Poll reports drinking in U.S. at record low

[macarose]

Well for starters, the current generation is not blitzkrieged by a small army of beer commercials on a daily basis.

There's also a lot of better alternatives. Back in the day you either had soda or alcohol in many refrigerators. These days a lot of folks chose energy drinks, bottled water, coffee-based beverages, and some form of iced tea.

They all taste better. They're less hard on your body (although many encourage diabetes), and I also think society is a lot less tolerant of alcoholism given the impact drunk driving has on many families and communities.

It's also a lot more expensive to deal with the effects of alcoholism. Between higher health care costs, breathalyzers installed on cars, and the general belief that alcohol is unhealthy, drinking has become unattractive. Especially for younger folks.

 

[alarmguy]

I think the opposite, beer is up but more so the Non Alcoholic beers especially Heineken 0 which is nice and crisp.

Ive been wanting to try that, its alcohol version is one of my staples. For a summer time drink or two. I dont drink much anymore, now in the older age group but I LOVE a crisp cold beer on a hot day OR a few (never more than 3) when out on the boat relaxing.

(when I was younger, my friends and I would have a 6 pack each almost and the party was just starting*LOL*)

I think too many people are reading WAY too much into a slightly lower Gallup poll. I would suggest anyone here go to ANY college area almost any night of the week or any college event to see kids stumbling around. I do think because of liability concerns bars and taverns are much more aggressive to cut out serving under 21 age group as much as possible. This might affect a small percentage in itself.

 

[Jetronic]

Are you implying one has to put their smart phone down to go to the liquor store?

doordash?

 

[wavinwayne]

The reason for the decline is simple; I depleted the US supply and it hasn't caught back up since I quit drinking.

 

[Pew]

It's the generations after " Gen X " ( 1965-1980 ). I was hatched in 1967. Do the math. I fell right into the 1980's " Decade of Decadence". Drink till you drop, do as much coke as " Scarface" could get into the country, smoke 15 joints a day. It was all cheap. Fake ID's got you into any club or bar, then then " After hours places" till 10 am. The music, the excess, the body abuse,was a " normal" part of growing up. MTV & Arena Concerts played a big role in it too.. Then came the next generations....more concerned about their health, going to OMG, a GYM !!!. My nephew is 30 and gets Botox injections. I was like " WHAT !?!?! " At 30, I was chugging 30 packs of beer !!!! Weed plays no role in this. It's still the dirt bags smokin that stuff. Cigarette smokin is way down ( oh no, too many chemicals ), Drinkin is way down ( oh no, bad for you're liver and brain ) Botox is up, breast implants at 25 is up, lip injections are up. It's the " ME" generations nowadays. I don't know, I had a BLAST in the 80's, and don't regret it one bit....

None of this makes sense. Are you saying the "me" generation is wrong for watching their health and not snorting coke and partying all the time like it's Oceans 11?

I smoke, lots of my friends do too and they're not the ones beating their wives, getting into bar fights, or losing their DL because they decided to be addicted to alcohol.

 

[IndyIan]

https://www.sciencedirect.com/scien...,for compositional differences across cohorts.

It seems people on average are socializing less in person compared to past years, and most drinkers would say they are social drinkers, so I guess on average people are drinking less?
I am getting older and I do find I socialize a bit less, outside of the kids sports, so I guess I would drink less if I didn't have kids?

 

[edyvw]

Living in the US for 20 years, one thing is clear, and it was from the beginning: the Americans don't know how to drink.
Yes, you have some people who will take that seriously (meaning have a spread, sit for hours, slowly drink, and end up drinking a lot), but the point is not drinking, but socializing. What I found here is that people drink to get wasted. They drink fast, and they really can't handle it. They drink to obliterate themselves, and then let's repeat that next week.

I really cannot understand that concept. Every time I come through customs, I smuggle the best Slivovitz or Pear, Apple, Quince versions of it, give someone, just for them to obliterate that bottle in an hour like it is Gatorade, and then tell me after three days when they finally wake up how they got "wasted." I am like: you just wasted good "Rakija" for what?

