Featured Alcohol and it's role in our culture

[smellsea]

i slowed down on drinking but a big reason for it was just depression. i don't know, i've always been a depressed person... alot of travelers i meet tend to be. it's just shitty because the alcohol was a big reason for the depression, it's a never ending cycle. when i got a dog i slowed down alot, when i'm cofortable at a party and with good friends i trust i'll still get good and wasted. but i'll deffinitly be trying to get a dollar for a nick bag before a 40 oz...

 

[Aahz The Demon]

I'm not as think as you drunk I am!

 

[vegetarianathan]

Out of all the shit in my genes, I'm looking out for addiction the most and I'm bound to get addicted to alcohol if I drink too much too often.
I also see what some of my friends are like when they are alcoholics, one in particular really opened my eyes. We were at a party the night before (it was about 5:50AM), and there was no more booze and he was tapping on the table telling a story but looking really strange. Apparently, he hadn't a drink in more than three hours and he told himself that he wouldn't have one until at least 6AM as a routine of trying to cutback. At 6AM on the dot he got up and walked to 7/11 to get some beer. That morning really resonated with me. But I've never been one to drink often either, mostly do to a lack of money. Why would I want to be stoned/drunk all the time? I want that to be an escape, or a means of relaxation, not a normal feeling. There is a time and a place for indulgence.

 

[pigeon]

i think society works the way it does to ingrain competition (for money and social status mainly) into people. there are the people that just run the rat race everyday and never stop to think that hey "i don't even like to run" or "i don't even want what i'm after". then there are the people who see through it and choose not to participate, but with that choice comes alienation. alienation is best friends with depression and that often leads to people self medicating, numbing, distracting/ entertaining themselves because society is structured in a way to seem overwhelming and undefeatable. i think drinking and drugs are forced down our throats as "cool" from a very early age and i think anyone with an "alternative" view is more than likely going to be relating with the "rebel" in a movie that gets high behind the bleachers than some straight laced character that is made unappealing to us (intentionally in my opinion). i think they do that on purpose to lower our level of resistance to whats going on by pacifying us with things that chemically make our bodies feel good. very brave new world soma-esque stuff.

but hey, maybe im just a straight edgeish wingnut so what do i know...

 

[christa]

Ignorance has a lot to do with the drinking problem in our scene. Most of the travelers nowadays are just kids and they don't have the ability to think down the road. Most suffer physical ailments from drinking and don't even know how to contribute it to their drinking problems. I am a busker and I run into a lot of kids who say "oh man I play way better when I'm wasted. I just get way more relaxed" Which im sorry but is totally impossible. Drinking slows your reaction time so how can you really play better?
It is also something that makes you feel more like an adult (if your 16-21). Instead of building up yourself to be better at dealing with social situations as an adult would, you find a shortcut in being drunk and expressing yourself without limits, being able to say what you feel and think without thought to social consequence. Unfortunately there is a come down and you eventually become sober and are back to square one.
Also drinking is a social thing, at least that's how it begins. I find nothing wrong (speaking for myself) with having a few beers with friends in the evening. Drinking is something we can enjoy together as a group. The buzz also feels nice after a long day.

 

[finn]

I have a rule to never drink alone, or with obvious alcoholics, just to keep my drinking social. It's a big part of human culture, whether you like it or not. And plus, there is also a brew-your-own-beer culture going on, too, so remember that there are positive aspects to alcohol as well, even though it's not as clear cut as the negatives. I think it's important to actually participate in the process, instead of just being on the recieving end of things.

 

[Beegod Santana]

I am a busker and I run into a lot of kids who say "oh man I play way better when I'm wasted. I just get way more relaxed" Which im sorry but is totally impossible. Drinking slows your reaction time so how can you really play better?

As a life long musician and perpetual busker I have to disagree with you. Its by no means a magic solution to playing better, and when drumming I almost never drink (unless I'm just hanging and playing with friends). When I busk with a guitar I tend to play country songs that require a lot of vocal work but not much finger work and I feal that drinking a beer or two when I first start busking helps loosen me up a bit. Also alcohol can be a pain killer and can assist you in pushing yourself a little further than usual and thus discovering new tricks. Moonshine was key for me in learning bluegrass.

