Pavlov's Dogs

My local pub has an interesting notice pinned to the bar. The notice states that it is likely that the government will eventually ban smoking.

It outlines the steps that the pub, on the command from Spirit Group who own it, will take to eradicate smoking; in order to comply with a law that has not yet been passed.

These steps include:

-The removal of ashtrays from the bar

-The removal of bar stools from the bar

-The eventual banning of smoking in the pub as a whole.

The ban is part of Spirit Group’s policy of severely restricting smoking in their pubs, as stated on their website.

This policy has been introduced in anticipation of smoking being banned by nanny, and her henchmen.

Nanny should be feeling very pleased with herself at the moment. It seems that she has now conditioned the vast majority of people to react in anticipation of her wishes; much like Pavlov’s dogs were conditioned to salivate, at the ringing of a bell, in anticipation of food being served.

I do not feel that this conditioning is anything to feel proud of, or happy with. It demonstrates, yet again, that peoples’ freedom of actions are being eroded in the UK; without any demonstrable sign of resistance.

I do not smoke, but I feel that making smokers out to be pariahs is the “thin end of the wedge”.

I leave you with this prescient piece of writing, penned in the last century; it is apposite to the situation that we now face:

“First they came for the union members,
But I did not speak out,
Why should I?
I am not a member of a union.
Then they came for the communists,
But I did not speak out,
Why should I?
I am not a communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
But I did not speak out,
Why should I?
I am not a Jew.
Now they have come for me,
Who is there left to speak out for me?”

One day they will ban something that you like!