his readers could weigh their utility for fireplaces against their decreased years of life, and individually decide whether they wanted to avoid them or not
Unfortunately, it's not an individual decision, as the wood smoke goes into the surrounding environment and affects others.
Sam Harris, in his recent article called The Fireplace Delusion, tries to make you feel what it's like to react to a cached belief being irreparably destroyed. Just incase you forgot what your apostasy (if you had one, of course) was like in its early stages.
What are some of the Fireplace Delusions you've come across in your days?
EDIT: WOODSMOKE HEALTH EFFECTS