I work at a restaurant, so at our annual Christmas party, part of the “gift” to the employees is that they have an open bar. Because of this, the attendance is usually very high. I’ve worked there for over a month, and I didn’t recognize over 50 percent of the people who were there.

Less than an hour after the party started, there were already people who were tipsy, and by only 10:30, when I left, over half were completely drunk. Some, in the back alley throwing up in a dumpster. I couldn’t help but ask the question;

Why?

I choose not to get drunk because of my religious beliefs. I drink very sparingly, but if I do drink, it’s never more than a beer. I have no problem with having a drink, but I do have a problem with having too many drinks.

However, I ask this question, not from some “religious/moral high ground,” but simply curious as to why people are attracted to the activity of getting drunk?

I hate the idea of not being in control of myself in a situation, and you all but destroy any hopes of being productive the next morning. If you do have a good time while you are drunk, you hardly remember it, and even if you did, my guess is the conversations and activities were not incredibly edifying (entertaining is different from edifying). I’ve heard the argument that people are more honest if they are drunk and that this produces better conversation, but this seems like a horrible argument to me.

If someone isn’t willing to talk about something when they’re sober, why is it okay to talk about it when they’re drunk? You say it’s because they are more relaxed and at ease, but what if they aren’t at ease talking about this when they’re sober for a reason? How many times have drunk people said things that they shouldn’t have because they were “more relaxed and at ease?” People use this as an excuse to be able to say whatever they want with low consequences. This honestly doesn’t feel very far removed from taking advantage of a woman when she is drunk because she never would be interested when sober.

When comparing the few conversations I’ve had with drunk people to my conversations with sober people, I can 100 percent say that I have enjoyed my conversations with sober people much more.

My final two cents: While I believe the world would be a better place if no one ever got drunk, I know that is not going to happen. Because of peer pressure, tradition, loneliness, depression, anger, etc. people will continue to get drunk. But here is my challenge to you:

Decide what and how much you drink for a reason. What is your purpose in getting drunk? If you say it doesn’t need a purpose, you’re wrong. Everything you do should have a purpose. If you say it’s to blow off some steam, I can give you twenty better ways to do that. If you think your friends will think you’re odd if you don’t, you’re probably right. If you think your friends will dislike you if you don’t, you’re wrong. People don’t care as much as you think they do, and if they do, they’re probably not the people you should be spending time with anyway.

Do what you do thoughtfully and purposefully.

…

Until of course, you’re drunk and no longer can.