Chapter 7. Case Study: Suicide, Smoking, and the Search for the Unsticky Cigarette
1. According to Gladwell, why were teens in Micronesia committing suicide at a high rate? Because it became accepted, like a common teenage rite among young men.
2. What is permission-giving? It is following the lead of someone else who makes something ‘okay’ because they are doing it, usually someone who is cool or a leader.
3. How does Gladwell make the connection between Micronesian’s teen suicides and teen smoking in America? The cool kids are the ones doing it-it is a sign of rebellion against adults.
4. What steps has our society taken to curb teenage smoking? Anti-smoking campaigns out the wazoo.
5. What does Gladwell think is wrong about the current strategies being used to stop American teens from smoking cigarettes? What strategies would he substitute as more effective? The facts are being taught about shortened life, etc. Apparently, that is too far in the future to have an effect on stopping teen smoking.
6. What is the difference between “chippers” and addicted chronic smokers? Chippers smoke when they feel like and chronic smokers have to smoke upon waking, after meals, etc. Chippers are not addicted but chronic smokers are.
7. What were the results of the Colorado Adoption Project? They determined that genetic factors were more liable to affect the smoking habits of people than environmental factors.
8. What is the correlation between smoking and depression? High numbers of depressed people smoke-way more than the average of non-depressed people who smoke.
9. What have been the effects of Zyban on smokers? It helps them quit-49% of heavy smokers quit after using Zyban.
10. What are “addiction thresholds”? They are the points where addiction ‘tips’. For smokers, it seems to be somewhere around 5 cigarettes a day.
11. What are the character traits of the smoking personality, according to Gladwell? They are extroverts who are more promiscuous; more defiant; take risks; indifferent to others’ opinions of them.
12. Why are teenagers drawn to these traits? Usually these are traits of the ‘cool’people. They are the ones they defy adults and do what they want. Teenagers want to be that person.
13. What are your thoughts about peer influence versus heredity and parental influence? I think there is a lot to be said for both. I have 3 brothers and one sister. We were raised by the same parents for our younger formative years (my mother died young but four of us were in our teens). We are all very different. We look somewhat alike but have very little in common. We have an ex-beach bum turned computer salesman; a disappeared brother; an ex-Navy officer who is an engineer and me-a music teacher. My sister was only eight when Mom died and she has had like six career changes. I am the only one with children and only my Naval office brother and I are married. I am the only regular church-goer. I do believe that I was shaped most by family influences-at 14 I had to become the mother of an 8 year old. My Naval officer brother had to help me do the shopping and drive us places. We are the two responsible ones-the older brothers left before Mom died so they didn’t feel the responsibility and my little sister was a drifter. BTW, my dad died when she was 16 so she was raised the last two years by my oldest brother-the ex-beach bum.
14. Whom are you most influenced by? I am influenced by other teachers in my professional life but in my personal life I fall back on what I was taught by my parents.
15. Do you believe teens smoke because of peer pressure? I think teens smoke the first time because of curiousity and peer pressure. I don’t think they continue for that reason unless they are really a follower.
16. At what age do kids stop listening to their parents? At what age, if ever, do you think teens start listening again? I think they always listen but usually from 13 or 14 to 18 or so they may be more influenced by their peers.
17. Can a safer cigarette be created? Only if they can create one minus the tobacco and the nicotine. That is what is addictive.