 

[madewithpaint]

i would much rather smoke weed than drink honestly. i personally hate alcohol, but if i've had a good busking day/night, i might spend some money to get shwilly. it's fun just as long as you don't go overboard and get caught up, or make yourself look like a fool.

 

[Monkeywrench]

After a long hot day of walking for miles, waiting hours upon hours for a train, or thumbing it on an on-ramp all fucking day, we BETTER buy a .40 or two. Nothing is more calming than cold beer after a shitty, frustrating day of getting from point A to Z. It brings sleep, good times, possible scraps, and inevitable laughs.

There's traveling kids that drink, and then there's the DT'ing raging fucking obnoxious alcoholics that need to spend every penny they make on booze so they can get well at 3-4am. I've had the pleasure of traveling extensively with both.

I'm not going to condemn anyone's personal choices. I'll respect your life choices, but that doesn't mean they are right for me. I drink as much as the next redneck--but I don't need booze. I've gone weeks, months without a sip. I love traveling. First and foremost, I'm a rambling soul--so I'd prefer to spend my money on needed gear, public transpo (c'mon, there's times we need AC busses and subways) and dank food when available. If every cent is going towards 211, then I'm probably going to tell you to kick rocks. That's not traveling. That's chasing your habit across the country.

 

[Beegod Santana]

After a long hot day of walking for miles, waiting hours upon hours for a train, or thumbing it on an on-ramp all fucking day, we BETTER buy a .40 or two. Nothing is more calming than cold beer after a shitty, frustrating day of getting from point A to Z. It brings sleep, good times, possible scraps, and inevitable laughs.

There's traveling kids that drink, and then there's the DT'ing raging fucking obnoxious alcoholics that need to spend every penny they make on booze so they can get well at 3-4am. I've had the pleasure of traveling extensively with both.

I'm not going to condemn anyone's personal choices. I'll respect your life choices, but that doesn't mean they are right for me. I drink as much as the next redneck--but I don't need booze. I've gone weeks, months without a sip. I love traveling. First and foremost, I'm a rambling soul--so I'd prefer to spend my money on needed gear, public transpo (c'mon, there's times we need AC busses and subways) and dank food when available. If every cent is going towards 211, then I'm probably going to tell you to kick rocks. That's not traveling. That's chasing your habit across the country.

That was by far the best response on this thread.

 

[Arnold]

I think that people need a physical meaning to life just as they need a mental meaning to life. so physical vices are created to either manifest our mental meaning of life or to create a mental meaning of life & through human nature we sometimes take these meanings to an obsessive level developing habits(drinking alcohol) whether the habit is beneficial to us or not is up to the user. Why our culture drinks may just be caused by our need to discover what is beyond the norm or just solidify it....just a thought...

 

[614 crust]

Alcohol is my way of not being an anti social asshole. Find me sober I likely wont talk much if any. If I've had a drink or two I'll likely hang out, share my booze, food, whatever I have with you. That And It's still better and cheaper than all the anti depressants and anti anxiety shit they try to shove down your throat if you're like me.

 

[wartomods]

yeah it is legal, and it is a good drug, even comparing to a large share of other illegal drugs.

 

[Beegod Santana]

Everything legal sucks, everything illegal is fucking awesome.

As much as I defend someone's right to drink, I'll take some bud and a lick any day over a 40.

 

[Gudj]

and it is a good drug,

What does that mean?

 

[wartomods]

it means that it is pretty comptent at getting you intoxicated.

