5 ms·

A lot of people will assume if you won't drink alcohol that you have a problem with overindulgence, not knowing your limits - not that you have some puritanical

A lot of people will assume if you won't drink alcohol that you have a problem with overindulgence, not knowing your limits - not that you have some puritanical avoidance on principle.

not2b 4y ago
Or you could notice that author's last name, which might indicate another reason that he doesn't drink (not that I know that this is the reason for his choice).
- kodah 4y ago
  This isn't a good signal imo. The world is undergoing a lot of cultural mixing at the moment so making the assumption that someones last name indicates their cultural participation is a dangerous one. For instance, I have a very French name but I also have near zero French cultural implications.
  - messe 4y ago
    Eh, I think from a Bayesian standpoint its valid to think that if somebody has a last name that correlates with a group that doesn't drink, and that person also argues against drinking that they're more likely to be a member of that group. But that's the key part "more likely", and not something definitive. It's the thinking that that inference is definitive is where it crosses the line from trying to be understanding about another culture to becoming a racist argument. I agree though that its definitely flirting with that dangerous assumption.
    - not2b 4y ago
      That's why I said "not that I know". The parent comment said that people may speculate that someone who refuses to drink might be alcoholic, but there are also people who don't drink for religious reasons, obviously. In any case, people can decline a drink for any reason at all.
cratermoon 4y ago
Those aren't the only two options. Either they have poor impulse control or are "puritanical"? That might not be the best way to conceptualize non-drinkers and appreciate the point the author is making.
detritus 4y ago
eh, as someone who was one and has been surrounded by wreckheads my entire life, this is absolutely not my first thought if someone doesn't want a drink or whatever. Also, compound cultural inputs - I'd full understand someone with a non-European family name not wanting to imbibe booze. I'm perfectly ok with someone not wanting a drink. I wouldn't want to go out on the piss with them, mind, and I fully understand and respect the fact they'd not want to anyway... .

A lot of people will assume if you won't drink alcohol that you have a problem with overindulgence, not knowing your limits - not that you have some puritanical avoidance on principle.

not2b 4y ago

Or you could notice that author's last name, which might indicate another reason that he doesn't drink (not that I know that this is the reason for his choice).

kodah 4y ago
This isn't a good signal imo. The world is undergoing a lot of cultural mixing at the moment so making the assumption that someones last name indicates their cultural participation is a dangerous one. For instance, I have a very French name but I also have near zero French cultural implications.
- messe 4y ago
  Eh, I think from a Bayesian standpoint its valid to think that if somebody has a last name that correlates with a group that doesn't drink, and that person also argues against drinking that they're more likely to be a member of that group. But that's the key part "more likely", and not something definitive. It's the thinking that that inference is definitive is where it crosses the line from trying to be understanding about another culture to becoming a racist argument. I agree though that its definitely flirting with that dangerous assumption.
  - not2b 4y ago
    That's why I said "not that I know". The parent comment said that people may speculate that someone who refuses to drink might be alcoholic, but there are also people who don't drink for religious reasons, obviously. In any case, people can decline a drink for any reason at all.

cratermoon 4y ago

Those aren't the only two options. Either they have poor impulse control or are "puritanical"? That might not be the best way to conceptualize non-drinkers and appreciate the point the author is making.

detritus 4y ago

eh, as someone who was one and has been surrounded by wreckheads my entire life, this is absolutely not my first thought if someone doesn't want a drink or whatever. Also, compound cultural inputs - I'd full understand someone with a non-European family name not wanting to imbibe booze. I'm perfectly ok with someone not wanting a drink. I wouldn't want to go out on the piss with them, mind, and I fully understand and respect the fact they'd not want to anyway... .