1. Drink of choice=symbolic praxis. Drink of choice is a conscious act we make but culture constantly influences how we decide to make this choice. Docile body?
Yes. So a young woman walks up to the bar and what does culture predict she will order?Some type of fruity martini in a sexy glass to show that she is a sexy lady, and because martinis are often clear, obviously a body-conscious one as well (clear drink=low cal, common misconception). What will a wealthy business man order? A brandy old fashioned on the rocks, to prove that he is not only wealthy enough for brandy, but ordering something with “old fashioned” in it provokes every image of a classy gentleman in his favorite leather chair perusing his fortune.
Yelling “I’m drunk!” at a party gives one the freedom to be whoever they want to be. Hell, I usually end up telling people I’m Veronica from Bordeaux, France. If this is not a social construct to compare to Howard Becker’s pot article, I don’t know what is.We learn quickly that alcohol allows us opportunities to be who we want, when we want, with whoever we want. I mean after all, like my mother always says, “don’t drink and park, accidents cause people!”
3. Finally, thanks for sticking with me here, politics. First of all, the fact that somehow drinking ALWAYS leads to talking politics (also a great example of culture ARGUING us into taking a position), but the politics of who drinks what with whom. If you are a Midwesterner chilling on your porch in the evening, it would be normal to see you drinking a Leinenkugel draft, not a top shelf choice. If you were a rich person meeting with your rich friends after a day at your CEO position, you wouldn’t ask for anything containing Smirnoff. That’s for college students. And well, if you’re a college student, politics usually rule that anything goes, even Boxcar (rough). As shown in this article focused on President Obama seeking Irish acceptance by drinking a Guinness before a speech he delivered in Ireland, you will see how politicians have used this iconic technique to even win elections. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/post/president-obama-ireland-and-the-politics-of-drinking/2011/05/24/AFdXbWAH_blog.html.
Sorry this is so long. If you are a member of society, and a typical college student, you will probably still read it, because it’s about drinking. Point. Made. Cheers
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Going along with the person yelling "I'm drunk" or telling someone else that they are completely wasted often is done to exaggerate one's state (in my experience). It allows someone to, like you said, be whoever or whatever they want to be. Its an escape hatch for our unrestricted behavior, which may not be due completely to our state of inebriation. I guess what I'm getting as is that pretending to be drunker than we actually are allows us enjoy freedom while maintaining the memory of the experience.
ReplyDeleteI really love that your title is in all caps.
ReplyDeleteI never really realized how much drinking and culture were connected!! The whole idea that the drink that you order affects how people look at you is amazing. From just one small thing like a drink order, people automatically make assumptions about what kind of job you have, where you live, how much money you have, etc.
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