Alcohol and the Drinking Culture

Alcohol and the Drinking Culture

We live in a society with a drinking culture, one that no one ever questions. It inevitable, you reach 18 and then you start drinking. You’ll probably go too far a few times but you’ll find what you like and see how much fun it is etc etc. People who do not drink are just being stubborn or something. Are they. I can look at this from the other side of the argument. I don’t drink and never will. That’s the decision I’ve made. I also realise it’s not for everyone. What others do is up to them and I respect that. Yet for some reason a vast majority of people I have ever known have tried to get me to drink. Why? Today I look into the drinking culture as well as alcohol’s history to try to understand and maybe put away any future quarrel on the subject. I ask for you to read the whole thing and try to do the same.

 

Where does alcohol as a beverage originate? Fermented beverages have been traced back as far as the Neolithic period as possible traces of alcohol have been found on stone edge jugs. This could be as far back as 10,000 BC. They could go back even further than this however as our ancient ancestors could’ve drank fermented liquids similarly to birds, insects and primates. There is also evidence of alcohol from jars from 7000 BC.

Babylonian Wine Goddess

 

The first documented evidence of beer is written in Sumerian from around 3200 BC. Sumerian was the ancient language of the Sumer, southern Mesopotamia which is modern day Iraq. There is evidence of brewing in Ancient Egypt around 3400 BC where beer and wine were offered to the Gods. Wine appeared as a finished product in Egyptian pictographs. Beer was in fact a major beverage among Babylonian society to a point where beer could have been a staple item before bread. The Babylonians actually worshipped a wine Goddess although it should be mentioned were critical of drunkenness.

 

Those are the early records of Alcohol but what has alcohol been used for outside of being a simple beverage. I’ve already mentioned alcohols role in certain Religions but it’s not just ancient religion that involves alcohol. While many religions treat alcohol as sinful some have more complex views. Christianity is a good example. Throughout the first 1800 years of Church Christians often consumed alcohol as it was treated as a gift from God. Despite this drinking too much was considered sinful. The Bible uses alcohol in usage and poetic expressions and it is said that Jesus and his disciples drank wine. I do not understand Religion enough to comment further but there is definitely something there.

 

There are two common concepts in Religion. Some Abstain (Restrain oneself from doing something) as a matter of prudence. These people believe total abstinence is the wisest and most loving way to live in present circumstances. Others abstain as a matter of law. They believe God requires abstinence in all ordinary circumstances.

 

Alcohol has also been used for medicinal purposes. The earliest signs of this was around 3000 BC where a jar in an ancient Egyptian tomb had remnants of wine and medicinal herbs. Romans used wine as wine is good at extracting the active elements from medicinal plants. It should be noted however that wine was all they had available. As late as the 1920’s alcohol was consumed for medicinal purposes. This was due to low cost and availability. Most commonly used was Gin and Whiskey (Sorry students not Vodka).  Of course alcohol is also used as an antiseptic and for anaesthetising effects.

 

Let’s throw some statistics around. Does anyone know what the most consumed alcoholic beverage in the world is? Again students not Vodka, go to the back of the class. The answer is Soju, a spirit from Korea of all places. Soju cocktails according to the internet are available in this country so if you fancy a slightly different drink then there you go.

 

Let’s throw some statistics around. Did you know over 9 million people in England alone dink more than the recommended daily limit frequently? In fact Alcohol costs the UK around £21 billion a year in health care, crime and loss of productivity. Alcohol causes over 60 medical conditions. Alcohol costs every tax payer £120 a year towards the NHS for alcohol related incidents. In 2012 there were 178247 prescriptions for alcohol dependency. Not only is that increasing but there are many with alcohol dependency who did not seek help.

 

What do these statistics mean? Probably not a lot. Why do people drink? Ask someone and these are the answers you’ll receive.

It’s been a tough day/ I’m having a tough time. I wouldn’t know if this works. I doubt it. All I know is alcohol is technically a depressant, it causes low moods and anxiety. It can also prevent sleep too. I don’t think drinking by yourself would help you when you’re having a bad day. Drinking with other people is likely to help because you’re socialising and with other people.

 

It can be used as a form of impression management, to make others see you different with your newly found confidence from the drink. This is certainly not exclusive to alcohol so I’ll move on.

 

Perhaps the worst reason is that people use it for a high or ‘for the buzz’. I’m sorry this is the one reason I will outright tell you is wrong. Do you think taking drugs is wrong? People take drugs for this exact reason. People self-harm for this exact reason, hell people even commit crimes for this reason. Consumption should not be used to give you a high, surely this is a bad idea.

 

Social Lubricant. This is where things become more complex. I’m often told I should drink by my friends who I’ve known for years I should drink as it’ll help me open up and relax. I personally don’t think I should need outside help to relax when I’m around friends. Going to new places is a whole different kettle of fish. I’ll use university for an example. Going away, not knowing anyone and meeting new people is daunting. Drinking makes it easier. I made my decision to not drink, I have my reasons. I highly value being in control at all times and I see how alcohol can affect people and do not ever want to be in some types of situations. I can also have an addictive personality and do not believe alcohol is at all worth the risk. I lived in student halls. I went to many social events, I went to societies I lived in student halls surrounded by people. I didn’t make any friends in all this. People would go out without even telling me, I’d leave my room and the building would be empty. I don’t make friends easily but I can’t help but wonder how much not drinking hindered me. It’s impossible to say but I can say I wouldn’t have become so isolated if I’d joined in with the drinking. As soon as I missed a night out clubbing I was completely cut out of the loop.

 

There were actually sports club I was not able to join because they require a heavy drinking initiation. No one can think this is fair surely. I was in Liverpool studying Chemistry, every Chemistry Society event was a clubbing night. I’m not ignorant enough to say they shouldn’t have them but I thought there would be opportunities for people who don’t enjoy that sort of thing. There wasn’t. Sports clubs were often just there for the socialising afterwards. There’s nothing wrong with that but what about those who wanted to play competitively?

 

I tell people I don’t drink and they assume I’m judging them. I’m not. Sometimes it’s hard not to but I genuinely am not. But I say I don’t drink and people stare at me like I’m some alien creature before saying something like “Well done” or “Good for you”. Do people think I want a medal, that I think it puts me on a higher moral standing? This couldn’t be further from the truth it’s simply the choice I’ve made. Everyone who drinks, think about if you have ever tried to get others to drink? The answer is almost certainly yes. Have you ever spiked drinks? The first especially is considered fine. Imagine if I tried to stop someone drinking. There’d be outrage. I’ve never done this and never will but the fact remains that it would be considered wrong.

 

Pressuring people to drink is fine but pressuring people to stop is wrong? Doesn’t make sense does it. Why do people start drinking in the first place? We all know it has health risks and it can sap our self-control. The reason may change, they may start to enjoy it or to enjoy the flavours but it starts out as because everyone else does. To fit in. Honestly this is not unlike many other things in society but it is certainly more prevalent than most. It is true though, a lot of people decide to drink because of how many already do. It’s become something not to be questioned, something that’ll probably remain in society forever. You know what, that’s okay but it should be remembered that it’s not mandatory.

 

So what does all this mean? To me as a non - drinker it means as the minority to not judge and to accept that it’s there and to not be affected by it. What does it mean as a drinker? I wouldn’t know. Maybe that it’s your decision and yours alone. In this post I’ve tried to be respectful to both sides. I am obviously biased, but so are you. What I think is important is for everyone to understand and to accept the people who have a different view on the matter to them. So really it’s just like many other things. The difference is that usually when there is such an overwhelming majority on one side the other is clearly wrong in some way. Here this is most definitely not the case.