Cultural Variations in Alcohol Consumption
Janet Chrzan’s multidisciplinary study investigates why certain European countries developed moderate alcohol consumption cultures while others, notably in Northern Europe and the U.S., developed binge drinking cultures. Chrzan conducted the research in part to learn why many of her students saw alcohol as a substance that causes intoxication rather than a substance that can be enjoyed within limits.
Historical Context and Social Perceptions of Drinking
Chrzan provides a comprehensive history of the evolving implications of Western drinking habits, spanning from ancient times to the modern U.S., culminating in a study of contemporary U.S. student drinking culture. One of the main points emphasized by Chrzan is that alcohol is often demonized in society as it is considered pure evil, although it has positive effects as well. These positive effects are primarily related to social connections, behaviors, and how alcohol facilitates their development (Chzran, 2013). Moreover, Chrzan states that alcohol use in moderation can be relatively safe and would not cause harm to the consumer.
Personal Reflections on Social and Cultural Influences
My own experiences align with the statements regarding social behavior, as even moderate doses of alcohol make it easier to connect with people and be more communicative. I agree that factors like age and gender are common in terms of their influence on drinking. However, my observations did not provide much proof that religion and geography are significant factors in drinking habits. Perhaps, there is a specific correlation between the place where a person grows up and the religiousness of their family, yet these things are not as apparent when observing them in real life.
College Drinking Culture and the “All or Nothing” Mentality
College students consume a significant amount of alcohol, and there are several reasons for this. Yet, the main reason Chrzan emphasizes is the philosophy of these students to go all in or do nothing, which relates to both education and rest. Because of this, students believe that after studying hard, they should drink in this manner as well, and it has been proven to be a historically widespread issue (Chzran, 2013). Despite students being aware of the hazards of alcohol, they cannot frequently recognize when they have drunk enough, according to Chrzan (2013), because not many parents have taught them how to drink responsibly.
Alcohol provides students with the courage to develop friendships and love connections, navigate and confront gender identities, and handle social fears, particularly over sexual rejection, as their drinking diaries demonstrate. Drinking also permits high-achieving kids to project a lighthearted social image, contrasting with their more serious selves. Intoxication not only helps the student create this fun-loving persona but also excuses acts that are incompatible with the student’s disciplined daytime self.
Psychological and Gender Factors in Alcohol Use
Chrzan describes different reasons for people consuming alcohol and factors that affect alcohol use. One of the peculiar reasons for drinking is the desire to escape (Chzran, 2013). This is related to people not being able to cope with their thoughts, feelings, and situations in their lives, and therefore drink to get away from them.
Nevertheless, it is remarkable that alcohol has a temporary effect on these issues, as when the person is sober again, there is a high chance of these negative experiences coming back. This often leads to alcohol abuse, as in such situations, people seek long-term avoidance of their problems. Gender has a crucial effect on drinking behaviors, and it has been so for an extended period of history (Chzran, 2013, p. 141). This is another statement about the drinking factors that I agree with and have observed.
Reference
Chrzan, J. (2013). Alcohol: Social drinking in cultural context. Routledge.