If you sit with people, and you want to make that some social thing, after 3 drinks, they get antsy, like they are wasting time, and they leave. For most Americans, socializing is often seen as a waste of time. It is not productive; therefore, what is the point?
New generations don't see a point in socializing for long hours. It is not productive. Every time I ended up sitting for hours drinking slowly and trying to resolve the most important geopolitical problems, or the secrets of the universe, it was with some 60+ year olds. They enjoy BS'ing for hours. And it is good medicine.

Of course, this is all observation, but a quick Google search will show you that, for example, the EU consumes the most alcohol per capita in the world, and yet somehow, they live very, very long (well, the Japanese live longer).
In countries in which productivity is not taught when you are 2 years old, and you cannot take it to the grave, somehow people drink more (much more), and yet, they live longer. Of course, there are other factors, like lower (much lower) obesity, better food, more walking (actually walking is not considered exercise bcs. you do it all the time), but alcohol consumption is always part of culture, of socializing. You don't need commercials to make people drink. They just do it bcs. they spend more time together. Socializing over drinks and food leads to a better understanding of other human beings, their needs, and their problems, and it stimulates your empathy. If you don't know who your neighbors and friends truly are, you will never have any understanding of them.

Earlier, I said, "No wonder we are in trouble." And I was not joking. People don't spend time together. They spend time with computers, Netflix etc. And people are social beings. They MUST socialize to be successful.

So, if you are in Colorado Springs, send DM I always enjoy good company, beer, wine, whiskey, or "rakija."

 

[alarmguy]

View attachment 295458
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167494325001293#:~:text=5.,for compositional differences across cohorts.

It seems people on average are socializing less in person compared to past years, and most drinkers would say they are social drinkers, so I guess on average people are drinking less?
I am getting older and I do find I socialize a bit less, outside of the kids sports, so I guess I would drink less if I didn't have kids?

I think as the boomers and Gen X got older the reason for drinking less is we get tired of bashing our heads against a wall the following day ... HANGOVERS and decide it's not worth it anymore.

 

[ripcord]

I think as the boomers and Gen X got older the reason for drinking less is we get tired of bashing our heads against a wall the following day ... HANGOVERS and decide it's not worth it anymore.

If you look at the data from the poll, Gen X is the one still drinking the most. We don't really grow up until retirement, I guess.

 

[PontiacHO]

The college aged crowd will always be the exception to these studies. A DUI or DWI shows up on employers vetting potential employees and keeping employees. Maybe that and the “black mark” obtaining as well as the ability to affordable automobile insurance after an infraction can financially wreck someone. Maybe folks are just being smarter.

 

[Pew]

Living in the US for 20 years, one thing is clear, and it was from the beginning: the Americans don't know how to drink.
Yes, you have some people who will take that seriously (meaning have a spread, sit for hours, slowly drink, and end up drinking a lot), but the point is not drinking, but socializing. What I found here is that people drink to get wasted. They drink fast, and they really can't handle it. They drink to obliterate themselves, and then let's repeat that next week.

I think that's a great point. It seems that we tend to binge alot in our society, taking it to the extreme. Goes for just about every elicit drug, alcohol, pot, medications, food, driving (like 90/94 between IL/IN) etc.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Living in the US for 20 years, one thing is clear, and it was from the beginning: the Americans don't know how to drink.
Yes, you have some people who will take that seriously (meaning have a spread, sit for hours, slowly drink, and end up drinking a lot), but the point is not drinking, but socializing. What I found here is that people drink to get wasted. They drink fast, and they really can't handle it. They drink to obliterate themselves, and then let's repeat that next week.

I really cannot understand that concept. Every time I come through customs, I smuggle the best Slivovitz or Pear, Apple, Quince versions of it, give someone, just for them to obliterate that bottle in an hour like it is Gatorade, and then tell me after three days when they finally wake up how they got "wasted." I am like: you just wasted good "Rakija" for what?

