EmsDad
July 17, 2011, 11:29am
12
<p>Not to hijack the thread, but I never realized smoking was so pervasive among dancers until I saw this thread and that prompted me to do some research. I was astounded to find an ECONOMICS paper from Columbia University on the topic, “Why Do Dancers Smoke? Smoking, Time Preference, and Wage Dynamics” that included this introductory quote:</p>
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Dancers place great importance on physical health, strength, and fitness; and yet, smoking leads to untoward health, loss of strength, and diminished fitness. We contend that the concept of time preference, or, in the economic parlance, of individual discount rates – i.e. the variation in individual valuations of present versus future consumption – resolves this apparent paradox. Both activities sacrifice some distant benefit for a more present-oriented gratification. Dancers are passionate, if not obsessed, with their work; but their careers are short with dim, if not non-existent, prospects of future earnings. Even more obvious is the fact that smokers sacrifice future health for an immediate source of pleasure. Hence the answer we consider is that dancers smoke because they are more present-oriented.
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<p>Another great quote:</p>
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Seminar participants never fail to point out the “real” reason why dancers smoke: weight control. Although this answer is not inconsistent with our claim that dancers have higher discount rates, among 120 plus professional dancers who smoke (based on a survey we conducted in New York City in 2001), a reason for smoking they least agree with is “weight control.” Among the reasons they most agree with are “relaxation” and “enjoyment.” In that survey, of over 300 professional dancers, about 40% were smokers, a rate substantially higher than the U.S. average for this age group.
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<p>Amazing.</p>
<p>The paper can be found at:http://www.columbia.edu/~lm25/Smoking-03-2005.pdf[/url] ”>http://www.columbia.edu/~lm25/Smoking-03-2005.pdf</a></p> ;