why does our society glorify alcohol?

Old 10-02-2014, 08:31 AM
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torquemax777
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why does our society glorify alcohol?

It just really bothers me how there are so many beer festivalsl wine tastings, and even TV sit coms joke around about all the things about alcohol that are truly horrifying to all of us that live it in "real life"... I realize that in other countries, alcohol is just a given at every meal, and though more people in general drink there, I want to say I heard one time that a lot of them are not alcoholics. It's just there, (wine or whatever) they can take it or leave it. Here in America we talk about it everywhere, and all the sit coms joke like drinking to blackouts is hilarious and shacking up with anyone and everyone while in a drunken stupor is sexy and so on... My AH says these things do indeed contribute to his AV telling him, " see, everyone does it, it's no big deal, go ahead drink! " I believe the media needs to go in the direction that they did with cigarettes; start showing commercials of some dude dying of cirrhosis and such, families being destroyed. You know, the "truth" perhaps?!? But instead we get TV programs glorifying booze, and in between, we get commercials advertising local beer festivals and the endless Budweiser commercials that seem to make you think you can't possibly have ANY fun without booze! Just irritates the heck out of me!

Last edited by torquemax777; 10-02-2014 at 08:32 AM. Reason: typo
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Old 10-02-2014, 08:51 AM
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Because I think the actual percentage of the population that are alcoholics is relatively (relative being the key term here) small. I used to very regularly joke about people acting like "crack heads" or being alcoholics before I was intimately familiar with what addiction does to people and their families.

Even though my RAH can't drink with me and even though I've lived with his alcoholism it doesn't deter me from wanting to enjoy wine or beer and I used to to scotch tastings with RAH before we had kids.

For normies, drinking alcohol isn't a solitary activity - its a group event and something that you enjoy with a community of people in small amounts and in a responsible manner. It is everywhere but if done responsibly I don't see anything wrong with alcohol as a substance, what I take fault with is the disease of alcoholism and the initial act of drinking as an escape or to solve problems.
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Old 10-02-2014, 08:53 AM
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I get your point. I really do. But I have to say this, as well:

You're always responsible, as an individual, for your choices. Society, your family, your boss, the TV may say it's OK to drink -- but they're not responsible for you. You are.

Give you another example: My kids have food allergies. The way we've dealt with that is that I always send their lunch with them, and instruct them to not take food or snacks from anyone else. That has worked great, for us and for the school.

Then a new family moved to town and had a kid with food allergies. They chose to put their kids in this school (charter school) rather than in the food allergy adapted local elementary school, and then demanded that the school and all parents abide by the food allergy rules their child needed. Which were -- nobody could bring wheat in the school, nobody could bring nuts, nobody could bring apples, carrots, or big stone fruits. Nobody could bring milk or milk products. So no sandwiches, no milk, no cheese sticks, no fruit salads... I felt like we were reduced to feeding the kids chicken breasts and spinach, basically.

Now -- as the parent of kids with food allergies, I know they can be fatal. But I also know that you can not expect the rest of the world to move two feet to the left because you have a problem. You need to create your life in a way that you can manage whatever problem it is you have.

And I tend to see popular culture and societal phenomena similarly. They're there. You can choose what you expose yourself to. And at the end of the day, it's your responsibility what you choose to do.
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Old 10-02-2014, 09:00 AM
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It's crazy, but I think people just don't know the extent of the problem. I think back to when I was a normie (ahh - those were the days)....and I knew OF alcoholism. I had never seen it first hand. I liked to drink. Probably too much at times in life. I knew it meant a good time to me, but I could / can take it or leave it.

I knew crazy cousin Ritchie drank too much, because other members of the family talked about it here and there. I knew he died from drinking antifreeze in a hotel room after a couple of other suicide attempts. I wasn't close to him. No one was.

It took me 5 years of working for an alcoholic boss to actually realize the tip of the iceberg of what alcoholism meant. Even then, I didn't care to research or learn more about it until it struck me that ABF had no control over his drinking. Then, BAM. Information overload. At 33 years old. WTH - my aunt was an addictions counselor, and ran our local DARE program. I feel so stupid for thinking that alcoholism was so rare and so far from me...especially when now, it seems, I am surrounded by the problem.

