Many people say the British go abroad and cause absolute chaos going on drinking binges and many Canadians say we have the worst drinking habits ever and British pubs are hilled with yobs ready to rumble in fist fights and over scrapping. OK we have a reputation for drinking. But we surely can't be the worst drunkards can we?
Yes, it does seem to be, chocolate bear. Actually, I think we could, sadly enough. British chav culture is terrible for alcohol abuse (I realise that statement could make me some enemies, but in my eyes it's truth, at least).
I agree with you, although you do have to admit that the media around here is hardly going to report on sensible drinking and praise that. It will always show you the worst of the worst. That said, if you wander around most areas after about 9 ish you'll see groups of teenagers (including 13 - 17 year olds who are underage) drinking alcohol in the streets, getting drunk and then more often than not causing trouble. The only other country I can think of that has mass drinking in the streets in Spain, where there are bottelónes. However, these primarily tend to be over 18s (usually students) and nowadays they often go to fields and stuff instead of the streets and squares that they used to after realising the noise etc that they cause. Also, there tends to be less violence here than after binge drinking in Britain.
and also because they were made illegal, but yeah in Spain drinking like that it's more a social thing than drinking to get completely drunk.
Hmmm good point lol. There doesn't seem to be as many people in other cultures that go out for the sole purpose of getting drunk.
what annoys me about the thing is that it always ends up being the chavs and youth that get blamed. after a recent survey done or something, it was found that the worst peope with alocol problems are the middle class, adult,, more money earning population of the courty, and they are the ones that point the finger at us.
^ That's true. I know a charv at collage and he openly admits he doen't drink very much and that I drink a lot more than he does.
while i am all for people taking responsibilities for their actions and doing what they want, it is quite a distructive course some people are on, and as the number of people being hospitalised increases from alcohol misuse, it is the NHS which will have to pick up the tab. I also wonder about the motives for people who get drunk so much, i think for some people it's to mask something, like low self esteem, or other problems. Also it's really hard to go out to a club and not drink, there's usually pressure from others thinking it's strange you're sober - this is just to highlight the culture around it, not to say that people are weak willed.
Well heather, I'd have to say that while the middle class adults probably do drink more, they do not cause the problems that the youth do. I understand that chavs are often unfairly stereotyped, band none of the comments I have made are intended to apply to you. But I'm afraid I think you are the exception rather than the rule. Sorry.
I'm sure it wasn't saying they have the most alcoholic problems, it was just basically saying quite a lot drink to hazardous levels(according to gov regulations) - although not binge drinking. I think the problem is middle age people who drink are damaging themselves and no one else, they're not getting into fights, trashing phone boxes etc etc. Also to drink underage is illegal, so obviously is going to get more coverage with the media, and it's incredibly depressing to have 13ish year olds getting drunk.
yea, you think that because you have taken the time to get to know me. ok, i am not saying we are all saints, some chavs are down right idiots and i have my moments too. the different is, people respect me more because i write for a start, not somwthing the sterio-typical chav does. you assume that i cannot be too bad because i write, and people tend to get surprised when i mention the fact i am a chav. the fact i am on this site means people have given me a change, for which i am grateful. but if i had turned up and intorudced myself as being a chav, people would have not had the same reaction towards me, that i cam promise you.
hahaa,, they are the same thing. why is it allright for middle class people to "drnk ot hazzardous levels" but chavs are all binging. i don;t get it.
Drinking to hazardous levels is drinking over the limit, e.g. drinking 2 bottles of wine over one week when the limit is 1 - (made up example). Whereas binge drinking it drinking great quantites in one sitting. - i'm sure that's the difference. I would look up the report again, but i need to get on with work...
^^ i will have a look myself then in a second, but i am sure it said on the news that the worst problem with people being alcoholic was within the middle class society. something to do with the women especially if they are not working have nothing else to do so drink. I'll have a look though
that is what i have found about it, a little bit from a few reports i found. again, suporting that there are problems with drinking within these areas and middle class people, and that drinking to hazardous levels is just as bad as binging. Heather
Drinking to get drunk is a bit like suicide rehearsal. It's a taste of oblivion that shuts out all the fears, troubles, and distrubing thoughts - until the next day. I know the thread started with stereotyping by culture. I will ask that we not continue with that element of the thread, and stick with discussing alcoholism in general.
