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Why Is Social Drinking Taboo?
In 16 an article appeared in the Los Angeles Times promoting positive drinking. The author, Stanton Peel, suggested that schools should teach kids “the truth about drinking” (Peele “Tell children”). He argued that it is wrong to teach children that alcohol is completely bad when many people drink it for pleasure, and everyone does not do so in excess. The message that abusing alcohol has many negative effects ranging from liver disease to levels of brain damage is well preached throughout schools, on television, and in the news. However, studies also show some positive health benefits as well as emotional benefits that drinking alcohol in moderation can have.
In a society that no longer promotes abstinence but now parades safe sex and contraceptives, how can moderate drinking still be regarded as bad? Could it be that the negative aspects of alcohol consumption outweigh those of sexual activity? While possible, this is more than likely not the case. The resulting consequence of alcohol consumption can have both positive and negative elements. How then can so many people label all alcohol consumption as bad? More than likely these people against moderate social drinking deny that moderation exists. It is possible that they feel that people cannot control themselves�that humans are merely animals driven by pleasure and personal drive and ultimately incapable of being responsible.
The fact that alcohol abuse has many negative effects ranging from liver disease to levels of brain damage is well known in the United States, and much like its negative effects, the measure of benefits of alcohol are slowly being realized. Mark Keller, a research specialist for the Center of Alcohol Studies at Rutgers University notes that “the first effect of a moderate amount of drink is actually stimulating�not necessarily relaxing�and my allow more efficient rather than less efficient mental performance” (Keller 86-87). While the debate on negative and positive effects of alcohol, it is unreasonable to say that simply for health reasons, alcohol consumption is completely bad and should be banned.
What is the origin of this negative view of all alcohol? In another article, Peele studied different views of alcohol and impact of these views on drinking practices, and attempted to answer this question. In his study, Peele found “the dominant contemporary vision of alcohol in the United States is that alcohol (a) is primarily negative and has exclusively hazardous consequences, (b) leads frequently to uncontrollable behavior, and (c) is something that young people should be warned against” (Peele “Promoting Positive Drinking”). The idea behind alcohol being evil began with 150 to 00 years ago with the temperance movement. Peele says, “although this idea has varied in its intensity since then . . . the idea that alcohol is bad takes a number of forms. For the following reasons, people during this time period believed that alcohol should be totally eradicated from society.
· Alcohol is an addictive substance whose use inevitably leads to increased, compulsive, and uncontrollable use.
· Alcoholism underlies most, indeed practically all, modern social problems (unemployment, wife and child abuse, emotional disorders, prostitution, and so on).
· Alcohol conveys no discernable social benefits. (Promoting Positive Drinking)
Most important to note is the second reason that Peele found. While this attribute refers to alcoholism, this view clearly often carries over to all alcohol consumption. As a major cause of many of the social problems of the day, alcoholism rightfully holds this view. However, this is where many people make a theoretical leap. Since pleasure plays a role in both ordinary and problematic drinking, the message becomes conveyed that drinking must in general be bad. Certain religions, for instance, forbid all alcohol consumption. In Christianity, there are many Biblical references about drinking alcohol. The Bible gives some warnings about “being drunk with wine wherein is excess” (Ephesians 518) but then says, “wine that maketh glad the heart of man” (Psalm 10415). It also notes “Who hath woe? . . . who hath babbling? Who hath wounds, without cause? Who hath redness of eyes,” and it speaks of “they that tarry long at the wine” (Proverbs ). Moslem and Mormon societies also formally rule out all alcohol use (Promoting Positive Drinking). In a study on substance abuse in Israel, Jordan and Palestine, scientists investigated substance abuse among Christian, Moslem, and Druze adolescents. Moslems belong to a culture “which theoretically condemns the use of alcohol beverages in any form” (Weiss 178). When asked about their abstention to alcohol, the greatest response from Moslem adolescents was that “religion is intolerant of alcohol use” (Weiss 10). The common view is that all religion is completely against alcohol, when that is simply not the case. In addition, many religions use alcohol in religious ceremonies. In Judaism, there is a season where one is commanded to drink to excess. Religion can not be the source behind the view that all alcohol consumption is bad.
Mark Keller states about the discovery of alcohol that even among the early religious community, “men found alcoholic beverages to be good�as food, as drink, as medicine.” He also says that this safe conclusion “is matched by the certainty that they found the same beverages to be evil” (Keller 81). The underlying assumption in this malevolent view of alcohol is that anything found to be good could also be bad in excess as with alcohol. Although this assumption seems quite commonsensical, the heart of this is really saying that humans have essentially no self-control and must be told something is bad if it can be misused. Ultimately, anyone who views alcohol in moderation as bad must hold a part of this view.
Common knowledge is that moderate drinking has positive as well as negative attributes. Whether social benefits or physical detriments, alcohol consumption is definitely not completely bad in moderation. Often religion is used for the reason why people are completely against alcohol. However, even religion does not completely abolish drinking in moderation. There is essentially only one reason to hold a completely negative view of alcohol. One must feel in part that humans are merely animals incapable of self-control and rational decision. This is the true source of the taboo surrounding alcohol. What makes alcohol so taboo in society is not the consumption of it, it is the assumption that the users will not be able to control themselves.
Weiss, Shoshana et al. “Substance abuse studies in Israel, Jordan and Palestine” Addiction. 4() 177-18. 1.
Curry, David. “Crime Crusades and Corruption Prohibition in the United States, 100-187”. American Journal of Sociology. 6() 78-7. 10.
Nadelmann, Ethan A. “Drug Prohibition in the United States Costs, Consequences, and Alternatives”. Science. 45(41) -47. 166.
The Holy Bible, King James Version. Indianapolis, IN B. B. Kirkbride Bible Co., INC. 188.
Peele, Stanton and Grant, M. “Promoting Positive Drinking Alcohol, Necessary Evil or Positive Good?” Alcohol and pleasure A health perspective. Philadelphia Brunner/Mazel, pp. 1-7, 1.
Peele, Stanton. “Tell Children the truth about drinking”. Los Angeles Times. Friday, March 1, 16.
Woodiwiss, Michael. Crime Crusades and Corruption Prohibition in the United States, 100-187. Totowa, NJ Barnes and Noble Books, 188.
Keller, Mark. “ALCOHOL IN HEALTH AND DISEASE SOME HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES.” Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 1() 80-87. 166.
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