Awareness of the problem is pathetic. We have commercials saying not to drink and drive, then see alcohol glorified 5 minutes later in a sitcom. Something insane like 1 in 4 people are affected by this plague, yet I don't think very many people realize what it is, or what can be done about it.

I think getting the word out would help. Have as many recovery commercials and ads as there are for booze and parties. Facts and stats. I don't think most normies have any idea of the destruction or magnitude of this curse.
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Old 10-02-2014, 09:03 AM
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cuz life is suffering and drunk=free....until it doesn't
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Old 10-02-2014, 09:12 AM
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Now -- as the parent of kids with food allergies, I know they can be fatal. But I also know that you can not expect the rest of the world to move two feet to the left because you have a problem. You need to create your life in a way that you can manage whatever problem it is you have.
Not to go off on a tangent but there is a big difference in providing a SAFE (safe because food allergies can be fatal) learning environment in a public school versus an alcoholic adult feeling persuaded to make decisions. Ultimately the adults are making decisions in regards to food allergies/lunch box contents and alcohol culture but one effects the safety of children.

Said very respectfully from another mom with a kid who does have severe food allergies.

*in a nut shell, I'm cool with adults feeling ostracized by watching sitcoms. I'm not cool with kids feeling ostracized in public schools.
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Old 10-02-2014, 09:17 AM
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I know it's apples and oranges, Stung -- the point I wanted to make was that you have choices. And you have to make your choices knowing what the consequences will be. And that there's a limit for how much you can expect the world to adapt to your problems.
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Old 10-02-2014, 09:23 AM
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I so agree. I was in a local restaurant yesterday, and there were two posters in the bathroom, I can't remember what exactly they said, something about alcohol and making bad decisions. And it was supposed to be funny, and a few years ago I would have thought it was funny, but now it just makes my stomach turn.
And country music?! I used to like it, but every other song talks about beer and bars and on and on...
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Old 10-02-2014, 09:44 AM
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We also glorify guns, violence and sexist images for women (you can NEVER be thin enough)

We have free will and can make choices, some choose to drink
It has nothing to do with glorifying anything
People will do what they want
People need to take resonsibility for their own actions
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Old 10-02-2014, 09:47 AM
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The reason is $$$$$.

The brewers and distillers make big bucks off of promoting their products. We live in a society where money is more important than people.

I've noticed as I work my program how much I am becoming less normal rather than more. The things most people see as important just don't mean that much to me anymore.

Your friend,
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Old 10-02-2014, 09:59 AM
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I agree that vices are glorified. That has been the case for a long time. Not a recent phenomenon.

Money. Money from advertising. Money from ticket sales. Money from sponsors, who might be alcohol companies or affiliates.

While I understand seeing a vice on TV that you might enjoy is tempting, as an adult you/we/they are responsible for not acting out in your/my/their lives. Free will. Freedom. Personal choice.
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Old 10-02-2014, 10:12 AM
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I feel the same way. Prior to this recent relationship, I really had no strong opinion of alcohol, drinking, liquor stores, etc... it just didn't register in my conscious thoughts.

Now? I am *very* sensitive to it and how engrained it is in our society. The TV shows, posts on FB, commercials, billboards, clothing, jokes, casual conversations and comments between friends and co-workers, etc. It is everywhere. Something that never really bothered me now makes me feel like an outsider, like I don't fit in, like *I* am the one with the "problem".
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Old 10-02-2014, 10:48 AM
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Although I still enjoy an occasional craft beer or wine, I am also much more sensitive to the pervasive "alcohol in your face" society we live in. However, I simply say, that's just how it is and have to move on.