 

[RnJ]

When people try to bum smokes off me, or offer me weed or beer, I usually say something like "sorry, i don't smoke/drink/"smoke." they usually reply with "Don't be sorry, that's awesome, you save a lot of money." They say this like it's amazing i don't pay for all this unhealthy shit. And I keep thinking, how is that even amazing? I mean, i mostly just tried that stuff and didn't find it that pleasing, and thought for myself instead of going with the flow. As far as i'm concerned, drugs, booze and cigs are just another form of over-consumption, as none of the three have significant biological benefits to your body. Granted, i'm a cheap ass and grew up in relatively good conditions, which have helped me to say no. I don't mind hanging out with people who do that stuff daily, i just find i can't stick around them for too long because we are invariably influenced by the people around us, and I especially am affected by the attitude of those i hang around with.
As far as alcohol being liquid courage, i wonder 2 things. 1. ) Is it worth building a relationship or confidence suspended by a substance? How will I deal with awkward "morning after" situation, other than another drink? 2.) Who's to say that inhibitions are such a bad thing that they need to be overcome? Often, I think they are, in which case i believe the human experience we share should be enough to talk to a stranger. Other times, in the example of going to the bar and getting tanked so you have the courage to hook up with some chick that could have a disease for all you know, inhibitions are best left in place. I do understand that when the entire party is on this uninhibited social level, and strangers are having a good time with strangers, you will feel very disconnected relatively.
As for drugs and "mind expansion," i believe they do not exceed the capability of actually doing things with your life, putting yourself into new situations. From what I've heard, though drugs can give you all sorts of awesome ideas and unique philosophies that make you feel uber-unique and individual(istic) and like you're into control, they don't generally contribute to any action. They may bring up some cool existentialist ideas, and cause you to question whether you really exist or not. But that shit is useless, and if this is not reality and existence, it's the closest thing we'll ever have. See, the problem is that although alternate realities are cool, they are incredibly hard to fully exist in. It's like waking up from an awesome dream and not being quite able to describe all the details and exactly what happened.

Sorry, this is my one chance to rail against these things. I am less concerned with forcing people to stop buying into consumption, then somehow helping them kick that shit. Whatever these substances are medicating, I believe could be somehow dealt with more fittingly. I just feel like for a lot of traveling/street culture, substance (ab)use is the most immediate oppressive force. If any of you are thinking of kicking some of this stuff, do it, but realize that you may have to surround yourself with different people to do it. It's freedom, though.

OK, enough of my compassio-straight-edge propaganda, lol. No hate.

 

[Beegod Santana]

RnJ, you make some good points, but as far as mind expansion goes, I think you've missed the point. Certain drugs, such as thc, lsd, ketamine, DMT and whole bunch of research drugs open up receptors in your brain that you'll never unlock during your life time otherwise. A lot of people believe that this is possible through extremely deep states of meditation, but so far no one's been able to prove it ( at least to my knowledge, if any can prove me wrong please do!). Alcohol is admittedly, not one of these drugs.

And too everyone who referenced that "wasted indeed" zine. Talking to the kid at pdx FnB who gave me that zine really made me want a beer.

 

[bananathrash]

It may well be true that those drugs open up receptors, but thats exactly why it makes people crazy. You pave a path between two points of your brain that are supposed to be independent. Users lose the ability to distinguish between reality, and fantasy, and can never rebuild that mental block.

And on that last part, are you just one of those rednecks whos whole lifestyle is "if you dont like it ill do it twice as much"?

 

[RnJ]

Certain drugs, such as thc, lsd, ketamine, DMT and whole bunch of research drugs open up receptors in your brain that you'll never unlock during your life time otherwise.

Yes, they may open receptors that haven't been opened before. So would being anally raped by a beer bottle. I'm not sure I care to go into every uncharted territory that exists. I guess some people are more willing to have adventures of the psychadelic kind than of an active kind.

And I'll admit, I've been changing in response to a friend I have, who takes all sorts of drugs that open such "receptors", and help him talk about a whole bunch of bullshit that doesn't technically matter -- like questioning his own existence, giving him perceptions that pacify him to actual action, etc. People say I look like a hippy, but when I compare myself to him I feel about as unhippy as it gets. I notice myself trying to disassociate myself with such types lately. I grin and bear it and pretend to at least be objectively interested in the drugs he does, but inside I'm convinced that drugs, even those that people claim help them live life differently, are just another money-maker, another distraction for lucid reality, another life-support substance dealers would have us believe will really make life better. Where the boundary of drug and non-drug can be drawn, I admittedly am unsure. It certainly doesn't start at narcotics.