I think alcohol is not as bad as people think.

[Doclector]

Okay, o want people to discuss drink here. Good, bad, moderation? Whatever. It's an interesting topic.

I think it can be very good, it can be very social. Needs moderation, but it's not the devil everyone says it is.

 

[Baradiel]

Alcohol lowers inhibitions. If someone makes you angry while you're sober, your inhibitions might stop you taking it out on them. Without those inhibitions, you might be more likely to.

However, I find it also heightens emotions. They can be positive, and I tend to be a happy drunk, but I've also been made incredibly depressed after one bad thing happened on a night out.

 

[Iron Mal]

While I appreciate that you are tanked while writing this I'd have to say that drunken people have seriously harmed each other while intoxicated (and that this does happen quite a lot).

Alchohol isn't really a wonderful 'uniter of people' so much as 'for a lot of people it's fun to get together to get shit-faced' (which is fine but it's also gotta be acknowledged that this still results in a lot of harm more often than you probably want to admit).

I've seen pleanty of sober people resolve otherwise hostile situations peacefully and walk away and I've also had to be the sober person at a party walking around and babysitting all the drunken, vomiting manchildren (not fun).

Case in point, drunk driving crashes (I would be impressed if someone found an act of drunk driving that was somehow committed while sober).

 

[Bobic]

Are you seriously saying you've never seen a drunk hurt someone on purpose? Maybe it's just because I live in stoke-on-trent but a significant amount of the times I go out I've seen some drunken idiot attack some other drunken idiot for what has to be little to no reason.

 

[SpaZticHero]

Well lets see if you feel the same way in the morning,huh?

OT: Drink isn't all bad. Its just got a rather negative stigma due to its various negative health benefits and the fact that many people have a terrible habit of over indulging and becoming dicks.

 

[Jake0fTrades]

Drunkenness is an issue. Sure,"everyone makes mistakes", but there's a reason that driving drunk is against the law. It inhibits motor functions and causes increasingly reckless behavior. There are more people killed by drunk drivers than by sober drivers.

Not only is it dangerous to others but it's dangerous to the user. It damages the liver and there are accounts of people who've vomited during their sleep as a result of being drunk and choked on their own bile.

History has shown that Prohibition wouldn't work, but people need to learn the value of restraint.

 

[Steve Lovell]

http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=GB#/watch?v=bQHd96-jHdU
This guy may disagree, but in all honesty I'm surprised he got that far

 

[Rawne1980]

Me and the lads love a good booze up. Admittedly we don't get out as much as we did now we all have families but we still have a beer on footy days. A coach over to Liverpool, get on at Anfield then off to the pub for a few before the coach home.

During my army days we were out every night, we loved it.

I don't see anything wrong with a few beers and bollocks to anyone who does see a problem with it.

As long as you have fun and aren't a dick drunk it's all good.

 

[Avaholic03]

There are all sorts of drunks. Sloppy drunks, horny drunks, suave drunks....and mean drunks. So, just because you feel like drinking is an improvement for yourself doesn't mean that's universally true for everyone.

 

[Doclector]

Well lets see if you feel the same way in the morning,huh?

OT: Drink isn't all bad. Its just got a rather negative stigma due to its various negative health benefits and the fact that many people have a terrible habit of over indulging and becoming dicks.

Dammit I brender to write that I might feel different earlier. Oh well. I know what you say, but oh well.

 

[ajemas]

Now, here's the thing, in my life I have seen people commit violent acts when completely sober, but I have never seen a drink person seriously hurt anyone on purpose.

THIS is your problem. You're using anecdotal evidence, but this is not valid at all. You are using a very small sample where a larger one is required to draw any serious conclusions.
Let me hit you with some numbers. In 2008 there were 37,261 driving fatalities in the United States. Guess how many were alcohol related? 13,846. Or how about this: up to 86 percent of homicide offenders, 37 percent of assault offenders, 60 percent of sexual offenders, up to 57 percent of men and 27 percent of women involved in marital violence, and 13 percent of child abusers were under the influence of alcohol during their various crimes.
And as to your statement about violence, does your narrow field of personal experience account for the fact that 42% of all violent crimes reported to police involved alcohol? I'm sorry, but just according to statistics you are 100% incorrect.

