Rory Hafford blogs some thoughts on the new move to ban smoking from a whole host of public places and finds disarming similarities with this and a new book which takes a peek into the not-too-distant future.



THIS week the Minister for Health appeared on the Prime Time television programme on RTE. He was on to push the case for the elimination of smoking in certain outdoor areas, specifically parks and beaches.

Smoking, as you know, has been banned from places like restaurants and bars. So much so, that a familiar sight on our city streets consists of slightly dishevelled people gathered in little knots, standing outside in the rain, puffing away.

Well, now the Government wants to outlaw this practice even further, even to the point of banning smoking in your own car.

Dr James Reilly (I’ve met him a few times and he appears to be a decent enough skin) argues the point very cogently. When he gets up a head of steam, he is extremely eloquent in his arguments. And, more importantly, he makes a lot of sense.

He says the banning of smoking in cars is designed to protect the health of innocent children travelling in the cars who, through no fault of their own, are inhaling carcinogens through the cigarette smoke. On this point he is absolutely right, in my opinion.

In relation to the banning of cigarette smoking in public parks and on beaches, he makes the argument that the optics of this are not good for young people who could be impressed by this behaviour and seek to ape it.

A point you could argue either way.

Inexorable March
The counter argument goes a lot like this: it removes the choice from the individual; it is yet another push by the ‘Nanny State’ for control; it’s none of your business what I do in my own car; it’s another step in the crushing, inexorable march towards a Zero Tolerant form of control.

And, you know what…all relevant arguments.

The same class of argument was made in relation to the complex art of clamping. But, to no avail. Clamping was introduced and carried out with zeal and gusto. The basic principle behind the practice was sound. But, given the fact that it also turned into a huge money-making venture, skewed the whole deal.

One thing is for sure: if this government makes up its mind to introduce a law on the grounds that it is good for the people, wild horses won’t dissuade them. If they can make some money from it, all the better. They know that. We know that. There’s no secret here.

However, I got to thinking…what if this practice was to continue, where would we end up?

Juli Zeh has just written a book called The Method. Basically, it’s about a woman called Mia Holl, who lives in a state governed by a system of tight control. The Method values ‘good health’ above everything else. To the point that it has set up special tribunals of law (beginning to sound familiar?) to rigidly enforce ‘the rules’.

Here’s the way it works: everyone must submit medical data and sleep records to the authorities on a monthly basis; and regular exercise is mandatory.

Mia is outwardly obedient; but she has an intelligence that marks her out as ‘subversive’. Consequently, she comes up against the full force of a regime determined to control every aspect of its citizens’ lives!!

The Method is set in the middle of the twenty-first century (so, not too far away) and it deals with a number of pressing questions: To what extent can the state curtail the rights of the individual? And, does the individual have a right to resist?

Juli Zeh has written a novel that is as visionary as it is disturbing. The real scare is: it’s happening right now!