This meant with NO JUDGMENT WHATSOEVER, but I'm curious:
> ... and don't expect that I would like 'drunk me'.
Have you ever tried being drunk? I wouldn't recommend it if you're fine the way you are, but OTOH, I think people don't actually understand unless they've tried it.
(I know that's kind of shitty, but ... that's life.)
Most people I know that say the whole "I like being in control" have only drank a few times (maybe bad experiences) but like the idea of not drinking so they promote this narrative in their head. It's an excuse so they can compartmentalize drinking into the "Now I don't have to care about this because it's bad for my physical health anyway" box.
Really it's just an easy excuse that doesn't need to be true because the fact remains that this person doesn't want to be a person who drinks and most won't question it.
> Choosing not to drink or do drugs (or whatever) is a-okay.
It should be. But people tend to get real defensive around teetotalers, maybe because many of them are judgy and preachy because they don't drink for religious reasons.
It seems to me that in western cultures, ex-drinkers get a lot more respect than never-drinkers.
I grew up in a small white trash family who lived on an indian reservation. So I had front-row seats to all of the spectacular consequences of alcohol overindulgence, both in my own family and in my community.
Yeah, that certainly tainted my perspective on the pros and cons of drinking.
I'm humble and rational enough to acknowledge that me drinking would probably bring more negatives into my life than positives.
> ... and don't expect that I would like 'drunk me'.
Have you ever tried being drunk? I wouldn't recommend it if you're fine the way you are, but OTOH, I think people don't actually understand unless they've tried it.
(I know that's kind of shitty, but ... that's life.)