The romanticised cigarette

In my favourite series, Peaky Blinders, protagonist Thomas Shelby exhibits the ultimate form of male charisma. One of the methods by which the viewer is tied to Shelby is how he lights a cigarette in almost every scene. It is an almost ritualistic moment. You could argue that smoking was common at the time, but it is portrayed in such a sophisticated way that there seems to be more behind it.

The cigarette represents a certain romance. A romance that we also see in French existentialists in black-and-white photographs, the popstar Lana del Rey in front of a sold-out stadium, or even the black-clad and tipsy supporters of FC Utrecht.

The cigarette as a cultural icon also reappears in the various subcultures within the student world. Just look at the sorority girls ostentatiously tapping away cigarette butts in front of their balcony on Janskerkhof. Or the alternative Philosophy student taking a crumpled packet of Gold out of her jacket while taking a break from group work. Cigarette in hand, she proceeds to review the lecturer with her companions. There is no shame, in fact, there is sometimes even some pride, evidenced by the demonstrative nature of their smoking.

I find it hard to pinpoint what makes it so attractive, but its appeal exists and it is about more than nicotine. Perhaps smoking is a form of rebellion against parental authority, the perceived obsession with health, and the expanding regulations of the oh-so-patronising Dutch government. Perhaps it is a subtle form of self-destruction. A form of coping with grief, damaging your body ever so slightly. Or is it simply hedonism? Do smokers attach little importance to the future, preferring to feel pleasure here and now? There is also the attraction of the past. A nostalgia-evoking image of the past when people used to smoke.

I too had such a phase, but it had to be interrupted abruptly due to a wretched Covid infection. But, frankly, sometimes I'm still attracted to the feeling the cigarette evokes, albeit as a beholder. At other times, I get annoyed when I see my fellow students smoking. There is an ingratitude and self-evidence of their physical health that emanates from it. With a cancer stick in your mouth, you don't acknowledge the fragility and finality of your healthy body. Maybe it's unnecessary to say that, but it's true. Maybe that's what causes the attraction in the first place: having a cigarette in your hand shows that the student can afford a dose of tar and nicotine, at least for now.

The government can regulate smoking, but I doubt it will ever take away the romance and attraction of it. The Instagram account Ballenbingo, which shares quotes from users, many of them students, illustrates this. Reacting to the increased excise duties, people commented: "Well, I think it's just fine that smoking becomes elitist." It's not just about nicotine, it's about identity.