Are we an alcohol-obsessed society? You decide.

Well hello there, awesome readers!

Alcohol can be a tricky topic to write about. Half of me wants to be sitting here with a glass of wine as I let thoughts mold into words. The other half of me wants to be sensitive to things like alcoholism and addiction.

And yet there’s no denying that alcohol plays a huge part in our North American culture, as well as other nations around the globe. Even eras in history show the impact that alcohol has on us.

Case in point: While the 1920s gave us prohibition, the 1930s were home to The Great Depression. I’m not saying that prohibition CAUSED The Great Depression. I’m just pointing out that it’s highly probable. And if not probable, suspicious.

Following are thoughts from others on the topic of alcohol. These are people I either know or admire or both. Regardless of which side of the barstool you sit on, they’re all interesting perspectives.

And the best part? You may even learn something.

PS. These are listed randomly. To learn more about the contributors, click on their names.

Karen Irvine, Peterborough, Canada
Editor, A Taste of the Kawarthas magazine

I come from a generation where drinking was an acceptable social pastime – almost mandatory. It made every occasion feel like a celebration. We abused it in our youth and respect it now. My experience is that people in my age group (60) who still over-indulge spirits, associate drinking with the reminder of how they felt when they were young and free-spirited. But, being a control freak who likes to keep my wits about me, I don’t indulge anymore. And when I do, it is to pair with food to enhance flavour.

Kristin A. Sherry, Charlotte, USA
Creator of YouMap®, Best-selling Author, DisruptHR Speaker

I have a one-drink rule when it comes to alcohol. My cousin was killed by a drunk driver when I was 15, so the devastation that caused my family has shaped how I use alcohol. I tend to limit myself to 2-3 glasses of wine per week. I only drink wine, mostly red. Interestingly, I am a wine collector, but I drink very judiciously.

Alain Guillot, Montreal, Canada
Podcaster, Photographer, Speaker, Coach

I am not a regular alcohol consumer. I only drink on social occasions, such as a birthday party, a wedding, or get-together with friends. Although I am not a regular drinker, I am planning to give up alcohol 100%. I don’t think it’s the best thing for my body.

Ted Wright, Atlanta, USA
CEO

My most fundamental truth about spirits is that you should never pour/drink from a bottle that costs you less than $30.  

Why? A product that goes through a distillation process more times has fewer bad things that your body reacts poorly to. This is why more expensive vodka tastes “more smooth” than cheaper vodka because it has been distilled more times than the cheap stuff. Same holds true for all other types of booze. Don’t ever drink from a bottle of $10 spirits if you like your body or your brain. 

FYI, there are lots of nuances to my first statement. One being brown spirits generally only go through a distillation process once. This is 100% true. “Ageing” a brown spirit over years/decades accomplishes much the same as distilling clear spirits multiple times. My first statement is a good rule of thumb but not inclusive of all possibilities. 

Stephen Hall, Montreal, Canada
Financial Advisor

It’s amazing how wine and alcohol are “promoted” everywhere. TV shows showing Lawyers drinking expensive scotch, mommy memes rationalizing that drinking wine all the time is OK. Ads on sports shows showing beer and alcohol as a cool lifestyle. It’s hard to ignore and easy to believe that this is the way to go.

I believe people consume far more alcohol today than ever before, and it can be a problem for some. In my practice, I notice sometimes people believe that 3 beers a day is normal when others say they have a glass of wine once a month and think it’s excessive. You are a product of your surroundings and influenced by your friends. 

Getting back to full prohibition would never happen, the alcohol lobby is too powerful, however new drunk driving laws, making 3 martini lunches unacceptable, as well as higher pressure work environments has had an impact. I like the approach that some organizations take to promote responsible drinking and it has been noticed that more people take taxis, Ubers, and drive-home services to avoid driving drunk, so that’s a start. Like smoking, if drinking excessively is made socially unacceptable, then we will be halfway there.

Richard Wallace, Baie-D’Urfe, Canada
Vice President, Sales & Business Development

More than 10 years ago I felt that alcohol is everywhere and socially accepted. Sometimes I feel it’s the pace of life today … so instantaneous… we are compelled to “get where we want to go as quickly as possible because there is so much to do.” Nothing seems more accessible than a couple of drinks to help transcend the chaos.

I began to consider that there may be a lesson in the discomfort that the chaos was creating in me. I had to accept that it was beyond me to try to adjust my perception of things by tinkering with my biochemistry to arrive at the point where I felt less unsettled by the pace of life. I began to face the discomfort without the benefit of softening the edges a little. Before long I found that I could transcend discomfort and later (as life progressed) some of the harder passages a life story includes, free from alcohol. The result (from my view) is a fuller, deeper life experience. One where I have become more intimate with the ethereal notions of tolerance, forgiveness, and acceptance. It’s not that life with alcohol is so nefarious… it’s just that life without it seems less about avoiding discomfort and more like fully experiencing the beauty of all life has to offer.

Nathalie Benarroch, Montreal, Canada
Creative Director

When I see how alcohol causes problems in our society, I do not understand the legalization of cannabis. I am not a conspiracy theorist but what is this government that distributes alcohol and drugs? To better control us and put us in deep oblivion so we pay taxes and shut up?

Ron Wigdor, Montreal, Canada
Marketing Leader / Brand Strategy / Marketing Communications / Product Development / Mentor

I’ve always had a straightforward, pragmatic, and business-like relationship with alcohol. Never getting too close but knowing where it is when required. As a consumer only in select social situations, this approach has worked well in knowing when/where/with whom/how to use in the right situations.

Conor Blake, Toronto, Canada
Digital Marketing Manager

I quit drinking the year I turned 30, for my health and weight. It still strikes me as wild how many people can’t functionally socialize without it – or how many people use “wine” or “craft beer” as a substitute for personality.

Interesting perspectives, don’t you think?

What about you? What are your thoughts on alcohol and its impact on either your life or society?

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