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>From a hologram continually insisting that his viewers can go ahead a smoke cigarettes (as he won't mind)

What exactly is anachronistic about it? Modern society might be full of health freaks, but one hopes that future societies will have gotten over this. Besides, future medical technology might cure cancer and find ways to keep vital organs in great shape whatever you drink/eat/smoke, in which case smoking might see a resurgence.

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It's from a time when it was common for people to just light up wherever they wanted. It wasn't too long ago this ended (at least in California), so it jumped out at me. I probably didn't even notice when I first read the series in the 1980s.

Yeah, my response was tongue in cheek, but I think such habits can come and go. It's not so much about learning "hey, it's bad for you", but about a social trend. People know alcohol is bad, but they still drink as much as in the 60s...

Or consider Woody Allen's perspective on health science in his futuristic comedy "Sleeper".

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