Sources:
http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/alerts/l/blnaa38.htm
http://www.alcoholalert.com/drunk-driving-statistics.html

 

[Doclector]

Now, here's the thing, in my life I have seen people commit violent acts when completely sober, but I have never seen a drink person seriously hurt anyone on purpose.

THIS is your problem. You're using anecdotal evidence, but this is not valid at all. You are using a very small sample where a larger one is required to draw any serious conclusions.
Let me hit you with some numbers. In 2008 there were 37,261 driving fatalities in the United States. Guess how many were alcohol related? 13,846. Or how about this: up to 86 percent of homicide offenders, 37 percent of assault offenders, 60 percent of sexual offenders, up to 57 percent of men and 27 percent of women involved in marital violence, and 13 percent of child abusers were under the influence of alcohol during their various crimes.
And as to your statement about violence, does your narrow field of personal experience account for the fact that 42% of all violent crimes reported to police involved alcohol? I'm sorry, but just according to statistics you are 100% incorrect.

Sources:
http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/alerts/l/blnaa38.htm
http://www.alcoholalert.com/drunk-driving-statistics.html

Fair point my friend. This is how you make an argument! You don't just shout at people.

 

[NoNameMcgee]

People on this site you mean??

Yeah, in the real world people have no problems with others getting drunk. It can improve a night and improve your personality and the way you interact with others (yes, its true, if you dont think so I assume you've either never actually had much experience with alcohol, or you know one of those mean and angry drunks)

Booze is fun, most of it tastes discusting, but once you find the right drink and make sure you don't go over your limit, it can improve a night out tenfold.

 

[ajemas]

Now, here's the thing, in my life I have seen people commit violent acts when completely sober, but I have never seen a drink person seriously hurt anyone on purpose.

THIS is your problem. You're using anecdotal evidence, but this is not valid at all. You are using a very small sample where a larger one is required to draw any serious conclusions.
Let me hit you with some numbers. In 2008 there were 37,261 driving fatalities in the United States. Guess how many were alcohol related? 13,846. Or how about this: up to 86 percent of homicide offenders, 37 percent of assault offenders, 60 percent of sexual offenders, up to 57 percent of men and 27 percent of women involved in marital violence, and 13 percent of child abusers were under the influence of alcohol during their various crimes.
And as to your statement about violence, does your narrow field of personal experience account for the fact that 42% of all violent crimes reported to police involved alcohol? I'm sorry, but just according to statistics you are 100% incorrect.

Sources:
http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/alerts/l/blnaa38.htm
http://www.alcoholalert.com/drunk-driving-statistics.html

Fair point my friend. This is how you make an argument! You don't just shout at people.

I try to treat people on the internet the same way I would treat them if they were sitting in the same room as me.

 

[Zantos]

Well drinking so much you end up vomiting in your shoes is definitely a bad thing, but I don't think there's anything wrong with moderate or even controlled-heavy drinking.

 

[Hagi]

Alcohol with moderation:
fine.
Alcohol without moderation:
# 5% of all deaths from diseases of the circulatory system are attributed to alcohol.
# 15% of all deaths from diseases of the respiratory system are attributed to alcohol.
# 30% of all deaths from accidents caused by fire and flames are attributed to alcohol.
# 30% of all accidental drownings are attributed to alcohol.
# 30% of all suicides are attributed to alcohol.
# 40% of all deaths due to accidental falls are attributed to alcohol.
# 45% of all deaths in automobile accidents are attributed to alcohol.
# 60% of all homicides are attributed to alcohol.

I'm pretty sure alcohol without moderation kills more people then every single illegal drug combined.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

Drinking is fun. Where's the point in a party if there's no drinking (drugs? Stoners are incredibly boring)? Drinking so much you throw up everywhere is an inevitable (and occasional) side effect of drinking the right amount.

Alcoholicism is bad obviously. But then, people are depressed/stupid.