"People here do drugs because it's a small town and there's nothing else to do".

[LilithSlave]

Ever heard this one before? It's sad. And personally, I don't buy it, it seems like an excuse. An excuse for people who know people who use drugs and who use drugs themselves to not do something better with their lives.

I have a lot of sympathy for the poor and know how hard it is to get a better life. But drugs do not help. And people who think their town is boring should not seek escapism, much less of the worst form, as a coping mechanism. If you think where you live is boring, your life is sad and you should try to move somewhere else. And if they can't afford it, they should work towards being able to, and keep that as a dream.

Even video games aren't a very good away-from. They should compliment someone's life, not be their only escape from a boring life. To heck with all the people who say "people who don't like where they live fail at life", they're being foolish and promoting foolish, counter-productive thought. There's nothing wrong with not liking where you live, and fantasizing about living in or at least traveling to and seeing if it lives up to your expectations, somewhere else. Whether it's another town, or even another country, or even another country on a completely other continent. That's a much more productive use of time than merely living for escapism. And certainly better than drugs.

Sorry, I'm just tired of this excuse people make for doing drugs. Because I just heard it again today. And I thought, "wow, at least people who say they dream of living in France, or Japan, or Korea, or Germany, or Italy, or other popular destinations have a dream and haven't just given up on life." It's just a terrible, terrible excuse. And moving somewhere else is much better than just giving up and blowing money on drugs. People who are bored, should find much healthier hobbies. It's no excuse, it's no excuse at all. I'm not ultra-negative on marijuana as long as it's just a thing someone does on the side and they don't grow a compulsion for it. But a lot of these sorts of "bored" people get into meth. And that's not marijuana.

Anyway, I needed a rant about that. What do you think?

 

[Acier]

Well first off I don't think doing substances out of boredom and wanting to go someplace else are mutually exclusive things.

And I have to ask, have you ever actually lived in a small, boring, town? Because even though I don't agree with doing meth out of boredom, I think the drinking/reasonable drugs habit is perfectly understandable.

 

[LilithSlave]

I have had a few friends who use drugs. And friends who have friends who use drugs a lot more than they do.

And it's a pretty common excuse as to why they sit around and do drugs, that "there's nothing better to do around here", that improve their life. And I keep meaning to say, "well then move somewhere else!".

 

[Zykon TheLich]

I don't give excuses. I do certain drugs because I like them, end of. Not everyone wants to use their time productively, some people just want to pump their bodies full of chemicals, if that's the case just say so. However, some people when confronted with people who disapprove of their choices try to mollify them with the old "I only do it because X, Y, Z", it's only human. As a general rule we all want people to like us and when someone doesn't like something you do that you don't want to change you give them excuses in the hope that they will at least make an exception for you even if they aren't going to change their mind on the issue. I on the other hand tell them to go fuck themselves if they don't like it, it has nothing to do with them unless I rob them to pay for my habit.

Edit:

Perhaps it would be better phrased "People here do drugs because it's a small town and there's nothing else they want to do"

 

[DazZ.]

Just because you do drugs doesn't mean you instantly lose all your money, become unemployed and can then never move away or have any sort of ambition.

 

[SillyBear]

Yeah, it's a bullshit excuse.

 

[genericusername64]

Well yeah, If you live in bumfuck nowhere and your trying to pass the time between your shitty job at McDonalds you get a few options
1.Have Sex [unlikely]
2.Watch porn
3.Do Drugs
4.Go to a Biker Bar
5.Get hammered on the front lawn[most common choice]

 

[LilithSlave]

Well yeah, If you live in bumfuck nowhere and your trying to pass the time between your shitty job at McDonalds you get a few options
1.Have Sex [unlikely]
2.Watch porn
3.Do Drugs
4.Go to a Biker Bar
5.Get hammered on the front lawn[most common choice]

Or you can try to better your life and move somewhere else. By like, I dunno, studying in your freetime.

Or was that a joke I'm not getting?

 

[CanIReMoose]

An excuse for people who know people who use drugs and who use drugs themselves to not do something better with their lives.

Erm, where is it said that doing something with your life and using drugs are mutually exclusive? I know tonnes of people who excel in life and still smoke weed or drink on the weekends (usually out of boredom).

If you think where you live is boring, your life is sad and you should try to move somewhere else. And if they can't afford it, they should work towards being able to, and keep that as a dream.

First, thinking a place is too quiet so you're gonna go out and get drunk/high is not the same as hating a place with such passion you want to leave it forever.

Second, these are also not mutually exclusive ideas, unless you are spending a exorbitant amount of money on your drug of choice, or you're missing work hours to use. (But the latter is doubtful in this situation as the drugs are being used when there's nothing else to do, and I assume work counts as something to do).

fantasizing about living in or at least traveling to and seeing if it lives up to your expectations, somewhere else. Whether it's another town, or even another country, or even another country on a completely other continent. That's a much more productive use of time than merely living for escapism. And certainly better than drugs.

I don't get this one at all, dreaming about moving is more productive than drugs? How exactly?
They seem to be about the same in terms of productivity, unless you're a travel agent or a drug dealer, in which case one or the other becomes much more productive.

I just heard it again today. And I thought, "wow, at least people who say they dream of living in France, or Japan, or Korea, or Germany, or Italy, or other popular destinations have a dream and haven't just given up on life." It's just a terrible, terrible excuse. And moving somewhere else is much better than just giving up and blowing money on drugs. People who are bored, should find much healthier hobbies. It's no excuse, it's no excuse at all.

