Anonymous wrote:It's not the drinking, it's the weird jokey culture.

"I have wine, what more do i need!"

"It's 5 o'clock somewhere!"

"Mommy juice!"

"Just 1 glass!" (and it's a giant glass)

All the memes, all the jokes... are reflective of an incredibly unhealthy relationship with alcohol. That seems to be a pretty uniquely American thing?

Americans love stupid jokes like this. Do you need a sign in your kitchen that says "EAT"? Nobody does, but people love them. Or what about the signs that said "don't talk to me until I've had my coffee." Are you worried about the relationship with coffee if one can't function without it?

The US isn't anywhere near the top of countries with the most drinking, Europeans drink a lot more. You're probably just noticing whatever you see on social media which is 1. More outrageous behavior than society as a whole. 2. More US-centric for you.

The N/A drink movement/business is booming. People the world over are drinking less, not just millennials here.

Alcohol consumption in the US may be at a longtime low, but whomever is obsessed about this topic on DCUM sure seems just as obsessed about bringing it up, over and over. Right now it's the top two threads in this subforum, and whenever they get the itch to obsess over it again, it's always multiple threads.

(Before you go there, I drink maybe two glasses of wine a month. Sad to have to interrupt the compulsion, but I guarantee it's coming.)

Alcohol isn't healthy for you, regardless of how the new guys rotate the health pyramid, or whatever.

Some people have brain or biochemistry that doesn't let them even have one sip without cascading down. Some people drink a glass or two of wine a month and that's all there is to it. (Hi! I also occasionally have a desert of tiramisu or creme brulee, neither of which are "good for me." So it goes.)

Feeling compelled to post obsessively, scrutinizing other people's behavior, and all this fixation isn't healthy, either. It also is just white noise, pretty much, although you can bump your own threads as much as you like. Maybe find a few friends who also are fixated on this. So it goes.

Alcohol consumption in the US is at an all time low.

https://news.gallup.com/poll/693362/drinking-rate-new-low-alcohol-concerns-surge.aspx

Crucially the analysis debunks the common "it's caused by weed" argument:

"Declines in alcohol consumption do not appear to be caused by people shifting to other mood-altering substances — in particular, recreational marijuana, which is now legal in about half of U.S. states. Although marijuana use is higher today than a decade ago, it has been fairly steady over the past four years and thus doesn’t appear to be a factor in people choosing not to drink alcohol."

People do have a fascination and obsession with alcohol. It’s what has created alcoholism. They look forward to getting drunk on Thursday, etc. ‘Can’t wait to get smashed this weekend.’ Etc. It started in college. Some twenty year olds drink on first jobs to get to know others and act social. There aren’t many other hangouts.

Americans drink way less than Europeans.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People in other countries don't have drinking culture? Have you hung out with Brits or Russians?

I think OP's point is that while of course people in other countries drink (sometimes a lot more than we drink in the US), people aren't endlessly talking about drinking the way we do here. Drinking is a background activity and not the top of social media posts. People don't make "drinking" their personality.

Of course other countries talk a lot about drinking, post about it, etc.

Op probably doesn't know anyone living in another country though, judging by the assumption.

Anonymous wrote:It's not the drinking, it's the weird jokey culture.

"I have wine, what more do i need!"

"It's 5 o'clock somewhere!"

"Mommy juice!"

"Just 1 glass!" (and it's a giant glass)

All the memes, all the jokes... are reflective of an incredibly unhealthy relationship with alcohol. That seems to be a pretty uniquely American thing?

The jokes that nobody else really pays any attention to, but which seem so triggering to you?

That’s definitely an over-generalization. Some of us come from food cultures. There might be alcohol around, but it’s not a necessity, not the entertainment, and not something that people feel the need to do to enjoy themselves. Maybe it’s the people you gravitate towards OP.

OP - I'm just going to guess that your are not very distinguished in any part of life. Is that true?

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a teetotaler - I'll enjoy a drink on special occasions or on vacation, but I don't understand how we've gotten to a place where drinking for everything is so normalized. Can people not socialize or hang out without involving alcohol? If you can't have fun or enjoy the company of people without involving a drink... that's pretty sad. And pathetically boring.

Your instagam and tiktoks about your drinks every weekend? Impending snowstorm and you've got beer and wine, so you're set? It's sad. That's... fun?!

People in other countries don't do this. People don't post about their alcohol or make weird, kind of disturbing jokes about their boozey plans. I know we have an addictive culture in general (not just alcohol, but prescription drugs, bad food, etc) but it's really weird how drinking culture in America is celebrated.

We can't blame common people, our elected officials, civil servants and healthcare providers failed us. Liquor and tobacco industries were too powerful.

Anonymous wrote:It's not the drinking, it's the weird jokey culture.

"I have wine, what more do i need!"

"It's 5 o'clock somewhere!"

"Mommy juice!"

"Just 1 glass!" (and it's a giant glass)

All the memes, all the jokes... are reflective of an incredibly unhealthy relationship with alcohol. That seems to be a pretty uniquely American thing?

Not just an American "thing." Do you travel? If you don't, try to watch online of other cultures and places in the world. You could say everyone has an unhealthy relationship with substances. It may be alcohol in USA, smoking in places where they don't drink, both and other stuff.

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a teetotaler - I'll enjoy a drink on special occasions or on vacation, but I don't understand how we've gotten to a place where drinking for everything is so normalized. Can people not socialize or hang out without involving alcohol? If you can't have fun or enjoy the company of people without involving a drink... that's pretty sad. And pathetically boring.

Your instagam and tiktoks about your drinks every weekend? Impending snowstorm and you've got beer and wine, so you're set? It's sad. That's... fun?!

People in other countries don't do this. People don't post about their alcohol or make weird, kind of disturbing jokes about their boozey plans. I know we have an addictive culture in general (not just alcohol, but prescription drugs, bad food, etc) but it's really weird how drinking culture in America is celebrated.

What is the problem with sharing if they are going to drink while home bound? It's a frickin sleetzilla. Why not drink? Posting on social media has gotten way out of hand not necessarily just what drinks one will have this weekend

It's not the drinking, it's the weird jokey culture.

"I have wine, what more do i need!"

"It's 5 o'clock somewhere!"

"Mommy juice!"

"Just 1 glass!" (and it's a giant glass)

All the memes, all the jokes... are reflective of an incredibly unhealthy relationship with alcohol. That seems to be a pretty uniquely American thing?