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We're drinking less and less every year.

  • 23-05-2013 09:14AM
    #1
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 18


    Since 2001 the consumption of alcohol in Ireland has steadily declined. I attribute this decline to increasing levels of confidence in Ireland. I believe there is a level of correlation between levels of confidence and self esteem and alcohol consumption. While I still believe we are a relatively insecure people on average, I feel we are significantly less so than 2001.

    http://www.irishtimes.com/news/irish-alcohol-consumption-drops-1.1320490


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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,021 ✭✭✭Plazaman


    Not mine, I have maintained a consistant level of drinking since 2001 thus keeping a lot of bar workers employed and ensuring those nice people at Carlsberg have jobs. #doingmybitfordanishirishrelations


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 197 ✭✭Man on Fire


    People just dont have the money to gargle


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,295 ✭✭✭✭Duggy747


    Or that it's gotten expensive as fùck to go out and drink every weekend in the pubs n' clubs.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,227 ✭✭✭Solair


    There's an element of demographics to it too.

    There was a large baby boom in the late 70s and into the early to mid 80s. Those people were in their heaviest drinking late teens / early 20s in 2000-2005.

    They're all now rather more sensible !

    Couple that with the economic crash and you'll also remove a lot of the hard partying that used to go on as there isn't the money floating around to the same degree.

    I think there's also a social change happening too. It's just gradually becoming less socially acceptable too.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,293 ✭✭✭1ZRed


    Wait for it, the lads who constantly bitch about or "crazy and disgraceful" drinking habits will be replaced by guys who are disappointed we let it all go and offer up tips to regain our alco title :p


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 68,173 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    It's to do with the increasing age of the baby boomers. 2000/2001 was when the first of children of the baby boom of the 70s and 80s started settling down and having children. Which means less drinking. As time goes on, people get older, have more kids == even less drinking.

    The biggest decreases in drinking volumes will be over the next few years, followed by a levelling out, followed by an increase starting in the early 2020s as the children of the current baby boom come into their late teens and go mad.

    Of course the media at that stage will shriek shrill about our binge drinking culture and how the generation of today are out-of-control degenerates.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 18 Crushed Dry Ice


    People just dont have the money to gargle

    So why did people drink less in 2005 than 2001?


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 5,671 ✭✭✭BraziliaNZ


    I'm getting progressively worse :(. I don't affect the stats though as I'm not in Ireland.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 469 ✭✭666irishguy


    I've always thought the idea of binge drinking madness is in part something our media saw was a hot topic in the UK and lazily imported (as usual) over here. The fact that the biggest drop seems to be from 2007-2012 seems to point out that the biggest factor is the economy, though the drop prior to the crash is possibly related to the fact that people had became more aspirational and shifted their purchasing habits toward buying cars, fancy goods etc instead of boozing lavishly. I'd bet the number of full on alcoholics has increased noticeably.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,126 ✭✭✭Reekwind


    I attribute this decline to increasing levels of confidence in Ireland. I believe there is a level of correlation between levels of confidence and self esteem and alcohol consumption
    So national confidence actually skyrocketed during the recession?


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,987 ✭✭✭Legs.Eleven


    Solair wrote: »
    There's an element of demographics to it too.

    There was a large baby boom in the late 70s and into the early to mid 80s. Those people were in their heaviest drinking late teens / early 20s in 2000-2005.

    They're all now rather more sensible !

    Couple that with the economic crash and you'll also remove a lot of the hard partying that used to go on as there isn't the money floating around to the same degree.

    I think there's also a social change happening too. It's just gradually becoming less socially acceptable too.

    This is exactly why. Whatever the reason, it's good news in my book.



    Just out of curiosity, why do you think we've more confidence now, OP? What signs have you seen?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,246 ✭✭✭Tazz T


    Don't be telling the government. They're in 'scare tactic' mode about our drinking in the run-up to minimum pricing. You'll ruin their plans.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,987 ✭✭✭Legs.Eleven


    Reekwind wrote: »
    So national confidence actually skyrocketed during the recession?


    ...which doesn't make any sense. During the good times, we believed we were unstoppable. Surely it follows that we would've had more self-confidence as a nation when possibilities seemed endless and there were opportunities for self-development? Speaking on behalf of myself (a baby-boomer born in 1980), although I feel my self-esteem is higher, I believe it's more to do with my age (although it's not through the roof). My self-confidence and what I believe I'll be able to do with my life, on the other hand, has taken a serious knocking with this recession. I fear for my long-term future.

    This hasn't driven me to the drink. I drink a lot less now because I drank my fill in the 20s and have calmed down simply with age. The hangovers are worse, being pissed has lost its sheen and although I drink every weekend, I take it fairly handy now just cos I've been there done that.


    I think it's simply down to the fact that the large glut of baby-boomers that were in their early 20s in the early 00s have grown up.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 18 Crushed Dry Ice


    Reekwind wrote: »
    So national confidence actually skyrocketed during the recession?

