In her memoir "Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body," Roxane Gay shares her complex relationship with smoking, describing it as an activity that provided her with a sense of pleasure and light exhilaration. Despite knowing that smoking is often viewed negatively, it afforded her a momentary escape from feelings of insecurity and inadequacy, allowing her to experience a fleeting sense of confidence.

Gay's reflections highlight the paradox of seeking comfort in habits that societal norms deem as unhealthy or uncool. This underscores her struggle with self-image and the lengths to which we sometimes go in search of acceptance and identity, revealing the deeper emotional layers tied to our behaviors.