The world has gone mad.
 

It was our turn on Saturday night to host a party with a group of old friends. We do these about 4 or 5 times a year and they are generally filled with heavy drinking etc. This was the second one this year and i obviously didn't drink, but i noted the following comments i got during the night:

1) One drink wont hurt you.
2) Why aren't you drinking its more fun.
3) Aren't you drinking again what is wrong with you?
4) Aren't you drinking. That's a shame?
5) Are you turning Gay? (supposed to be a joke)

I have pretty thick skin so i wasnt offended but it lead me to think about why society thinks in this way. Why do people think it is abnormal not to drink when that should be more the norm? What hope have our children got in the future when our adults think this way?
The more i venture into sobriety, the more I think the world has gone mad and maybe this can only been seen through sober eyes!

I don't know how a normal person feels when they drink.

I do know that I can't drink like them, though. And when I've seen them drink, it befuddles my mind!

:)

Your post made me laugh. Your friends are very outspoken. I have been to several drinking affairs, but no one cared what I drank.. I brought my own drink, green tea and drank it over ice. I had a blast and I don't think anyone really cared what I did or did not drink. You did good to fend off their questions. I would not have been very nice if they were to get in my business. Maybe that is why they did not ask! :c043:

I heard from someone at a meeting when she told her friends she quit drinking, one asked, "What are you going to do for fun?"

Golly Beaver, I just don't know!
Thanks Pedro

I have found the answer to all of these questions. It took me almost 11 months to find it but I did.

You ask them one very honest question. It's a sincere question and implies nothing. Even better, it often shuts them up.

"Does it bother you if I'm not drinking?"

Be very inquisitive when you ask, raise an eyebrow if necessary.

The responses have been interesting. Some say "It does" and then I ask why.

Believe me, it's a short lived conversation and they never ask again.

:)

I just laugh the comments off these days as pethetic but i do worry that society looks at every get together as an excuse to abuse alcohol. Birthdays, Weddings, Easter , Anzac Day, Christmas, Social functions etc etc. all filled with drinking in Australia. I wonder if its the same all over the world?

Yep Pedro, same here in America. Except, we will even celebrate other country's holidays like Cinco De Mayo, just to find an excuse to drink. Alcohol commercials are plentiful. If you go to a restaurant, the first thing they offer is a wine/beer menu. It is the norm around here.

The pressure from others is great. They just can't understand why you wouldn't want "just one drink". And if I am asked on a date, the first words are "Maybe go have a drink?" It is insanity in my opinion.

Pedro!! I'm still rotflmao in tears coz that's just 2 funny!!
Needed that after long wk so thank you sir

Funny bunch of mates, really hilarious. lol. Most of the comments are really only jokes but it does reflect that people think they cant have fun without alcohol. It has taken some time for me over the last year to relax and enjoy myself at events such as these without a drink.

Yep it seems the whole world evolves that way:
Going for a drink after work.
Asking someone out for a drink.
Drinks at mine tonight.
Watch footy and drinks.
Christmas drinks
Easter drinks.
Friday drinks.
Drinks on payday
Blah blah Blah

I posted once about how alcohol laden society is and received some responses that it was just my perception.

Here's a thought to ponder. I know many people who are normies, inluding my husband. It's always killed me that he'll drink 2 or 3 beers and switch to water because the beer is drying him out. My mind can't comprehend that.

I've been in circumstances where there was a dry event being held and it wasn't just the drinkers who didn't want to attend, neither did the normies. Even the normies said "What, no alcohol?"

Tell me that alcohol is not synonymous with fun in this country. Go ahead.

I too have had the litany of ridiculous questions from aquaintences, but they became fewer and farther amongst closer friends! Annoying yes but understandable if they had the misfortune to meet me when I did drink! LOL Stay Strong and Well ! Bobby

I don't think there is any such thing as normies.
I think everybody is either on their way to being an alkie or is already and just don't admit it.

I'm going to do this next time. People have driven me mad this weekend. Comment on my FB page (from Pub Landlord and supposed friend) when I woke up on Sunday re my post from the previous evening, which was a comment to my childhood dance teacher about a dancer on TV Saturday evening...."are you watching this **** because you not drinking? come on becky, get a life..."

Ahh - get a life. That's what I thought I was already trying to do (instead of sitting in his pub paying him loads of money to f**k the old one up).

Gah - I need some non-drinking friends.

Snappy Repartee
 

In old age, the Filter between Brain and Mouth 'loosens up'. So, my Inner SmartAzz has been known to emerge. Let's have a lil fun answering these OP Party Questions...

1) One drink wont hurt you.

True. But, over the years, I've found it's the next 5 Drinks that get me every time. By the way, you're pretty hot when I'm hammered!

2) Why aren't you drinking its more fun.

Not nearly so much fun as watching other Drunks. Trust me.

3) Aren't you drinking again what is wrong with you?

Ask my Wife. Quite a bit. However, drinking to excess isn't one of them anymore.

4) Aren't you drinking. That's a shame?

Not nearly so much shame as trying to remember in the morning what I did or said the night before.

5) Are you turning Gay? (supposed to be a joke)

Fair question. I'm seriously thinking about it. I'm pretty well bored with drinking Heteros.

I'm way glad to be out of the Corp Workforce and having only elective Social Events to deal with now. In all my Int'l Biz Travels, I can say that The World seems to drink for any/all reasons. Throughout Asia; German or Swiss-based Trade Shows; S. American Dinners... It's 'Binge City' seemingly everywhere.

At Dinner and a Music Venue later last Saturday night, I was detached enough to simply observe and chuckle at all the Alcohol drifting by to be served. It is pretty amazing how pervasive Booze is. Lemonade Guy, here, was uber detached from it all, and enjoyed it w/o cravings. Plus, my Refills were free. Who woulda thunk that simply observing could be my new 'fun'?

From Beccybean's Post above is this sentiment which is my focus right now. I actually know some 'Normies' and like them all the more these days.

Gah - I need some non-drinking friends.

Lol MesaMan- I can be a little witty at times (need to be around my mates) and I did respond to each of the comments with something similar to your lines above. I also made a post a couple of moths ago where i commented that i enjoyed the night sober observing the carry on of others drinking. I actually received some negative feedback on here for making that my enjoyment! I failed to see that coming.

I agree. Alcohol is as addictive to one person as much as it is to the next. No-one's immune from the addiction of alcohol. Some seem to mask it better than others.

I concur.

Gah - I need some non-drinking friends.

I used to think this too. It was only when I got sober I realized that most normal adults DON'T think that way. When I was a heavy drinker I surrounded myself with heavy drinkers and did drinking activities.

Now I'm sober I have a new circle of friends, most of whom don't drink or have an odd drink. To them NOT drinking is normal.

If I'd kept doing drinking things with drinking friends I would have felt the odd one out and 'abnormal' in some way. I've learned that most people don't think it's odd if someone doesn't drink but I had to change the company I kept in order to do it

For most people drinking is a normal practice that they may do at a party or some kind of celebration or night out. They don't have a problem with it.

There are those people who are trying to be friendly and have a laugh that may want to encourage others to have a drink (not 10 drinks) to break down social barriers, then there are a few like us who think people don't drink are weird and to stay say from.

If people have seen you drink before and suddenly you are not they will want to know why or encourage you to drink. That's completely normal if they know you. The only way to ensure they don't keep asking you to drink is to be honest, e.g. If you had pancreatitis and let them know that drink could kill you then you may hear a couple of jokes but no one is going to actively encourage you to drink.