Do you need alcohol that much?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't need it to enjoy life. However, it makes it a hell of a lot easier to deal with snooty, holier-than-thou(s) who think they're better than the rest of us.

+1

I like a drink or two on the weekends. I don't NEED it. Didn't drink during my pregnancies and I was just fine (although I indulged in much more frequent massages to make up for the lack of exercise and drinking ).

[Anonymous]

Every society since the dawn of man has figured out how to make alcohol out of what they have on hand -- beer, wine, mead, fermented yak milk liqour, sake, fruit brandy, etc. Something deep inside humans is drawn to it. You are free to abstain, but millions and millions of people worldwide won't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a nondrinker, I can not understand people's need to consume alcohol. Eliminate alcohol consumption and you eliminate many social evils and disease. What is this addiction in our society that makes it impossible for people to give up alcohol? Is it at all possible to have a great party without alcohol. If you need alcohol to enjoy life, maybe something is wrong.

Thoughts?

What do you do for fun with your friends on weekend evenings? Just curious.

[Anonymous]

I have an idea, OP. Don't come to my parties, and I won't go to yours. That should make us both very happy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have an idea, OP. Don't come to my parties, and I won't go to yours. That should make us both very happy

I doubt OP hosts many parties.

[Anonymous]

OP, I don't like pets. So I don't have any. I also do not compliment other people's pets, watch animal videos on YouTube, spend money on pets, etc. But I perfectly well understand other people, who have other interests and personality traits than mine, loving pets.

See?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't need alcohol to enjoy life. In fact, there are a lot of things I don't need to enjoy life, that I nonetheless find enjoyable. And they don't harm anybody. So why should give them up?

+1

[Anonymous]

I don't need it, but I enjoy it. I don't drink to get drunk. I drink because I like a nice glass of red wine, or a cold, refreshing beer at a baseball game.

I also don't need milk to survive - there are other ways to get calcium - but I enjoy a nice tall glass with some of my meals.

I don't need meat to get my protein and iron, but sometimes I enjoy a big juicy steak just because.

But yes, some people drink too much. Some of them make poor decisions because of it. That's not me. I always said if alcohol got in the way of anything important I would stop drinking it, but so far it never has and I'm 42.

[Anonymous]

Read the research article in the WaPo today -- there are about 60% of the population who never have a drink or less than once a week. The top 10% of drinkers are drinking the equivalent of 2BOTTLES of WINE EVERY NIGHT! The rest are in between.

The beverage industry would collapse (according to the article) if the top 10% of drinkers were encouraged to reduce their intake. There are a lot of people who can gently handle their alcohol, and then there are a sizable number of people who are living drunk everyday and keeping the beverage industry in the money. Think about all the health issues, accidents, deaths, violence that alcohol brings to our society via those who drink too much... yet, we don't REALLY have the guts to get the abusers to reduce or stop.

[Anonymous]

I rarely drink anymore and don't serve alcohol at get togethers. I don't mind people who occasionally drink at parties though. It's the people who have to drink daily that I think are crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a nondrinker, I can not understand people's need to consume alcohol. Eliminate alcohol consumption and you eliminate many social evils and disease. What is this addiction in our society that makes it impossible for people to give up alcohol? Is it at all possible to have a great party without alcohol. If you need alcohol to enjoy life, maybe something is wrong.

Thoughts?

Do you really need that stick up your ass that much?

[Anonymous]

Root of evil?

I think we need to reassess what we're considering evil here. From the news, I'd say religion and politics intersecting are the root of most of our evils right now.

Alcohol and drugs used by the wrong people, yes, can be evil. No one denies that. But, I think most people are able to enjoy in moderation. I personally enjoy the taste of mixed drinks and wine. I don't drink to get drunk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Read the research article in the WaPo today -- there are about 60% of the population who never have a drink or less than once a week. The top 10% of drinkers are drinking the equivalent of 2BOTTLES of WINE EVERY NIGHT! The rest are in between.

The beverage industry would collapse (according to the article) if the top 10% of drinkers were encouraged to reduce their intake. There are a lot of people who can gently handle their alcohol, and then there are a sizable number of people who are living drunk everyday and keeping the beverage industry in the money. Think about all the health issues, accidents, deaths, violence that alcohol brings to our society via those who drink too much... yet, we don't REALLY have the guts to get the abusers to reduce or stop.

I don't think that's all what the OP is getting at. She's critical of anyone drinking ever. Which is ridiculous. She equates anyone drinking two bottles of wine every night (WTH) to anyone who has a drink at all. That's stupid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I rarely drink anymore and don't serve alcohol at get togethers. I don't mind people who occasionally drink at parties though. It's the people who have to drink daily that I think are crazy.

Why did you stop serving alcohol at get togethers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Read the research article in the WaPo today -- there are about 60% of the population who never have a drink or less than once a week. The top 10% of drinkers are drinking the equivalent of 2BOTTLES of WINE EVERY NIGHT! The rest are in between.

The beverage industry would collapse (according to the article) if the top 10% of drinkers were encouraged to reduce their intake. There are a lot of people who can gently handle their alcohol, and then there are a sizable number of people who are living drunk everyday and keeping the beverage industry in the money. Think about all the health issues, accidents, deaths, violence that alcohol brings to our society via those who drink too much... yet, we don't REALLY have the guts to get the abusers to reduce or stop.

How do you think we would do this, and in what way would it involve having guts?