What possesses people to behave so stupidly under the influence of alcohol?

[Nigh Invulnerable]

Alcohol removes your inhibitions.
That is to say, while under the influence, you are the most you you can be.
In other words: People are stupid by nature, alcohol just lets them act that way without fear of being judged.

I don't know about that whole "without fear of being judged" part. People drive drunk, get in accidents, and then are prosecuted. Plus, I personally think anyone who drinks to the point of being drunk (not just buzzed) and then does something idiotic still deserves full responsibility for their actions while drunk. You know what alcohol can do to you, and yet you chose to drink? No sympathy from me.

 

[Seldon2639]

Alcohol possess people to behave stupidly under the influence of alcohol.

Done, and done.

On the question of why people drink to the point where they behave stupidly, I have no early idea. I think for people in the 21-30 set, it's the ability to act in ways they normally wouldn't. What's funny, of course, is that the placebo effect (and Mallenby Effect) allow people to act like this even without alcohol itself.

So, maybe it's just that thinking you're drunk gives you an excuse to act like an idiot.

 

[linchowlewy]

This makes most sense so far. Knew the first paragraph, hadn't really considered the second, now I'm learning something.

To all the people giving the smart-ass-captain-obvious answers, you make me smile.

Psychologists have done experiments where they put a group of people in a social situation where alcohol would be consumed (such as a bar) and then give them nothing but alcohol-free drinks and they STILL act like they're getting drunk (ie talking louder, slurred speech, freedom of inhibitions, moving closer and becoming more interested in the opposite sex etc).

This simply happens because their brain thinks that's how they're supposed to act in that situation, regardless of whether or nor alcohol has been consumed. It's actually quite an interesting area of psychology.

EDIT: I forgot earlier, they can also wake up with headaches as if they're hungover from such an experiment. The subconscious mind really plays quite a large part in determining behaviour and how the body responds to certain situations.

I've heard of this thing many times before. reminds me of another unrelated topic about how people who thought they were being prayed for but weren't turned out to have a higher percentage of surgery complications than those who didn't have any knowledge of such stuff.

On topic. mostly because it's alcohol but also probably because they can feel they can get away with it.

 

[insectoid]

The better question would be "Why do people partake in gross amounts of alcohol when they know this behaviour is associated with it?"

It makes no sense.

That's what I was thinking...

 

[Nigh Invulnerable]

Alcohol removes your inhibitions.
That is to say, while under the influence, you are the most you you can be.
In other words: People are stupid by nature, alcohol just lets them act that way without fear of being judged.

I don't know about that whole "without fear of being judged" part. People drive drunk, get in accidents, and then are prosecuted. Plus, I personally think anyone who drinks to the point of being drunk (not just buzzed) and then does something idiotic still deserves full responsibility for their actions while drunk. You know what alcohol can do to you, and yet you chose to drink? No sympathy from me.

But while they're drunk, they couldn't care less.
They'll go cheat/fuck a stranger/get in a wreck/act like an asshole and just giggle drunkenly.

True, but then when they sober up they try to excuse their behavior with, "Oh man, I was totally wasted. Sorry about your dog. And your sister" and seem to expect a simple, "You rascally scamp!" sort of response. I think people need to be held more accountable for the things they do while drunk because maybe it would encourage them to drink with a little restraint.

 

[Johnny Xtreme]

Believe me the alcohol only plays a small part in it. The people are already stupid when they decide to get plastered.

 

[Wildrow12]

There is an old saying:

"If you want to know what someone is really thinking, either get
them drunk or get them mad."

 

[Samurai Goomba]

Question: What possesses people to behave so stupidly under the influence of alcohol?

Answer: The influence of alcohol, maybe?

The big question is why people even get drunk in public places.

 

[jacobschndr]

a blood alcohol level above 0.08 can make people do stupid things. You just get to that point where you just don't give a shit anymore about anything and nothing else really matters except how you can stay that way a little longer.

 

[Cxizent]

I've witnessed so much of this behaviour, hell I'm no saint I've been a total bastard before I learned a few things.

This, I believe, is the crux of the issue. Some people are slow learners.

 

[orifice]

I think that any comment I make will be pretty redundant as everyone else has already covered everything. So I'll just say, "what they said"!

 

[SmartIdiot]

I've witnessed so much of this behaviour, hell I'm no saint I've been a total bastard before I learned a few things.

This, I believe, is the crux of the issue. Some people are slow learners.

Good point, either that or they simply don't care.

 

[Airhead]

I personally think it`s Satan.

 

[Falseprophet]

On top of what everyone else said, alcohol is also a depressant. It can make you feel like the lowest of the low, and in such a state, you just might not give a damn about anything. Hence the strong correlation between alcoholism and suicide.

But I've noticed alcohol has different effects on different people. I tend to feel happy when I'm drunk, but then again I've only tended to get drunk around a group of friends. Some of my friends who are the nicest people in the world while sober, become aggressive jerks or slobbering idiots when drunk. Thankfully, they don't get drunk often.

 

[samsprinkle]

ummm...alcohol...