Societal Acceptance of Alcohol

ON THE SOCIETAL ACCEPTANCE OF ALCOHOL

The hypocrisy surrounding general perceptions of alcohol consumption

investigations editor

Alcohol is everywhere you look: advertisements, movies, restaurants, business meetings and even Chuck E. Cheese. Compared to other drugs, such as opioids or psychedelics, it carries very little stigma. According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 85.6% of those above legal drinking age reported drinking alcohol in the past year and 54.9% in the last month. In our own lives, the social pressure to drink comes not only from peers but sometimes also from family. It is often seen as an element for relaxation and adding enjoyment to social occasions.

Yet while alcohol consumption is common and even encouraged in many social settings, society can be hypocritical in its treatment of people from specific backgrounds and those who over-consume.

Drinking comes with its own set of taboos and social norms. Binge-drinking is the norm at a frat party, but not at a fine dining restaurant. Unspoken markers associated with different drinks can reinforce stereotypes, such as a man jokingly ordering a Shirley Temple or Cosmopolitan, a stereotypically feminine drink. While there is nothing wrong with ordering such drinks, doing so in a mocking way is degrading towards women. In fact, there are different views towards alcohol consumers based on their class. While one may not question a wealthy-looking adult getting

drunk on a few glasses of wine, other marginalized racial groups are also ideas come to mind seeing a poor- often more stigmatized when it comes er-looking person stumble down the to alcohol consumption, yet in this street with a bottle of cheap vodka. case, it is not society’s hypocritical Alcoholism is further stigmatized, treatment but racial disparities that with hypocrisy in society’s response cause such problems. “Whites and to the consequences of drinking it- Native Americans have a greater risk self. While drinking is often promoted for alcohol use disorders relative to in social culture, sudden alarm and other ethnic groups. However, once harsh attitudes can be directed to- alcohol dependence occurs, Blacks wards those facing alcohol addiction and Hispanics experience higher or even occasional binge-drinking. In rates than Whites of recurrent or percertain atmospheres, drinking more sistent dependence,” says an article is encouraged and seen as one stan- by the National Institute on Alcohol dard for a person’s level of toughness Abuse and Alcoholism. Discriminaor endurance. One example is at par- tion, economic and neighborhood ties when people have keg challeng- disadvantage, and unemployment are linked to common causes of “ IN CERTAIN ATMOSPHERES, DRINKING MORE IS ENCOURAlcohol Use Disorders (AUD). Higher rates of minority populations than white populations sufAGED [...] HOWEVER, ONCE fer from each. ACTS OF VIOLENCE, CARELESSWhile it is essential to acNESS OR ILL-JUDGEMENT OCknowledge that acts under the CUR DUE TO INTOXICATION, influence are incredibly harmful MANY AUTOMATICALLY START TO SHAME. ” to the safety and well being of others, people should also focus some attention on the dangers of the overall promotion of drinking as a whole as well. In more exes or yell “shot, shot, shot” in a com- treme cases of binge-drinking, where petition of downing the most shots of alcoholism and addiction come into hard liquor. However, once acts of vi- play, more consequences arise such olence, carelessness or ill-judgment as potential verbal or physical abuse, occur due to intoxication, many au- health issues and more. In many castomatically start to shame the person es, alcoholics have lower social stafor their drunk actions. So poses the tus and suffer from the discouragequestion: when does the line become ment of others. blurred from acceptable alcohol con- Though it is reasonable to hold sumption to shameful alcoholism and negative views towards those who does our culture push people over act recklessly while drunk, the overthe line only to blame them? all promotion of drinking and the unAnoth- er issue is how derlying hypocrisies behind it should not go unnoticed. In many ways, society punishes the people who suffer consequences from the same drink it promotes LIFESTYLES | 17