I don't know why you think doing drugs and giving up on life are equivalent, as I said above, I know tonnes of people who are on light drugs and excel in life.

Why is it you think people need to excuse their habits to you, and who do you think you are to judge the "healthiness" of their habits?

 

[Irridium]

Well yeah, If you live in bumfuck nowhere and your trying to pass the time between your shitty job at McDonalds you get a few options
1.Have Sex [unlikely]
2.Watch porn
3.Do Drugs
4.Go to a Biker Bar
5.Get hammered on the front lawn[most common choice]

Or you can try to better your life and move somewhere else. By like, I dunno, studying in your freetime.

Or was that a joke I'm not getting?

Because of course students have the thousands of dollars needed to move somewhere. Thousands of dollars they got from the totally numerous, well-paying jobs available in bumfuck nowhere.

 

[genericusername64]

Or was that a joke I'm not getting?

Yes, yes it was

 

[Zykon TheLich]

Why is it you think people need to excuse their habits to you, and who do you think you are to judge the "healthiness" of their habits?

This is a slightly more aggressive form of the point I was very subtly making, which was maybe they just say that because you're judging them and they think enough of you that they don't want to tell you to piss off and mind your own business, or they care what you think for whatever reason, or they get so used to justifying it to other people it becomes an ingrained response. Maybe the real reason is "because I like it" but that's even less acceptable so they go with the bullshit answer.

 

[MrLumber]

That makes as much sense as paying people to have children... oh wait...

Also: I've never heard of such an excuse before. Infact, I've never heard of anyone doing drugs(except on TV/radio/internet). I'm sure that where you live is a lovely place, but maybe* you should check the crime rates.

You must be new to the world, narcotics are pretty common.

snip

Why is it you think people need to excuse their habits to you, and who do you think you are to judge the "healthiness" of their habits?

Someone's awfully defensive...

Honestly seeing as drugs have proven negative impacts (even mary jane), as a concerned citizen he has the right to make that sort of judgement. Additionally his point was that people making the excuse that they have nothing to do in order to get high, is a pretty weak one. Reasons being is that its a plain out lazy reason to do so. I also think its fair to come to the conclusion that if your still making excuses for getting high, you know its bad for you.

A lot of what you said is pretty inconsequential and blatantly ignores a lot of what he said.
Examples:
You said getting high and being useful isn't mutually exclusive. He said, getting high means your wasting your time.

You said being bored in town does not mean you want to leave (this strikes me as odd). He said if you find your home town consistently boring, move.

You said having money and doing drugs can go hand in hand. He said if you don't have money put in some effort to make some [instead of getting high].

Finally your perspective is revealed when you say that dreaming of moving is as, or less, productive than getting high. Ohoho, its oh so clear who we are dealing with now, as not once did he say to merely fantasize about moving but to take steps to achieve that goal. You have made it rather clear that you are the type of person this guy is talking about, and its obviously just as clear to you that that is a very poor excuse for how to conduct your life.

Looks like you need to get your life together, seeing as this clearly struck a chord with you.
What a tangent.

OT: Ya I find that excuse pretty pathetic, if you are so bored that you have time enough to sit around doing, quite literally, nothing you have enough time to make a hobby. I live in a somewhat small town and you hear it often out here. I can't wait to move.

Edit: A brief addendum. If you feel genuinely ashamed enough to make excuses for your behavior upon being judged, you know perfectly well that it is an improper way to conduct yourself, for whatever reason.

 

[LilithSlave]

Because of course students have the thousands of dollars needed to move somewhere. Thousands of dollars they got from the totally numerous, well-paying jobs available in bumfuck nowhere.

I'm well aware of and sympathetic to the plight of the poor.

But that doesn't mean it's not something that can be worked toward at all. And that doing drugs would ever be a good choice. If you aren't in much of a position to move anywhere else, you're certainly not in a position to be wasting money on drugs.

Erm, where is it said that doing something with your life and using drugs are mutually exclusive? I know tonnes of people who excel in life and still smoke weed or drink on the weekends.

Indeed, where did I say such a thing? I didn't.

However, doing drugs isn't bettering your life. It's one more expense. Something that could go to books or learning a profession or something. For instance, for the price one buys drugs, they could afford French grammar books. Or a Biology textbook. Or many other things that would improve their lives. They could put the money in the bank and learn Python and become a programmer.

 

[JoesshittyOs]

It's mostly that in small towns, drug dealers can get a grip on the majority of the community within a very short period of time. It's pretty sad but it makes sense.

Your next paycheck is going to the drug habit instead of your family.

Well yeah, If you live in bumfuck nowhere and your trying to pass the time between your shitty job at McDonalds you get a few options
1.Have Sex [unlikely]
2.Watch porn
3.Do Drugs
4.Go to a Biker Bar
5.Get hammered on the front lawn[most common choice]

Or you can try to better your life and move somewhere else. By like, I dunno, studying in your freetime.

Or was that a joke I'm not getting?

Yeah, let's do homework in my free time. That'll sure be rewarding.

 

[Versuvius]

Drugs are bad not inherintly bad used in moderation. Like with alcohol, or pot or bondage whatever floats your boat is Never a partiuclarly a bad thing if used with a bit of common sense. Whoever says otherwise is a fool.

Using anything as an excuse for your addiction is just pathetic.

 

[Ulfrick]

Back when I lived in butfucknowhere alberta we had a term for it. we called towns like that DFF towns. the only three things to do where drink fight and fu*ck.