I think the biggest problem the western societies have today is: Finding problems everywhere.
Ok, i am from germany, so i assume my views on alcohol probably differ a lot from the view most americans have. Here, it is totally fine for a 16 year old to buy and drink wine or beer. It is totally unproblematic if you enjoy a few beers with your friends in the park... and the alcohol ban in public some cities acted caused turmoil short of a full blown riots.
What i want to say is: Why do we allways need to find "the hair in the soup"?
Yes, it may be unhealthy... but so are other things, and i think a perfectly healthy life would be terrible boring.
I'm from The Netherlands. I won't throw a fit to get anyone to stop drinking. But it's pretty obvious that drinking, even one beer per day, on a societal scale leads to more obesity, more sickness, more violence etc. And the accompanying healthcare, police etc. spending.
Again, drink if you want. It's allowed. But don't pretend that it is unproblematic/healthy/natural/without consequences.
Just admit (or at least do not deny) that by drinking, you're making an (indirect) withdrawal from the community fund. Just like people who drive a car, people who hunt for fun, people who smoke etc.
That is what i want to say: Everything has consequeces! Nothing good comes without the bad, you will have to "pay a price" for everything... even when the "price" is a less enjoyed life ;-)
What really bothers me is that it seems that the western culture is (at least from my perspective) striving to become a totally clean, political correct, vegan, moral and abstinent society. Something like the society in "Demoliton Man". I really, really dont want to life in such an society...
Ok, i am from germany, so i assume my views on alcohol probably differ a lot from the view most americans have. Here, it is totally fine for a 16 year old to buy and drink wine or beer. It is totally unproblematic if you enjoy a few beers with your friends in the park... and the alcohol ban in public some cities acted caused turmoil short of a full blown riots.
What i want to say is: Why do we allways need to find "the hair in the soup"?
Yes, it may be unhealthy... but so are other things, and i think a perfectly healthy life would be terrible boring.