Non drinker in a country obsessed with drink.

Mutant z

Is it strange to be a non drinker and live in a country where so much revolves around alcohol, the fact is i've never been that interest in drinking alcohol. I've never seen the point that so many others do of going out and getting pissed for the sake of it like it's somehow a badge of honour and something to be proud about.


There does seem to be a stigma attached to those who aren't drinkers in this country like they are unsociable weirdos and boring and they don't live fulfilling lives because they're teetotal, many people get by perfectly well without ever touching a drop and don't need alcohol in their lives, why is there this attitude in this country that you must drink as much as you can to have fun you can have just as much fun without drinking or getting drunk.

valoren

There was an experiment once done with macaque monkeys in captivity. In the sanctuary researchers kept 5 of the monkey's. Every other day they place a bunch of bananas just within reach in a specific spot in their living space at various intervals throughout the day. Whenever one of the monkey's approached the food, a researcher would douse the monkey with freezing cold water. The researchers alternated the procedure of dousing the monkey. If one approached the food, then that monkey got sprayed. If another approached then not only would that monkey get sprayed but so too would the other 4, despite having done nothing to warrant it. The researchers alternated this to the point that each and every monkey came to be conditioned to associate the bananas and approaching them with the punishment of an extremely cold shower. It turned out that the conditioning was so powerful that if a monkey was stupid enough to try and grab a banana, then the rest of the group would gang up on that monkey, bullying them because they would all get punished, it quickly became a rule. Don't reach for the bananas. So it reached the point that no monkey dared approach the food. They would either be beaten up or showered if they did.

Now comes the kicker. The research team replaced one of the original 5 monkeys. The new monkey seeing the food naturally made a go for it. The rest as usual beat that monkey up. There's a rule for living here was the message. They knew what would happen to them. Over time at various intervals each original monkey was replaced to the point where none of them dared approach the food. All of the original 5 had been moved to another sanctuary. Remember none of the replacement monkeys had ever been given the frozen water punishment. All they knew was that approaching the food was strictly verboten, that it meant getting beaten up and bullied. It was the rule. So they didn't do it. The lesson was that not going for that particular food was just the way things were. A status quo was in place.

The same process explains why people drink alcohol. While it is a psychoactive substance that causes untold personal and societal problems and anyone thinking rationally would deem dangerous, it turns out that it is a drug that is taken by the majority of people. That's just the way it is.

It makes no logical sense, but that's the status quo. Irish people have a drinking culture. If you don't drink you're not part of the status quo. You face punishment by potentially being labelled a weirdo, as suspicious etc. All conditioned attitudes. For someone to somehow step outside that status quo, the irish drinking culture,, it invites punishment. Not physical abuse obviously but punishment through mockery, shunning, social rejection etc etc. If you try to quit the booze, if you have no interest in alcohol one way or another (i.e. if you reach for the food as is natural, food is tasty!) then for whatever reason you become subjected to a sort of enforcement. You're no fun! Everybody does it! You're a dry balls etc.

Mutant z

valoren wrote: »

There was an experiment once done with macaque monkeys in captivity. In the sanctuary researchers kept 5 of the monkey's. Every other day they place a bunch of bananas just within reach in a specific spot in their living space at various intervals throughout the day. Whenever one of the monkey's approached the food, a researcher would douse the monkey with freezing cold water. The researchers alternated the procedure of dousing the monkey. If one approached the food, then that monkey got sprayed. If another approached then not only would that monkey get sprayed but so too would the other 4, despite having done nothing to warrant it. The researchers alternated this to the point that each and every monkey came to be conditioned to associate the bananas and approaching them with the punishment of an extremely cold shower. It turned out that the conditioning was so powerful that if a monkey was stupid enough to try and grab a banana, then the rest of the group would gang up on that monkey, bullying them because they would all get punished, it quickly became a rule. Don't reach for the bananas. So it reached the point that no monkey dared approach the food. They would either be beaten up or showered if they did.

Now comes the kicker. The research team replaced one of the original 5 monkeys. The new monkey seeing the food naturally made a go for it. The rest as usual beat that monkey up. There's a rule for living here was the message. They knew what would happen to them. Over time at various intervals each original monkey was replaced to the point where none of them dared approach the food. All of the original 5 had been moved to another sanctuary. Remember none of the replacement monkeys had ever been given the frozen water punishment. All they knew was that approaching the food was strictly verboten, that it meant getting beaten up and bullied. It was the rule. So they didn't do it. The lesson was that not going for that particular food was just the way things were. A status quo was in place.

The same process explains why people drink alcohol. While it is a psychoactive substance that causes untold personal and societal problems and anyone thinking rationally would deem dangerous, it turns out that it is a drug that is taken by the majority of people. That's just the way it is.

It makes no logical sense, but that's the status quo. Irish people have a drinking culture. If you don't drink you're not part of the status quo. You face punishment by potentially being labelled a weirdo, as suspicious etc. All conditioned attitudes. For someone to somehow step outside that status quo, the irish drinking culture,, it invites punishment. Not physical abuse obviously but punishment through mockery, shunning, social rejection etc etc. If you try to quit the booze, if you have no interest in alcohol one way or another (i.e. if you reach for the food as is natural, food is tasty!) then for whatever reason you become subjected to a sort of enforcement. You're no fun! Everybody does it! You're a dry balls etc.

I used to get that from others that if you dont drink you're not part of our gang that you must drink to be cool if you don't drink you're some kind of loser or pussy or something along those lines, it used to bother me more in my teenage years when i associated with people who liked to drink, however as i've got older i tend to care less and less what others think and make my own choices in life and if others can't accept it they can go get stuffed.

Sigma Force

Mutant z wrote: »

I used to get that from others that if you dont drink you're not part of our gang that you must drink to be cool if you don't drink you're some kind of loser or pussy or something along those lines, it used to bother me more in my teenage years when i associated with people who liked to drink, however as i've got older i tend to care less and less what others think and make my own choices in life and if others can't accept it they can go get stuffed.

Same here I never cared what people think. Now I would have the very occasional drink but 99% of the time I wouldn't bother and people would always comment on it like it's something freakish. I never cared and still don't, I don't bother with pubs anyway really unless it's going for a meal and now with my oh fresh out of rehab I won't go near them. It wouldn't phase me if pubs and alcohol were banned tomorrow. But you everything revolves around the pubs in this country. Unless you like cafes there really aren't many options for non drinkers to socialise. But then look at all those drinking at home now to save money or because they can't drink and drive. I think things will slowly change attitude wise but we deffo still are a country obsessed with the stuff but also a country sick because of it. There's an endless waiting list for rehab centres so it shows that many people don't want it anymore. Ok many go just to get out of court dates etc. But plenty genuinely want to stop.

AidanadiA

I find its certain social circles that have an issue with no drinking.
I have one group of friends all big time drinkers that I would have seen every week when I was drinking. Now that I don't they don't want me to be out with them. I don't get invites or anything unless I promise to drink. (ginger ale on the rocks)

Then I have a different group of mixed drinkers and not so often drinkers. I'll go out to cocktail bars, meals, dancing with them and there is no question of what is in my glass as long as I'm enjoying myself.