BSG Smokers

Smoking continues to be a hot button issue in BSG. It seems Scifi.com is getting a fair share of mail from people wishing to halt the use of smoking as a character device. David Brauner writes to Scifi.com:

"First, maintaining a good atmosphere on-board a spacecraft is hard enough, so why are the crew allowed to smoke? It seems like an unnecessary strain placed on the life-support systems (please don't start on "smoker's rights")."

"Second, the chief surgeon/medical officer/doctor that has been treating the president. His smoking around patients, especially those whom have asked him to stop, is disgusting and reprehensible. No one should be allowed to smoke in a medical facility, no matter what your rank (or attitude) is."

"Third, smoking as a plot or characterization device is truly unnecessary, especially in a science-fiction series. The ambiguity and rebelliousness of Starbuck and Baltar are clear enough without them being smokers."

Thanks to Scifi daily for the post about the letters to Scifi Weekly.

I can't say I agree with David. People do what people do. It isn't the job of science fiction to always be utopic. Sometimes people have flaws and it is OK to show those as well.

Another side of this is the acceptance of vice in situations of extreme stress. A vice such as smoking provides something to do. It is a distraction, a crutch that allows you to focus on something besides the moment and occupy yourself. In most cases vices are self destructive specifically because it gives the individual an element of choice and control in situations where they often have none. It is common for soldiers to smoke specifically because it is a way for them to say, "I choose what happens to me... not you... not this situation".

Smoking isn't in the show because it is cool, it is in there because it adds realism to how they deal with the stress in their given situation.

Comments

[John Beeler]

That so many people are opposed to smoking shows how vital it is to BSG. Gauging Ron Moore's response on his blog, I doubt he'll ever drop it and I hope he doesn't. I don't smoke, I think smoking is a bad idea, but many people I know smoke. They would be the first to admit that it's not good for them and that it has become more and more taboo in our society. But that's why it works so well as a character device in BSG. It shows many things, but mainly rebellion and desperation and imperfection.

This is not your daddy's Next Generation.

After the destruction of billions of human beings, if only a small town of 50K people were left from Earth - for example - wouldn't smoking be the _smallest_ problem on anyone's hands? In fact, I would daresay that more people than ever would take up smoking. Moreover, I doubt anyone would ever demand the only qualified doctor in the fleet to stop smoking.

Fans should stop trying to impose the rules and laws of the non-fiction world on a fictional world (of someone else's creation no less).

[Trapper]

I think you make an excellent point:

"After the destruction of billions of human beings... wouldn't smoking be the smallest problem on anyone's hands?"

The fact that some in the audience are so fixated on something so small like smoking really speaks about the inability of some in our society to properly apply context and perspective. I think you can find situations everyday that mirror this type of attitude... worry about fixing the things you can regulate or control instead of realizing there is a bigger problem that might demand more attention...

... like saving the human race from Cylons!!!