"I checked out all types of tobacco trying to find one that would be easiest to live with, I ended up using pipe tobacco. It burned slower, and it wasn't as harsh on my throat... It also smelled better"

David Strathairn’s reflection on his experience with tobacco highlights a personal journey of experimentation and careful selection based on comfort and practicality rather than mere habit or indulgence. His words express a nuance in how individuals relate to substances like tobacco, marked by a search for the least intrusive option. Rather than settling for what is popular or accessible, Strathairn deliberately explores “all types of tobacco,” suggesting that there is diversity not just in brands but in modes of consumption, each possessing its own characteristics and effects.

He ultimately chooses pipe tobacco, finding it “easiest to live with.” This phrasing reveals an intent to minimize the negative impact of the habit. The choice was not arbitrary but informed by personal responses, how various forms of tobacco affected his throat, the rate at which they burned, and even their aroma. For Strathairn, the slower burn of pipe tobacco offers a gentler experience, lacking the harshness that may accompany faster-burning forms like cigarettes or cigars. This factor likely contributed to a reduction in throat irritation, which he subtly alludes to when noting it “wasn't as harsh on my throat.” Such a statement hints at a self-protective instinct, a compromise between desire and well-being.

The pleasant smell becomes another criterion; the act of smoking is not merely functional but sensory, affecting him and those around him. Choosing something that “smelled better” reflects concern for the overall ambiance, perhaps even social considerations, as tobacco scent can be pervasive and stigmatizing. Strathairn’s brief account underscores the complexities underlying choices that, to outsiders, might appear trivial or habitual. It is an example of how personal preferences are shaped by experimentation, self-awareness, and a negotiation between the pleasures and practicalities of daily life.