One of the reasons alcohol is such a slippery slope is that it’s not just accepted but expected and encouraged. It’s really ridiculous. I’ve actually had people get mad at me for NOT drinking, which never made sense to me since I’m not asking everyone else to stop drinking.
I hate pushy drinkers. Especially when people try to make you feel obligated to do shots. No! I’ve never liked straight liquor and at my big age you’re not peer pressuring me! It’s not my fault you bought it assuming I’d take it.
Lord, I've had that happen too and it was so jarring in the moment. Was like a switch flipped. They got really short and snippy with me, really visibly pissed off, basically acting like it was a debate and they just needed to out-logic me. While I was like what the fuck did I do, what the hell is it to you if I don't drink?
In hindsight I think that person had the kind of socially acceptable dependency that people don't think of as being a problem (though it is), so they were probably needing me to validate their choice to drink.
To me, it’s the equivalent of getting mad at me because we went to dinner together and I didn’t order the same food as you. You do you and get whatever you want but it’s silly for you to assume that I’m going to get something just because you like it. My choice has no impact on your choice! But keep on getting offended because I’m making decisions for myself.
Yeah, it's weird, people really do seem to infer a moral judgment on themselves from it which just... isn't there. Like you say, nobody would get wound up if you ordered pasta and they'd ordered a burger
I work for a vodka company super part time and I've grown to hate drinking culture more with it. One time, I was at Total Wine sampling and was with the Heineken 0.0 folks and the amount of people that came up to them talking about how 0.0 is a waste, don't be a pussy, drink more, just learn how to handle your booze, etc, had me floored.
It’s funny because several pregnant women were like “I love this stuff!” And then one gentleman was like “I had surgery done and couldn’t drink but was really hankering so my wife got me these and now that’s all I drink. I’ve stopped drinking significantly. I didn’t realize how bad it got until I couldn’t drink.” And man it was so enlightening.
people get so weird about it! I couldn't drink for a while bc of medication I was on and the reaction I got was bizarre. people just hound you for a reason why. I don't want to tell you I'm on heavy antidepressants! get out of my face! that experience really enlightened me on how weird ppl can be around non-drinkers. opened my eyes for sure.
It happens every single time in my home country. I'm just sitting there looking at the clock when it happens. It would be people with barely functioning livers, too. Mental.
yeah, i know and recognize why alcohol can be/is such a huge problem for so many people. i work in the service industry (i'm actually the wine director at a restaurant) so in part i feel like part of the problem in a lot of ways. always try to encourage people when they say they are taking a break and try not to be pushy when my friends are over or we are out. however, when i was in my 20s that was definitely not the case (for myself or my friends).
Or the people who expect you to share your entire life story to "justify" why you don't wanna drink! Alcohol is the only thing that happens with, I swear.
Exactly. No one expects you to justify why you ordered fries instead of a baked potato but if you don't order alcohol, it becomes a committee interrogation.
MTE, it's so unpleasant (I did NOT mean to spam you about this, it's crazy that the whole thing is so common though, really alcohol is so firmly engrained in culture that the same things happen everywhere).
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alcohol is a tricky thing and a very slippery slope.
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In hindsight I think that person had the kind of socially acceptable dependency that people don't think of as being a problem (though it is), so they were probably needing me to validate their choice to drink.
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that experience really enlightened me on how weird ppl can be around non-drinkers. opened my eyes for sure.
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always try to encourage people when they say they are taking a break and try not to be pushy when my friends are over or we are out. however, when i was in my 20s that was definitely not the case (for myself or my friends).
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Exactly. No one expects you to justify why you ordered fries instead of a baked potato but if you don't order alcohol, it becomes a committee interrogation.
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