    It's not the only factor, far from it IMO, demographics probably plays a significant role and yes Indo believe people in Ireland now are significantly more confident than 2001.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,987 ✭✭✭Legs.Eleven


    It's not the only factor, far from it IMO, demographics probably plays a significant role and yes Indo believe people in Ireland now are significantly more confident than 2001.

    Indo shmindo. That's the opinion of one of their dodgy journalists. What do you think? And why?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,942 ✭✭✭topper75


    Solair wrote: »
    There's an element of demographics to it too.

    There was a large baby boom in the late 70s and into the early to mid 80s. Those people were in their heaviest drinking late teens / early 20s in 2000-2005.

    They're all now rather more sensible !

    Too right. I was glad to get out of the pub game when I did and my new venture, Pipe&Slippers'RUs, is going a treat.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 18 Crushed Dry Ice


    ...which doesn't make any sense. During the good times, we believed we were unstoppable. Surely it follows that we would've had more self-confidence as a nation when possibilities seemed endless and there were opportunities for self-development? Speaking on behalf of myself (a baby-boomer born in 1980), although I feel my self-esteem is higher, I believe it's more to do with my age (although it's not through the roof). My self-confidence and what I believe I'll be able to do with my life, on the other hand, has taken a serious knocking with this recession. I fear for my long-term future.

    This hasn't driven me to the drink. I drink a lot less now because I drank my fill in the 20s and have calmed down simply with age. The hangovers are worse, being pissed has lost its sheen and although I drink every weekend, I take it fairly handy now just cos I've been there done that.


    I think it's simply down to the fact that the large glut of baby-boomers that were in their early 20s in the early 00s have grown up.

    People have less social anxiety now than in 2001 to be more specifics, my opinion of course.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,987 ✭✭✭Legs.Eleven


    People have less social anxiety now than in 2001 to be more specifics, my opinion of course.

    How can you prove that? What evidence are you going on?



    Not to have a go at you but I'm curious how you formed that opinion.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 18 Crushed Dry Ice


    Indo shmindo. That's the opinion of one of their dodgy journalists. What do you think? And why?

    Meant I do not Indo.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 18 Crushed Dry Ice


    How can you prove that? What evidence are you going on?



    Not to have a go at you but I'm curious how you formed that opinion.

    I can't prove it, just basing it on my personal perception. In 2001 I felt people in Ireland were more stifled and anxious socially than now.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,987 ✭✭✭Legs.Eleven


    I can't prove it, just basing it on my personal perception. In 2001 I felt people in Ireland were more stifled and anxious socially than now.


    Can I ask you how old you were in 2001?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,987 ✭✭✭Legs.Eleven


    Meant I do not Indo.

    Hmmm. I don't understand.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,810 ✭✭✭✭sbsquarepants


    Since 2001 the consumption of alcohol in Ireland has steadily declined. I attribute this decline to increasing levels of confidence in Ireland. I believe there is a level of correlation between levels of confidence and self esteem and alcohol consumption. While I still believe we are a relatively insecure people on average, I feel we are significantly less so than 2001.

    http://www.irishtimes.com/news/irish-alcohol-consumption-drops-1.1320490

    That's nonsense - people are drinking less because it's fúcking daylight robbery to go out to the pub these days. Why exactly would the country falling apart at the seams lead to a rise in the levels of confidence?


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 18 Crushed Dry Ice


    Can I ask you how old you were in 2001?

    I see where you're going and you may have a point. I was 16 in 2001 and 28 now so it stands to reason that my peers would have been more socially anxious in 2001 than 2013.

    I do still maintain people generally are more confident now but obviously that's based on human perception which can be flawed.


  • Posts: 24,774 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    I'm drinking more now than I was 5 years ago in undergrad so them figures don't really apply to me.


  • Hosted Moderators Posts: 23,338 ✭✭✭✭beertons


    What's this we business.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,045 ✭✭✭✭gramar


    For every action there's an equal and opposite reaction so if we're drinking less what are we doing more of?


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 18 Crushed Dry Ice


    gramar wrote: »
    For every action there's an equal and opposite reaction so if we're drinking less what are we doing more of?

    I don't think Sir Isaac Newton had alcohol in mind when he came up with that law.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,810 ✭✭✭✭sbsquarepants


    I see where you're going and you may have a point. I was 16 in 2001 and 28 now so it stands to reason that my peers would have been more socially anxious in 2001 than 2013.

    I do still maintain people generally are more confident now but obviously that's based on human perception which can be flawed.

    I think you've come at this thing with a preconcieved answer in mind and now you're trying to make the facts fit your answer. Your theory makes no sense whatsoever.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,987 ✭✭✭Legs.Eleven


    I see where you're going and you may have a point. I was 16 in 2001 and 28 now so it stands to reason that my peers would have been more socially anxious in 2001 than 2013.

    I do still maintain people generally are more confident now but obviously that's based on human perception which can be flawed.


    I rest my case. :)


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