4 ms·

I don’t have a dog in this fight, just curious, is there any experimentally proven benefit? Smell, ease of digestion and being an antiseptic (which I believe yo

by theNJR 8y ago

I don’t have a dog in this fight, just curious, is there any experimentally proven benefit? Smell, ease of digestion and being an antiseptic (which I believe you mean in relation to fermented fruit) have nothing to do with modern alcohol consumption. I understand its utility as a social lubricant. My guess is that’s why it has persisted for thousands of years. But don’t you think alcohol is a societal net negative?

coldtea 8y ago
>I understand its utility as a social lubricant. My guess is that’s why it has persisted for thousands of years. But don’t you think alcohol is a societal net negative? If it helps people party, mingle, and eventually create babies, it's a net positive for the survival of the species... Also, some things can still be positive by fiat, even if the logistics (e.g. re health) are against them. We're not on this planet just to live as long as we can. That's not a goal in itself. There might not be a goal in the end too -- e.g. it all might be meaningless. In any case, if we're here to enjoy our stay, and alcohol (or e.g. taking risks) is part of that, then those things are good for us, even if it means we lose some years to them.
- theNJR 8y ago
  I actually like your nihilistic rationalization here. If one is overtly optimiziming for health and longevity, drinking is a bad idea. If one is optimizing for enjoyment, drink. And of course there is a middle ground. Although I would say that alchohol is specifically designed to remove the middle ground (drinking alchohol dehydrates you, so you drink more, etc). Anyway, I appreciate your stance and find it to be the most honest pro-alchohol comment thus far.
- DougN7 8y ago
  I’m sorry but you can rationalize literally almost anything using that argument. I’m quite sure the babies will get made just fine without alcohol.
  - coldtea 8y ago
    >I’m sorry but you can rationalize literally almost anything using that argument. And why not? >I’m quite sure the babies will get made just fine without alcohol. Yes, but would they be as happy once they rich drinking age? Millenia of civilization says: "no". At worst, they'd found some other mind-altering substitute.
jshaqaw 8y ago
This changes over time. In my 20s and 30s alcohol was mainly a social lubricant in my circles. Now what I see in my 40s is most of my peers have a drink or two at night after a day of work, the kids are asleep, the dishes are done, etc... to have a little bit of ease at the end of the night. It’s a little reward for getting through the day intact and a chance for a sliver of unwind time.

by theNJR 8y ago

coldtea 8y ago

>I understand its utility as a social lubricant. My guess is that’s why it has persisted for thousands of years. But don’t you think alcohol is a societal net negative? If it helps people party, mingle, and eventually create babies, it's a net positive for the survival of the species... Also, some things can still be positive by fiat, even if the logistics (e.g. re health) are against them. We're not on this planet just to live as long as we can. That's not a goal in itself. There might not be a goal in the end too -- e.g. it all might be meaningless. In any case, if we're here to enjoy our stay, and alcohol (or e.g. taking risks) is part of that, then those things are good for us, even if it means we lose some years to them.

theNJR 8y ago
I actually like your nihilistic rationalization here. If one is overtly optimiziming for health and longevity, drinking is a bad idea. If one is optimizing for enjoyment, drink. And of course there is a middle ground. Although I would say that alchohol is specifically designed to remove the middle ground (drinking alchohol dehydrates you, so you drink more, etc). Anyway, I appreciate your stance and find it to be the most honest pro-alchohol comment thus far.
DougN7 8y ago
I’m sorry but you can rationalize literally almost anything using that argument. I’m quite sure the babies will get made just fine without alcohol.
- coldtea 8y ago
  >I’m sorry but you can rationalize literally almost anything using that argument. And why not? >I’m quite sure the babies will get made just fine without alcohol. Yes, but would they be as happy once they rich drinking age? Millenia of civilization says: "no". At worst, they'd found some other mind-altering substitute.

jshaqaw 8y ago

This changes over time. In my 20s and 30s alcohol was mainly a social lubricant in my circles. Now what I see in my 40s is most of my peers have a drink or two at night after a day of work, the kids are asleep, the dishes are done, etc... to have a little bit of ease at the end of the night. It’s a little reward for getting through the day intact and a chance for a sliver of unwind time.