There are stories galore about smoking or the assorted means practised and prescribed for giving up the habit. Only rarely do people succeed in overpowering the urge to revert to the old ways. Many, however, are of the opinion that to give up smoking, the will to do so is the prerequisite. Yet admittedly, it is easier said than done. It is not unusual to be a witness to occasions where people in the known circle make quite a show before vowing that they will never put a cigarette between their lips before lighting and inhaling the poisonous smoke. In most cases, they are found to be breaking their promises to themselves and to friend circles. Smoking at times stands between a husband and a wife if the lady of the house is dominant or tobacco-hater.
Those addicted to smoking, feel the lack of stimulus induced by nicotine within a short span of time lapse. It is in their blood and they easily surrender to the fatal temptation. Addiction to all types of substances including the more deadly ones, however, is an acquired habit. No one is born with the malady unless of course it contaminates a child in his or her early age or even in the mother's womb. Some acquire the habit out of fun, others in order to drive out depression and still others to be forgetful of the living world. In a sense, therefore, it is a form of running away from one's own self. Nevertheless, some people claim that smoking stimulates their positive faculties so much so that they can perform intellectual works.
If this is how the mental faculty has to be goaded to get activated, how about those who need the double tonic of tobacco as well as liquor in order to get the best out of them? Some artists are known to have used a heavy dose of both before they came up with masterpieces. Then men like Picaso needed more, said to be in the form of libido satiation, to get set into painting. It is really intriguing how creative works get done. Some people live the most undisciplined and irregular lives and yet manage to create the most amazing things their trades have ever produced. They live their lives to the fullest. Some can withstand this kind of bohemian waywardness, others cannot. Others fail to do justice to their genius, although they get moderate success and a rare breed is far advanced ahead of their time.
Imagine a Vincent Van Gogh who was temperamental to such an extent that he even sliced his ear to present as a gift to the woman he was in love with. But in his lifetime he was able to sell only one of his paintings. Only now the world has become alive to the value of his paintings. Nearer, a Satyajit Roy has lived a highly disciplined and sophisticated life and created master-class films. On the other hand, Ritwik Ghatak, no less a genius made some highly acclaimed films and yet they do not quite measure up to the man's talent. In wine he tried to forget his soul's anguish and at some point this proved too much for him.
It seems genius is not meant for going by the set rules. They make their own set of rules in order to be creative. So those who give in to aberration like smoking, actually do not commit a sin as long as the smoke is inspirational for them to do greater things than they would have accomplished without it. But using it as an excuse and forcing others to passive smoking is criminal enough. On that count, harder addiction should not be an exception to this rule. If it is absolutely necessary to make work of art or similar other things possible with the aid of addiction, the habit can perhaps be left alone. But the condition has to be that it must not be a public exhibition so that lesser mortals mistakenly follow in the footsteps of exceptional people.
Addiction and creativity make strange bedfellows
Nilratan Halder | Published: February 01, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00
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