But, I was painfully reminded about the ignorance of our society (and in particular) our young ones about the power and pain of addictions. My high school son just relayed his experience in health class yesterday, where they were watching a video about alcoholics and the destruction it causes. Evidently, some of the folks in the video became emotional, and many of the kids in the class laughed at this. My son- who just lost his mother a month ago to alcoholism- just shook his head sadly and remarked how "they have no idea". No, son, they don't.
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Old 10-02-2014, 11:15 AM
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Oh I am definitely a "we are all responsible for our own choices" and I get sick of our society blaming everything on everybody else, but why have the commercials with people who suffered the Consequence's of smoking then? And there are laws now prohibiting cigarette ads on TV and maybe even magazines, and if someone is smoking on a TV drama or movie, it's not usually or frequently the main topic of the scene. Why can't the media downplay drinking in the way they do smoking? And even show the dire consequences that can result from OVER indulgence of b alcohol? The people who don't overindulge won't have to worry, but it may be a stern warning to those who are treading in to deeper and deeper waters with their drinking? And for Pete's sake, don't show blacking out and drunken sex as being a cool and sexy thing!
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Old 10-02-2014, 11:18 AM
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I see both sides. I do agree that we as adults have choices. 100%! Total agreement.

However, I do think that it is so in your face! I really do. Ice cream, who doesn't like ice cream? Who doesn't have fun eating ice cream with our kids? Watching a movie...??? (obviously just an example)... but you don't see five commercials a night advertising ice cream on big billboards.... It is one's choice to eat it and deal with the extra sugar, etc.... the pants fitting snug.

Alcohol is a huge industry. It is a money industry. The government knows the issues with the effects of it and the disease behind it, but the funding the makers of it contribute to a lot of things in government as well... so, a blind eye is turned.

I see both sides, and I feel it is sad ... very sad. We all have choices. My weakness, one of them.... is potato chips... oh man I love them. I can eat a whole bag in one sitting. Oh my I love them. However, it does not effect my decision making or my family responsibilities and alter my brain to unhealthy decision making. However, if I was somewhere just driving, and all I saw, or heard on the radio was people talking about my precious potato chips... man, I would start to want some.

It is each of our choice, but it doesn't make it easy when everyone glorifies it in my opinion.

JMHO
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Old 10-02-2014, 11:40 AM
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Originally Posted by torquemax777 View Post
Oh I am definitely a "we are all responsible for our own choices" and I get sick of our society blaming everything on everybody else, but why have the commercials with people who suffered the Consequence's of smoking then? And there are laws now prohibiting cigarette ads on TV and maybe even magazines, and if someone is smoking on a TV drama or movie, it's not usually or frequently the main topic of the scene. Why can't the media downplay drinking in the way they do smoking? And even show the dire consequences that can result from OVER indulgence of b alcohol? The people who don't overindulge won't have to worry, but it may be a stern warning to those who are treading in to deeper and deeper waters with their drinking? And for Pete's sake, don't show blacking out and drunken sex as being a cool and sexy thing!
Those ads are a part of a federal ruling against tobacco companies. The ruling states the companies must place those ads because they "misled" the public about the dangers of smoking. The FDA also sponsors ads. I think the FDA does it to cover their butts as they too covered up how bad cigs are for people.

Anyway, there is a new lawsuit by the tobacco companies who state that those ads are misleading consumers by implying the companies were wrong to not disclose the health risks. The companies want the ads to clearly state those ads are part of the first ruling, not due to the companies' negligence.

MADD sponsors TV ads during the holidays and our state (SC) has DUI ads (b/c the rate here was sky high).

You have to have a financial interest to place anti-drinking ads. Budweiser has a new fall TV ad with a man and a dog that implies if you drink and drive, you might not make it home. The ad is kind of creepy.
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Old 10-02-2014, 12:32 PM
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That's way cool about the Budweiser commercial! And your explanation was very informative. Thanx!!! :-) BTW: where is the option to "thank you for the useful post" option??? I wanted to thank each person here for their replies, but there's only the "quote" option for me at least???
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Old 10-02-2014, 04:49 PM
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the thanks button is on the bottom right of each post box.
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Old 10-02-2014, 06:58 PM
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Yes, adults have choices...but I really worry about the impact on teens who carry these glamorized views of alcohol into young adulthood. I wish NOT drinking had the same coolness factor getting drunk does.
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Old 10-03-2014, 07:39 AM
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I figured out why I wasn't able to find the "thanks" button; you have to be "logged in" for all of those options to appear. I thought I was always logged in, but when I went to post on another thread, it asked me to sign in first. Then I noticed all the options reappeared. Thank you for the help though.
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