Thought I would grab your attention with that title, something to discuss on a Sunday.

Found this interesting article about how America's beer industry giants are threatening to "remake America in the image of booze-soaked Britain." I am wondering what all the British members out there, or anyone really, thinks of the drinking problem in England, does it really exist, how bad do you think it is?

The article's long, so don't feel you have to read it all.

[www.washingtonmonthly.com]


The website I found the article on included this fun little video entitled: "Ten Things That Make Us British: Binge Drinking."








Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-11-18 18:44 by latebloomer.

i don't see how you can put drinking and problem in the same sentence....

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StonesTod
i don't see how you can put drinking and problem in the same sentence....

"I have a problem with people who don't enjoy excessive drinking".

It's a finesse thing.

I thought the Philadelphia Flyer fans were the biggest drinkers

There's no denying that drinking in Britain is a problem, a huge one actually. It's not exactly a 5 minute discussion this, but my own opinion is that there is regrettably a binge drinking culture that prevails across the UK, and it manifests itself on Friday & Saturday nights across the entire country in towns small and large - wreaking havoc all too often. And equally unfortunately, Britain exports this culture through the hordes that go to the Mediterranean countries in the summer, ski resorts in the winter, not to mention pretty much all the other countries/rest of the world regardless of season.

In the same way that a popular observation about some sectors of American society that visit Europe is that "they don't travel well"; by the same token the face of Britain that is exported through the multitudes that enact excessive/binge (call it what you like) drinking overseas merits much the same observation, that neither do "we travel well".

Sad but true

[ I want to shout, but I can hardly speak ]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-11-18 18:54 by paulywaul.

Sting and his wife Trudie once joined Howard Stern on his radio show in imbibing to slight excess (with gin-and-tonics I think). It was sort of the theme of that particular show. That night on Extra (TV) a journalist caught Sting and Trudie leaving the radio studio and asked them about their drinking on the radio, and Trudie said, "All English are alcoholics." Sting just smirked and they kept walking.

Comedian Jake Johannsen has a bit: "I've learned that if you drink from a flask in public, people are so quick to judge you. I've had people say to me, `Uh, Jake, maybe you have a problem.' And I just say, `Maybe I have the solution.'"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-11-18 20:18 by Title5Take1.

I think in Britain the culture is too much about getting pissed. I like the idea of a few pints in the local but that always seems to lead to a club and getting trolleyed.

Beer seems to cause less problems than liquor. Although the Health community states that one beer is equivalent to one beer, I don't think that is really true. At least not in my case. I refuse to drink any liquored drink. But light beer is ok IMHO. Anyone agree that liquor is a different animal that can cetainly lead to moe problems?

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Chris Fountain
Beer seems to cause less problems than liquor. Although the Health community states that one beer is equivalent to one beer, I don't think that is really true. At least not in my case. I refuse to drink any liquored drink. But light beer is ok IMHO. Anyone agree that liquor is a different animal that can cetainly lead to moe problems?

Is that the Mental Health community?

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treaclefingers

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Chris Fountain
Beer seems to cause less problems than liquor. Although the Health community states that one beer is equivalent to one beer, I don't think that is really true. At least not in my case. I refuse to drink any liquored drink. But light beer is ok IMHO. Anyone agree that liquor is a different animal that can cetainly lead to moe problems?

Is that the Mental Health community?

No i actually meant Anheuser Busch. (sic)

Any Brit posting here this afternoon is not worthy of being called a Brit

Everyone knows Sunday afternoon is for drinking heavily

My excuse is i'm working

Well, Sweden, Finland, Canada and Russia is part of the so called Vodka belt. For a long time here in Sweden it was a tradition to get plastered every weekend. And we drank vodka, wine were for women. To a large part that has changed now. We have adopted the continental way of drinking, i e replaced vodka with wine and beer (and more spread over the week). But now we are getting a lot of winos...

I wonder if Keith Richards' alcoholism would have been worse had he lived mostly in Britain, rather than the US. I am sure Patti Hansen's return to her devout Christian roots had something to do with him cutting down on his drinking. Americans do have that puritan streak which is very disapproving of excessive drinking.

There is not much worse than making vast generalizations about any group of humans based on one small sample.

Humans are humans no matter where on Earth they are from.

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Max'sKansasCity
There is not much worse than making vast generalizations about any group of humans based on one small sample.

What's a little generalization between friends? That's a big word, did we spell that right, Max?

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latebloomer

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Max'sKansasCity
There is not much worse than making vast generalizations about any group of humans based on one small sample.

What's a little generalization between friends? That's a big word, did we spell that right, Max?

I could have made it longer, generaliztionationseions, but it would mean the same thing

Yep, we have a problem with binge-drinking here in the UK. Too many youngsters - and a few a little too old, I might add - seem to think it the norm to get plastered on a Friday and Saturday evening. I love a beer on a regular basis, but thankfully, the days of causing havoc in the pubs and clubs and gone. No more getting hauled out of nightclubs by bouncers or coughing my guts up in the alleyway outside. What a pretty picture I paint! These days I may have a few after work or when I attend a local pub quiz on a Sunday. That's my lot.

If the British don't drink, then why do they drive on the wong side of the road?

I have heard that it is not uncommon in some parts of Eastern Europe to see drunks lying in the gutters semi-conscious on a regular basis. I’m thinking ex-soviet nations like the Ukraine, here. I don’t think the UK is the only nation in Europe to suffer from alcohol-related problems.

One British thing we have adopted in Sweden (for good or worse) is their pub culture. Now there is a pub (often in British style) around every corner in bigger Sweden cities.
And the "after-work" tradition has grown quite strong here (instead of going home after work you go to a pub with your colleagues).

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Big Al
I have heard that it is not uncommon in some parts of Eastern Europe to see drunks lying in the gutters semi-conscious on a regular basis.

Well, it ain't just Eastern Europe:

In London people have been more apt to refill my wine glass than in California.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-11-18 20:17 by Title5Take1.

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Stoneage
One British thing we have adopted in Sweden (for good or worse) is their pub culture. Now there is a pub (often in British style) around every corner in bigger Sweden cities.
And the "after-work" tradition has grown quite strong here (instead of going home after work you go to a pub with your colleagues).

Wow, that's great. Can we have some of our pubs back, though? Too many of ours are closing. IMO, there is nothing wrong with a few post-work drinks.

Does this thread have a Springsteen agenda? No, they why is it on IORR?!!!

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Edith Grove

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Big Al
I have heard that it is not uncommon in some parts of Eastern Europe to see drunks lying in the gutters semi-conscious on a regular basis.

Well, it ain't just Eastern Europe:

Lee- the guy is only looking in shoe to find change to purchase a USA Today. They have a great Sports section!!

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treaclefingers

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StonesTod
i don't see how you can put drinking and problem in the same sentence....

"I have a problem with people who don't enjoy excessive drinking".

It's a finesse thing.

I don't have a drinking problem, I only have a policeman problem...or something.

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Chris Fountain
Lee- the guy is only looking in shoe to find change to purchase a USA Today. They have a great Sports section!!

That sounds reasonable.

I thought he might have had too much Mardi Gras !

-



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-11-18 21:40 by Max'sKansasCity.

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latebloomer
I wonder if Keith Richards' alcoholism would have been worse had he lived mostly in Britain, rather than the US. I am sure Patti Hansen's return to her devout Christian roots had something to do with him cutting down on his drinking. Americans do have that puritan streak which is very disapproving of excessive drinking.

We exported most of our Puritans to the colonies in the seventeenth century, and all the wicked reprobates got left here.