If you sit with people, and you want to make that some social thing, after 3 drinks, they get antsy, like they are wasting time, and they leave. For most Americans, socializing is often seen as a waste of time. It is not productive; therefore, what is the point?
New generations don't see a point in socializing for long hours. It is not productive. Every time I ended up sitting for hours drinking slowly and trying to resolve the most important geopolitical problems, or the secrets of the universe, it was with some 60+ year olds. They enjoy BS'ing for hours. And it is good medicine.

Of course, this is all observation, but a quick Google search will show you that, for example, the EU consumes the most alcohol per capita in the world, and yet somehow, they live very, very long (well, the Japanese live longer).
In countries in which productivity is not taught when you are 2 years old, and you cannot take it to the grave, somehow people drink more (much more), and yet, they live longer. Of course, there are other factors, like lower (much lower) obesity, better food, more walking (actually walking is not considered exercise bcs. you do it all the time), but alcohol consumption is always part of culture, of socializing. You don't need commercials to make people drink. They just do it bcs. they spend more time together. Socializing over drinks and food leads to a better understanding of other human beings, their needs, and their problems, and it stimulates your empathy. If you don't know who your neighbors and friends truly are, you will never have any understanding of them.

Earlier, I said, "No wonder we are in trouble." And I was not joking. People don't spend time together. They spend time with computers, Netflix etc. And people are social beings. They MUST socialize to be successful.

So, if you are in Colorado Springs, send DM I always enjoy good company, beer, wine, whiskey, or "rakija."

Have you been to the UK and if so would you say it's similar to the US?

 

[shortyb]

I'm tryin' to reverse the trend, along with reducing some greenhouse gas emissions by eating the cows. But I'm just 1 guy .

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

If you look at the data from the poll, Gen X is the one still drinking the most. We don't really grow up until retirement, I guess.

Gen X is also the last generation where the legal drinking age, for some, was 18.

 

[97prizm]

I read this new Gallop poll that shows the percentage of Americans who report drinking alcohol is at a record low as beliefs about the healthfulness of alcohol have changed. Interestingly, the biggest changes have occurred in younger people and the changes have been rapid the past few years.

Do you all think this is a trend that will continue or is this a statistical blip.

https://news.gallup.com/poll/693362/drinking-rate-new-low-alcohol-concerns-surge.aspx

Just as someone who works in hospital security I'm seeing the exact opposite. I wonder if people are saying that they're "drinking " less with it being a poll and all. I've seen numerous underage kids being brought in for alcohol related issues. When I was 16 I'd never heard of magic mushrooms or fentanyl. On more than one occasion I've seen kids show up in an ambulance out of their mind only for the parents to have no idea and come in later. This year might be slightly down but way more mental holds vs last year. At least one or two a night.

 

[supton]

In countries in which productivity is not taught when you are 2 years old

Care to expand? There is a push to believe the work week starts at 40 hours, so to me this sounds strange.

During the pandemic I (and I suspect others) learned that no one can tell what is in your coffee mug on teleconference calls.

Earlier, I said, "No wonder we are in trouble." And I was not joking. People don't spend time together. They spend time with computers, Netflix etc. And people are social beings. They MUST socialize to be successful.

Kinda expensive, no? I realize there are activities that don't cost money, but usually people congregate doing things that cost money.

Gen X is also the last generation where the legal drinking age, for some, was 18.

Heh, I remember being 18 and dad trying to send me out for beer... had to remind him, it's been 21 for some time. Early Gen X might have had that (dad is boomer) but I sure didn't.

 

[dubber09]

Less drinking, less smoking, less people going to restaurants, to Vegas or away on vacations, no fun times due to disappearing disposable income for most people. That's what I'm thinking anyway. Look around where shopping malls are or were, how many people do you see inside malls? I know some online shopping took over but for clothes one needs to see them in person, try them on too.

