Groups are ranked higher and lower in the social ladder, and it's the goal of most everyone to try and be part of a higher social ladder.  When a person fails to become part of a higher social ladder, he or she falls down to the next.  Pot is not considered to be a part of the higher up social ladders, so when you're denied esteem from a higher ladder, you fall down in the social standings until you find a ladder that fits you.  Groups that smoke pot, that are lower on the ladder, are easier to become esteemed in.  So when a person is denied access to the upper groups of the social ladder, he or she will fall down to an easier step to gain esteem in.  
Thoughts?

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Also, most of the people in my school smoke pot, regardless of popularity.

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Your a fucking moron. Pot heads are not any lower in society that sober people.

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Psychologically, I'm pretty sure the reason my drug use elevated to the level it was at was in order to be accepted though, as you said.

I'm sure that this isn't the case for everyone who habitually smokes pot, though.

Post edited at 8:07 pm on Aug. 26, 2008 by matto

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Well, I can kind of see some truth in this, but since both of my parents are habitual pot smokers, I can see some flaws in there, at least since they don't fit in that. My mom was very mid-level of popularity, and my dad was resident bad ass until he was kicked out of school.  

Also, most of the people in my school smoke pot, regardless of popularity.

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Actually, when I started smoking, the idea initially came to me through this forum. I came into contact with folks like Tomekk and Mellownatts, who informed me that pot was not actually Satan's Sow.

I got curious, did about 2-3 months of e-research/encyclopedic research, and came to the conclusion that I would feel much safer smoking pot than drinking alcohol. I wouldn't call myself a "pothead", and I don't feel that I was peer pressured at all, since I was alone when I started smoking.

People on ALL rungs of the social ladder smoke. It's just that people higher up who smoke are EXTREMELY unlikely to admit it to anyone but their spouse or something, because they have a lot more to lose. (i.e. job, medical license, reputation in community)

My girlfriend's dad, a gastroenterologist, and I had a similar conversation, and his sentiment was along the lines of, "I really have to leave the state to 'act a fool.'"

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I was the first one of my friends to want to try to smoke pot; it was a decision made entirely on research and curiosity. As I got older (and started smoking more) I only gained popularity, two factors which I consider largely unrelated. I've never been in a situation like the OP has described, and I have experienced very few stoners in that situation, though I suppose that such a scenario could occur somewhere with the conditions that it describes.

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If you have a problem with hedonism, you're probably not doing it right.

Some of the "unpopular" ones didn't. I didn't really see a correlation between the two.

I smoke pot personally for two reasons; I like the way it feels, and it makes everything more interesting/enlightening. The other, is it's often easier to feel more musical when you're high. It's only natural. Smoking pot then playing music kind of go hand in hand.

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At my school, all the "popular" kids smoked pot.

Some of the "unpopular" ones didn't. I didn't really see a correlation between the two.  

I smoke pot personally for two reasons; I like the way it feels, and it makes everything more interesting/enlightening. The other, is it's often easier to feel more musical when you're high. It's only natural. Smoking pot then playing music kind of go hand in hand.

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Agreed 100%
my roommate plays acoustic guitar and I play the Djembe, and anytime we get high and play, the music is so much deeper and, really, natural sounding.

As I said before, your view of those who smoke pot may work for the uninspired, and those who only smoke it to fit in, but then, your argument is circular. [Those who smoke it to fit in only smoke it to fit in... duh]

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