People often neglect to compare the costs/risks to the benefits (which I think this post largely does).
In the case of alcohol, I think the benefits of alcohol are smaller than most people believe.
I think in the majority of cases, the feelings of happiness from alcohol are not actually coming from alcohol, but from socializing, then being misattributed to the alcohol.
One easy way to verify this: try drinking alone. You’ll find it doesn’t make you happy. It just accentuates existing feelings.
Then, try talking to people for awhile without drinking. You’ll find once you get past the initial awkwardness, you start feeling good.
Some added nuance: I think alcohol is short term beneficial for getting into social situations, by decreasing fear. However, I think this usually becomes a crutch. It’s better to simply learn how to get into conversations without alcohol. It’s possible to develop this skill without having to ingest a neurotoxin.
One easy way to verify this: try drinking alone. You’ll find it doesn’t make you happy. It just accentuates existing feelings.
try doing acid and running a marathon. Try doing molly and going to work. Trying taking Adderall and doing nothing. Drugs don’t need to be strictly better in every life situation to be sometimes directly positive. In fact I think your argument is perhaps a better argument for the potential utility of drugs that is not currently achieved. We do a terrible job educating children on how much of different drugs will be fun and what situations it will be most fun. Yet people’s revealed preferences are that they still value them highly.
Alcohol can absolutely be fun. It can absolutely be useful for creating social connections and letting loose a little bit even if you could do without. I say this as someone who thinks alcohol is one of the worst drugs for sure by cost/benefit (on a personal level) and broadly agree with the overtures of this post (at least on the negative side, it think its possible alc is extremely beneficial for our culture but hard to say)- I barely drink and would choose most other options.
I think you are taking a very rat/aspie perspective. There are tons of idiots with 0 social anxiety who frickin love shotgunning beers. They are not doing it to feel comfortable with their best friends on a fishing trip. It’s fun. at least sometimes.
Then, try talking to people for awhile without drinking. You’ll find once you get past the initial awkwardness, you start feeling good.
Well, having met Kat once, it was clear that she was very outgoing. I’m averagely outgoing, and it’s clear to me that in some situations getting past that initial awkwardness is a huge advantage.
People often neglect to compare the costs/risks to the benefits (which I think this post largely does).
In the case of alcohol, I think the benefits of alcohol are smaller than most people believe.
I think in the majority of cases, the feelings of happiness from alcohol are not actually coming from alcohol, but from socializing, then being misattributed to the alcohol.
One easy way to verify this: try drinking alone. You’ll find it doesn’t make you happy. It just accentuates existing feelings.
Then, try talking to people for awhile without drinking. You’ll find once you get past the initial awkwardness, you start feeling good.
Some added nuance: I think alcohol is short term beneficial for getting into social situations, by decreasing fear. However, I think this usually becomes a crutch. It’s better to simply learn how to get into conversations without alcohol. It’s possible to develop this skill without having to ingest a neurotoxin.
try doing acid and running a marathon. Try doing molly and going to work. Trying taking Adderall and doing nothing. Drugs don’t need to be strictly better in every life situation to be sometimes directly positive. In fact I think your argument is perhaps a better argument for the potential utility of drugs that is not currently achieved. We do a terrible job educating children on how much of different drugs will be fun and what situations it will be most fun. Yet people’s revealed preferences are that they still value them highly.
Alcohol can absolutely be fun. It can absolutely be useful for creating social connections and letting loose a little bit even if you could do without. I say this as someone who thinks alcohol is one of the worst drugs for sure by cost/benefit (on a personal level) and broadly agree with the overtures of this post (at least on the negative side, it think its possible alc is extremely beneficial for our culture but hard to say)- I barely drink and would choose most other options.
I think you are taking a very rat/aspie perspective. There are tons of idiots with 0 social anxiety who frickin love shotgunning beers. They are not doing it to feel comfortable with their best friends on a fishing trip. It’s fun. at least sometimes.
Definitely agree. Also, in response to:
Well, having met Kat once, it was clear that she was very outgoing. I’m averagely outgoing, and it’s clear to me that in some situations getting past that initial awkwardness is a huge advantage.