 

[Rmay635703]

Just as someone who works in hospital security I'm seeing the exact opposite. I wonder if people are saying that they're "drinking " less with it being a poll and all. I've seen numerous underage kids being brought in for alcohol related issues. When I was 16 I'd never heard of magic mushrooms or fentanyl. On more than one occasion I've seen kids show up in an ambulance out of their mind only for the parents to have no idea and come in later. This year might be slightly down but way more mental holds vs last year. At least one or two a night.

You mean drink at home vrs in public

Bifurcated life experiences, certain states like WisConSin have extremely high alcohol rates, others do not.

Same with social class and gender, certain groups partake far more, others far less.

Net is that it’s going down but every area is unique.

If you go on fbook (don’t recommend ) you will see bifurcated lives in action
Like tens of thousands of posts and communities saying things like this

80% of women are choosing not to date as men bring nothing to the table (and that’s inspiring to many commenters, who say they have never known a man who can cook, clean or run a house )

80% of men refuse to date
Men stating it’s normal to never have a relationship or marriage because nobody they know has.

Men are 6x more likely to leave a severely ill spouse (with the expected cheer squad commenting)

Women choose the bear
I married my husband but am terrified of his peen, we have never had sec. (Literally
Years and lots of people stating their terror of the opposite secs)
All men…
All women…
Researchers discover old men’s sperm causes most birth defects and miscarriages but eggs do not age genetically so feel free to have kids at 50. (Lots of women excited about freezing eggs so they can find an 18t old sperm donar late in life)


And the above is just the last three days.

A not insignificant number of people are living in a silo of stupid nonsense they actually believe, sometimes because of a series of bad luck, other times because “everyone they know”
Sadly people increasingly seem to be unable to leave their cave and see it’s not all bad and that it is possible people of the opposite gender aren’t all serial k&llrs.
Crime isn’t everywhere
The sky hasn’t fallen (yet)
Not all areas (besides Wisconsin) are just drunks.

 

[edyvw]

Care to expand? There is a push to believe the work week starts at 40 hours, so to me this sounds strange.

During the pandemic I (and I suspect others) learned that no one can tell what is in your coffee mug on teleconference calls

In the US, people's identity is connected to work much more than in other places. I can afford a relaxed lifestyle like I lived in Europe. Mix that with the advantages that the US has, I personally have it pretty good. But, if I had to work 9-5 here compared to 9-5 in Europe, I would choose Europe. Emphasis is placed on productivity much more than in other countries, where there is a balance between life and work.
As for teleconferences, what is in the mug is irrelevant. If people have issues with drinking (I for example have a lot of lunches with people to discuss work, and we drink beer. However, I could never sit alone and drink) they will have issues with drinking, office or not. My issue with remote work is that I find it much easier to resolve problems, bounce ideas in person. I don't need to have people in the office to micromanage them. Therefore, we don't have staff 5 days a week in the office. Actually, things are far better than pre-pandemic productivity-wise, and they are happier.
There are many managers who want people back because they have lost their sense of power over others. Office or not, they are bad managers and generally insecure people.

Kinda expensive, no? I realize there are activities that don't cost money, but usually people congregate doing things that cost money.

Life is expensive in general. But this is purely observational. When I have a gathering at home, I provide alcohol and food. It does not offend me like before when people bring their drinks, as I understand culture better, but if I host, I HOST! However, still, people find that as a couple of hours' affair and move on. There are a few that stay longer, and then there is the German IT guy who wants to convince me of green energy every time we have a gathering until 5 am in the morning, and I like it. Though, we never come to an agreement

Heh, I remember being 18 and dad trying to send me out for beer... had to remind him, it's been 21 for some time. Early Gen X might have had that (dad is boomer) but I sure didn't.

21 is the drinking age, which is one of the biggest disservices to society. Ask any university administrator, and they will tell you they would like tomorrow to drop it to 18. IMO, by 21, folks should already understand what alcohol is and how to use it, not having a situation where you have a bunch of testosterone animals being released from a chain.

 

[trd1zz]

Drinking alcohol is not required to socialize. If you feel that it is you either have insecurity issues, or you need to find a new group to socialize with, or both.