mentioned that to illustrate my point of the severity of tobacco being exaggerated! Nothing else!

Which goes back to my original point. Of all the vices we listed earlier, smoking cigarettes has no health benefits. No doctor is going to tell you there is a safe level of smoking you can do.

Originally Posted by noodle

I'm not against the lawmakers. The only reason I debate FOR smokers is because I see them as being mistreated! I don't have to be a smoker to debate on their side!

How are smokers being mistreated?

Cultures change, and the first world is slowly but surely moving away from smoking as an acceptable social practice. This is social evolution in effect, and as a result what was a normal activity becomes a progressively unaccepted activity. Smokers are not the the first nor the last social group that will find their numbers dwindling.

Originally Posted by noodle

For me, the dangers of alcohol are more than it causing liver disease etc. I also take into consideration the effects it has on people's behaviours, morals and self control. Even if having a glass or two of wine doesn't make someone drunk, it makes a lot of people addicted (I don't know if that's the right word here). And for me, any kind of addiction is negative!

Certainly people can become addicted to alcohol (as they can to cigarettes) but it doesn't mean that everyone, or even a mojoritiy, who drinks alcohol is addicted or has their morals or behavior threatened when they drink.

[noodle]

You're right, we're way off topic. I'm sure there is a thread for this somewhere. But I think we'll just leave it to us having different views on the subject. Especially since you say people "can" become addicted to alcohol, while I say people "usually do".

[MMM]

Originally Posted by noodle

You're right, we're way off topic. I'm sure there is a thread for this somewhere. But I think we'll just leave it to us having different views on the subject. Especially since you say people "can" become addicted to alcohol, while I say people "usually do".

I am not sure where you come up with the conclusion that alcohol use "usually" leads to addiction. I have never heard anything to support that, but feel free to post evidence to the contrary if it is out there...and then we can end this OT discussion.

[noodle]

Originally Posted by MMM

I am not sure where you come up with the conclusion that alcohol use "usually" leads to addiction. I have never heard anything to support that, but feel free to post evidence to the contrary if it is out there...and then we can end this OT discussion.

It's not to do with "evidence" or anything scientific and I don't see why it has to be to be honest . It's to do with what I see! I'd say with confidence that 95% of my friends are alcoholics without them realising!

[Sinestra]

I think in 10 years Japan is going to have A LOT of senior citizens and the birthrate would have declined even further. However i think we see a slightly higher multicultural aspect in Japan.

[noodle]

Originally Posted by Sinestra

I think in 10 years Japan is going to have A LOT of senior citizens and the birthrate would have declined even further. However i think we see a slightly higher multicultural aspect in Japan.

Yep, exactly what I said! But, in different terms, lol

[Sinestra]

Originally Posted by noodle

Yep, exactly what I said! But, in different terms, lol

honestly, I cant believe how far their birthrates have fallen. Everyone thought it was getting better last year turns out it fell again. I guess the gov is going to try to introduce new plans to get people to have kids. People arent going to have kids when cost of living is too high.

[metalmark666]

Japan will be a place with me living in it.