Is There Any Hope For Children Today, In This Country?

mk6705

As in, are they destined to be pulled into drinking? Things are already much too bad and they look to be only getting worse. Alcohol is advertised everywhere, is sold by supermarkets below cost price, inserts it's name into all of our major sporting events, is available practically everywhere and there appears to be no will to stop this. It is like a new religion, being drummed into everyone since birth. Nothing else could possibly be in any way fun according to many. Many people are open to doing nothing else except drinking. Because of this, no alternatives are discussed. Nobody is given any indication that they can lead a happy life without alcohol. Is anyone going to do anything about this ever? Politically there needs to be change, particularly in relation to advertising etc. But will this ever be done? Can people be made aware that the world doesn't have to revolve around alcohol?

Vourney

Is it really that bad? I recently have gotten the impression that it is that bad.
I grew up around a lot of alcoholics and out of this came up with my own "slogan" -- "Alcoholics take hostages" -- my experience being that they won't tolerate anyone around them who questions their behavior and will try to force you to go along with their craziness, because if you don't go along with it, it makes them aware that they're doing something destructive. They can't have fun getting drunk while at the same time being aware of how destructive it is -- so anyone who reminds them of that fact has to be dealt with with complete rejection or force them into the drinking culture too.
That's why I tell folks I don't drink period until I know them. If I know the people well enough and know they will stop after 2 or three drinks -- I'll have a few drinks with them. But if I don't know their drinking habits -- I just pass on the whole thing, so I don't get held hostage. I'm sure this has a lot to do with my upbringing, being around drunks growing up is pretty traumatic. Plus druggies too. But I would imagine someone else must have experienced this kind of scenario as well?

unreggd

Its just society

Ireland in particular, is a nation of robots

Most destructive things are the 'norm' - smoking, drinking, rec drugs, bad diet

So anyone who lives a healthy life is a weirdo, only because it opposes the perceived 'norm'

I'm done having to explain myself, if anyone rants on about why I dont drink I just put the foot down and avoid them

I dont wanna be friends with narrow minded people anyways, so theres no loss!

I still think the big issue with underage drinking is that parents dont speak to kids / introduce them to alcohol

So, it stays as somethin mysterious

And also, its the most significant 'thing that adults do', which is what u wanna do when you're a teenager, act like ur 18+

Vourney

Oh I love those people who think I owe them an explanation why I'm not having a drink. That's pretty rude.


If it didn't make me so mad, I could think of a snappy comeback. . .
hmmm. . . to make you feel more like a loser
to make you feel more like a drunk
cause I can handle life sober
Can't think of a reason, just don't have one, make one up yourself

okay rant over

unreggd

I say 'I dont need to, I already have a personality '

Say it sarcastically, but I mean it genuinely

Vourney

That's a good one.

languagenerd

I'd like to think that there is hope for children growing up in Ireland, it'd be pretty depressing if there wasn't...

I'm 19, so I grew up in this culture, yet I don't drink. I suppose I've always been pretty strong-minded though and once I make a decision, I very rarely change my mind. People who are less resolute maybe do get pulled into drinking though... The whole university social life revolves around drinking. Any sort of event ends up the pub (either before or afterwards)so if you don't drink, you do kind of get left out (even if you're not being OTT or obnoxious about it - you don't get into drinking games or go up and do shots etc), so people who are easily influenced or desperate to fit in will often start drinking. But I don't think everyone drinks unhealthily. I have friends who'll only have 2 or 3 drinks a night and friends who can go without drinking now and then.

I'm not against people having a few drinks if they want to (I just don't wanna do it myself) but it does annoy me that there's no alternative forms of entertainment. "Going out" just means "getting locked" nowadays . There's nothing really to do if you don't like clubs (again probably a reason why people get into drinking) - rock gigs with no alcohol are rare, I really don't get why people get drunk at gigs - why bother spending €50 on a ticket and then not be able to remember it?!

Vourney

You've got your head screwed on straight, and especially at your age it's good to see.

Lord TSC

languagenerd, your post....you've taken the words out of my mouth really. I've been in the exact same position as you (still am, tbh).

why bother spending €50 on a ticket and then not be able to remember it?!

I can never help but laugh at the frequency at which I hear the following snippet of conversation. "Jaysus, I had such a good time last night. I can't remember a thing." There's an oxymoron in there. I guess all you can do is laugh....

kthnxbai

languagenerd

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one my age who doesn't drink! And I completely agree with the whole getting left out thing when you don't drink.

Only the other day me and my friends were deciding what to do for the night, and there had been talks of a house party, but that idea was scrapped. So I suggested just going to the cinema or sitting in with a dvd and was met with a giant look of horror.

So basically, I don't think that there's any more pressure on people our age than there has been for the past 30 years.

But people really do have the most awful attitude towards drink in this country. However, I think that saying kids these days are under a lot of pressure to drink or whatever is not an excuse for them to drink.

It's really not that difficult to not drink.

MalteseBarry

I'd suggest that, if you are feeling left out with your current group of friends because you don't drink, then perhaps you might find some new friends who are not so concerned.

For me, it's the abuse of alcohol which is the problem, and not the alcohol itself. Alcohol, in moderation, can be quite beneficial.

CDfm

OP - you are just a bit sensitive about it.

Lots of people are not caught up in it and do lots of things that do not involve drinking and they are out there if you look for them.

People probably complained about TV killing arts etc but when was the last time you went off and did charity work or went to a play or a gallery.

Lots of people do & lots of young people do too.

Its older people who loose their enthusiasm