Drinking,
as we have already noted, is essentially a social act, subject to a variety of
rules and norms regarding who may drink what, when, where, with whom and so on.
Drinking does not, in any society, take place ‘just anywhere’, and most
cultures have specific, designated environments for communal drinking.
Alcohol
has long been regarded as a social leveller, and the act of communal drinking
as a means of communication between those of different ranks and status in
society
Major
life-cycle events such as birth, coming-of-age, marriage and death; important
life-changes such as graduation or retirement - and even far less momentous
shifts such as the daily transition from work to play - all require ritual
endorsement
Alcohol
punctuates our lives from the cradle to the grave. A few drinks to ‘wet the
baby’s head’ is a common practice in many cultures. In Poland, Christenings are
celebrated in the local tavern, with the child’s godparent covering the cost of
the liquor (Freund, 1985).
"These
ceremonial events, with their accompanying drinking patterns, undoubtedly
provide relief from the daily boredoms and frustrations of peasant agricultural
life. They also provide a base for conviviality and the easing of social
tensions in a society where human relations are not easy. Alcohol seems to do
much, for example, to break down barriers between the sexes and social classes
on ceremonial occasions."
In
most cultures, a marriage is a major transformation, conducted in stages, each
of which requires a drinking-event. In
many cultures, the ritualisation of transition is not restricted to the major
life-cycle transitions of birth, coming-of-age, marriage and death, but extends
to less portentous life-changing events such as graduation, job promotion,
house-warming and retirement. The need to invest ‘lifestyle’ transitions with
wider social and symbolic meaning - and particularly to do so by drinking -
seems a near-universal feature of human cultures.
The
purchase or building of a first house, and subsequent house-moves, are, in many
cultures, transitions of significance in terms of social and economic status,
as well as potentially stressful events for those concerned - a combination
which seems to demand ritual recognition. In some cultures, the rites of
passage associated with house-transitions may involve only family and close
friends; in others, the entire community may participate in the ritual, in
which alcohol will usually play a central role.
As
we have seen, however, the symbolic meanings attributed to alcohol vary across
different cultures, and the suitability of alcohol as a symbol of transition to
playtime, the perception of drinking as antithetical to working, is by no means
universal. In many cultures, the stop off at the drinking-place on the way to
work, or to ‘re-fuel’ at lunchtime, is just as common as the after-work
drinking session, and alcohol is used to generate ‘energy’ and enthusiasm for
work, as well as to relax after work or to celebrate the completion of a task.
This
perception of alcohol as a quintessentially ‘social’ substance is reinforced by
the practices associated with its consumption at rites of passage - the rituals
of pouring, sharing, toasting, round-buying etc. - which serve to define and
regulate social relationships, to promote conviviality and to build and
strengthen interpersonal bonds.
Despite
cross-cultural variations, the central fact remains that in all cultures where
alcohol is used, drinking is an essential element of celebration. This requires
explanation: why should alcohol, rather than any other substance, be the
universal symbol of festivity? The answer requires an understanding of the
underlying social functions of celebration, and their relation to the symbolic
and pharmacological properties of alcohol.
A
new study has revealed that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol in a group
setting boosts people’s emotions and enhances social bonding.The study,
published recently in the journal Psychological Science also found that
moderate consumption of alcohol can minimize negative emotions — or at least
reduce displays such as being silent in a group
The study, funded by the U.S.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism submitted that Alcohol
fueled social bonding and increased the amount of time people spent talking to
one another. It also increased the frequency and enhanced the coordination of
“true” smiles, the researchers said.
According
to researchers, beer allows us to loosen up when we indulge with moderation and
respect, while it also inspires us to be our true selves.
“Too
many of us go about our daily lives suffocating in our own uptightness, in a
constant state of worry, focused on work and not life, being nitpicky and
oblivious to the wonderful people and moments that surround us. Too many people
never take a break to sit down with a pint of their favorite, to look over at
the person next to them and say "hello," to make a connection -- an
important connection,” the researchers said.
In carrying out the study,
researchers randomly assigned 720 men and women to groups of three people who
didn’t know one another. They said previous studies have focused on alcohol’s
effect on individuals.
“We felt that many of the most
significant effects of alcohol would more likely be revealed in an experiment
using a social setting,” study author Michael Sayette, a professor of
psychology at the University of Pittsburgh, said in a journal news release.
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