Thoughts seldom spoken

I used to wonder why people who smoke / drink cannot quit despite knowing it is harmful for their health. Well the answer beneath is “addiction”, however one sugar-coats it saying it as “style”, “cool”, “trendy”. In fact I had been even preached of the “goodness” and “benefits” of smoking and drinking alcohol. Thankfully I didn’t give in :-)  Well I think addiction is an unconscious choice made with the illusion of compulsion. Most times they are accompanied by so called reasonable justifications. Addiction need not be just about smoking and drinking. Though these are mostly seen as taboo (in some societies, it is considered being elite), there are lot others accepted by the society. My mother is addicted to coffee, my dad to tea. When I go to someone’s house they ask “Coffee or tea”. When I say "No thanks", with raised eyebrows “Boost/Horlicks?” Next comes "Atleast soft drinks?" When I say no for all, I get very amused with different kinds of expressions. Expressi...