> why did you give up your right to buy liquor anonymously? That's not entirely true - once you look old enough most places will stop asking for ID. As for wh

> why did you give up your right to buy liquor anonymously? That's not entirely true - once you look old enough most places will stop asking for ID. As for why: because there is (or at least, was) no other system to identify whether someone is underage and, by extension, more likely to underestimate the consequences of their actions, make worse choices under the effect of alcohol, and suffer its effects more strongly. Same reason why the legal system makes a difference between minors and adults.