mysteries of the universe

Why Do We Continue Drinking Alcohol? Because We Like Drinking Alcohol

It’s not exactly 100-proof scientific research, but here’s a handy way to explain to your roommates, spouse, or labradoodle why you stumble home at at 3 o’clock in the morning and knock over the lamp.

“Socialising with alcohol is fun and we should not pretend otherwise,” writes Suzy Dean. “We also shouldn’t fool ourselves into thinking that young adults won’t eventually discover this and want to do it themselves. There is a reason why a taste for alcohol is not specific to a single demographic in society; why it is not something we “grow out of” and why, no matter how many times the NHS warns of it detrimental effects, we won’t stop drinking the stuff. That’s because chatting with friends over a pint or a bottle of wine is an enjoyable cultural tradition: the fuel of conversation, intimacy and the exchange of ideas. We should be encouraging young adults to drink sensibly, but to do this we need to be honest. We do regularly drink more than the government’s daily recommendation of two pints or glasses of wine and there’s nothing wrong with that. There’s also nothing wrong with a drink to unwind, relax and forget about our stressful day at work. More people need to stand up and say this in order to combat the moralising of anti-alcohol campaigners.”

Or, as I like to call them: prudes.

But for all your teetotalers out there? Whether by choice or alcoholism? Stay strong. And pass the Patron, won’t you?

[Independent, via]

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