The report there says that the middle classes drink at levels that will damage their health - more than 3 bottles of wine a week. Not that they binge drink and then go out in the streets and cause trouble. It is different. Also, the comments were that youths are more likely to drink out in the streets, get drunk and then cause trouble. Middle-class adults are more likely to drink at home and thus will cause far less trouble for other people - unless they are an alcoholic and it affects their family but that is a different matter altogether. Youths are underage, which is why they often don't drink at home and one reason it is focused on is because it is perfectly legal for a middle-class adult to be drinking more than 3 bottles of wine but not a teenager. This is all fact, we can argue that neither is right but the media will pretty much always focus on the illegal problem of underage drinking than legal adults ruining their health. Is it just me or are most of the people saying British are worse... British. Confessions?? Lol
Lol, definitely. Personally though, the only place I have drunk is indoors (except for some champagne, but that was at a wedding reception, so I'm not sure if that counts...). I don't know, I don't think there is much respect for alcohol and the dangers of it in today's youth as a whole. It's become just a normal and everyday part of life.
Hmm... Aussies aren't that top notch either. I mean, judjing from the Cronulla riots last year (I think) which involved a bunch of racist yobbos that got drunk and decided to go beat up anyone that 'looked' ethnic. Which was horrific and shameful. But drinking in general? I'm not a fan of those that drink constantly. I'm personally fine with a cold one after work every day but I mean, not going overboard and being drunk 24/7. I dunno. Everyone has their bad apples.
Shouldn't it be drank? Drunk is more the person ... unless you really do have drunk indoors.... *innocent* Just ask Torana... she likes her alcohol.... *runs and hides under a very secret rock* Most definitely, although that doesn't just happen there. Its happened in other countries too. That's the key to it all really, if you drink a little here and now its better than drinking lots all in one session by far. Absolutely! You can't say that all people are the same, there's always an exception to the rule and there are always bad people in amongst the good.
Shouldn't it be drank? Drunk is more the person ... unless you really do have drunk indoors.... *innocent* Nope. The past participle of drink is have drunk, not have drank.
Alcoholism is very much a perspective in my opinion. I remain friends with an ex-Marine that when we hung out drunk a fair amount as we did both. When he returned to the States and he'd have 6 bottles in an evening (equivalent approx 3 pints) he was accused of having a 'problem'. This amount was half of what we used to have every night if not at least every other night at that time. That was not alcoholism and was rather the social scene to which we belonged. On the flip side of that we were living in France at the time, where I noticed an institutionalised alcoholism. Certain people (which tended to be those over the age of 60 ish and male) drank fairly solidly from breakfast to nightfall. This was not alcoholism; this was being a gourmand (someone who enjoys drinking (and eating) and by extension life). There were others. As (some) bars open at breakfast the postman would for example think nothing of having a few strong liquers on their rounds. Most worryingly were / are the taxi drivers who park in their ranks waiting for a fare. When they have no fair they are in the café with a pastis all day waiting for their fare. Our intake at the time of 6 pints or so a night each was considered a simple enjoying of life. In the States we'd have been sent to rehab. Now my intake is more restrained, maybe 10 pints a week and I am a lot healthier than I was then I have to admit. Alcoholism is a dependancy and should not be a term bandied around for general over consumption, consumption, binge drinking, social drinking or anything else. Cogito hits the nail on the head above (as usual). ''Drinking to get drunk is a bit like suicide rehearsal. It's a taste of oblivion that shuts out all the fears, troubles, and distrubing thoughts - until the next day.'' Drinking to get drunk is also not alcoholism but is distinctly inadvisable (though of course it can be). If you don't like it don't do it. Drink is a drug like any other - just more socially acceptable (in certain countries).
