alcohol..why?!?!

the_brainaic · 15 Mar 2006 at 19:04

Firstly, a bottle of wine each turns a boring dinner into a fun situation where everyone enjoys themselves. Secondly, stop whining about your liver. It's a miraculous organ in that it can heal itself completely in (someone correct me if I'm wrong) about a month, unless you have been drinking so heavily that it will never recover... And believe me, this is alcoholic-territory, in that social drinking will never come to this. And also, people will make mistakes if they are drunk or not. If you do make a mistake when you're drunk then you may not remember it, thats a bonus! If you don't then you still had a good time. Who cares how much of it you remember the next day, or how much your head hurts. I've never been in a 'I-want-to-kill-myself' hangover, the worst thats happened to me is being sick multiple times on a train back home! It's worth the fun imo.
Also, just because people drink doesn't mean they will do all the negative things you mentioned. I may have my rose-tinted specs on but you certainly have a hugely negative opinion.

One More Solo · 15 Mar 2006 at 19:13

There was a program recently on TV where they got people who were drinking excessively (one woman drunk over 100 units A WEEK) to go teetotal, and all of them made a recovery to full health as far as their liver and blood count etc goes, so yes, the liver is a strong organ until it's damaged irreparably. However, drinking does much more than liver damage, so it's something to bear in mind.

I personally haven't been drunk in over a month and since then I've only had a single pint. Alcohol's nice but not essential to me.

Phantom · 16 Mar 2006 at 10:32

Pudney@work said:
No you don't have to drink, but then again why shouldn't I? if you wish not to then it's fine, feel free. If I wish to drink why should you attack me for my choices? As I've said, you've looked at the extreme negatives, none of which have had any bearing on me so far, so what basis do you have for it?

i'm not attacking you im just questioning why people drink. a lot of what we do seems to revolve round this activity but why... why do we take it as an essential part of our daily living. why do we feel the need to go down to the pub, chill out at home with a glass, go to a club and have a couple etc

alexakasloth · 16 Mar 2006 at 10:40

Just hazarding a guess but it could be because it's seen so common in our culture that we accept it, so when we were growing up as kids we would see people drink and accept that it was an ok thing to do.

Psyk · 16 Mar 2006 at 11:38

Phantom said:
i'm not attacking you im just questioning why people drink. a lot of what we do seems to revolve round this activity but why... why do we take it as an essential part of our daily living. why do we feel the need to go down to the pub, chill out at home with a glass, go to a club and have a couple etc

Simple answer - because we enjoy it.

GordyR · 16 Mar 2006 at 11:43

Psyk said:
Simple answer - because we enjoy it.

Why doesn't that answer seem to suffice for most people when a smoker gives it as his reason for smoking?

Yes, I am intentionally playing devils advocate here.

semi-pro waster · 16 Mar 2006 at 11:52

GordyR said:
Why doesn't that answer seem to suffice for most people when a smoker gives it as his reason for smoking?

Yes, I am intentionally playing devils advocate here.

Drinking in moderation doesn't affect those around you unless you believe in Bill Hick's riff about a 'party sponge' in response to someone coughing because he smoked. Air quality is adversely affected by someone smoking, your local environment is not adversely affected by someone drinking sensibly.

I'm aware that heavy drinking/alcoholism can negatively impact on others but that is the exception rather than the rule.

Also please note that while I don't like smoking I don't try to stop others from doing it.

Pudney · 16 Mar 2006 at 11:54

GordyR said:
Why doesn't that answer seem to suffice for most people when a smoker gives it as his reason for smoking?

Yes, I am intentionally playing devils advocate here.

Woohoo, 2 devil's advocates in this thread now

alexakasloth · 16 Mar 2006 at 12:02

What does devils advocate mean?

GordyR · 16 Mar 2006 at 12:10

semi-pro waster said:
Drinking in moderation doesn't affect those around you unless you believe in Bill Hick's riff about a 'party sponge' in response to someone coughing because he smoked. Air quality is adversely affected by someone smoking, your local environment is not adversely affected by someone drinking sensibly.

Indeed mate I actually agree compltely.

However I will point out that although your local environment is not adversely affected by someone drinking sensibly, in all honesty on a Friday/Saturday night the majority of people in pubs/clubs don't drink sensibly. They intentionally get very drunk and this does have an impact on a persons local environment. When we ask these people why they get "wasted" regularly, their answer is often "because we enjoy it".

I am deliberately refraining from giving my opinions on this issue as I don't wish to get drawn in to the debate. Anyway, I am not anti-drinking, nor am I pro-smoking. My point was "tongue in cheek" and is aimed at those who get 'blind drunk' consistently, spill their drinks over others, stink of alcohol, start fights, grope women, drink drive and say "well I do it because I enjoy it" yet then get all upity if somone lights up within a 20 metre radius of them.

It's the double standard of these people that annoy me. Hopefully most if not all of the participants in this thread don't fall in to that category, but it was still a point I wanted to make, even if it isn't applicable to anyone here. I should point out that my quote above wasn't aimed at Psyk I was merely using his words as an example. From his posts it seems clear that he drinks responsibly.

semi-pro waster said:
I'm aware that heavy drinking/alcoholism can negatively impact on others but that is the exception rather than the rule.

While I agree it is the exception rather than the rule, I should point out that alcohol induced accidents/incidents (be it violence, drink driving or whatever else) cause far more deaths per year than passive smoking. So while it may be only a small percentage who comit these acts, the overall devastation is far greater. But thats another debate entirely.

semi-pro waster said:
Also please note that while I don't like smoking I don't try to stop others from doing it.

And that sir is why I consider you an intelligent and sensible bloke.

GordyR · 16 Mar 2006 at 12:11

Pudney@work said:
Woohoo, 2 devil's advocates in this thread now

Lol mate... The thread was getting a bit stale and one sided. It needed a stirr up.

Pudney · 16 Mar 2006 at 12:15

suicidle_tramp said:
What does devils advocate mean?

Essentially it means to take the opposite side of an argument, either for the sake of an argument, or to challenge the other side to justify the validity or cause of said argument.

Pudney · 16 Mar 2006 at 12:16

GordyR said:
Lol mate... The thread was getting a bit stale and one sided. It needed a stirr up.

True, I hate it when topics are one sided

Vonhelmet · 16 Mar 2006 at 12:21

suicidle_tramp said:
What does devils advocate mean?

Wiki link

It basically means taking a position in an argument that you don't really believe in, but are taking either to pick holes in the other person's argument, or simply for the sake of being argumentative.