Moderation seems like a good approach. I like a nice glass of wine with dinner. I don't like being drunk, though.
And the buddhist in my fully appreciates a moderation / middle way approach... But what is that glass of wine getting you? Is it strictly a taste thing? Is it the antioxidants? My guess is there are comparable things that would be you those same positive results of a glass of wine.
Don't try and force your own choices on other people.
And I'm fully capable of regulating my drink. What I'm getting at is finding other ways to find the mental benefits drinking provides, ie, being able to have the confidence / happiness being buzzed/drunk provides... without needing the alcohol.
As for the "confidence/happiness" that drinking brings, I wonder if you're not projecting again. Personally, drinking doesn't make me any more confident. It doesn't make me happy in and of itself, though it can help to reduce stress. And there you're talking about "needing the alcohol," as if appreciating the effects of something is "needing" it...
What do you get out of drinking?
And I think that's completely a false assumption to make about people. I myself might drink because I enjoy the element that the feeling of warmth and relaxation adds to a conversation with friends. So, I may be using it to enjoy an experience 'more' but that has nothing to do with sliding down a slope. Friends and I may sometimes enjoy drinking as the social setting, the activity for the night. The actual entertainment comes not from the drinking itself, but from the social interaction and camaraderie. It's a shared experience, and that's what human interaction is largely about.
It sounds like you're trying to address an audience of unaware alcoholics. Or extremely dull people who rely exclusively on drinking as sole entertainment.
A date with one girl turns into two, and then you're hiring infected hookers.
A piece of cake turns into two, and then you've eaten the entire cake and then you get diabetes.
Five miles over the speed limit turns into ten, and then you're arrested for going 50 over the speed limit.
If you don't like alcohol, and find it hard to only have one drink, and decide to not drink at all, that's great! I'm glad you found something that works for you. But your comments strongly imply that your experience is everyone else's experience, and that we're just in denial about it.
Yeah, that sounds definitely like you're pushing your views to me.
Don't keep us in suspense then, because the only things I can think of that give you similar results to wine are beer and liquor.
Not any of the buzz/drunk happiness benefits. What I'm suggesting people try and do is find that place without drinking.
This was partially in response to this:
"And the buddhist in my fully appreciates a moderation / middle way approach...But what is that glass of wine getting you? Is it strictly a taste thing? Is it the antioxidants? My guess is there are comparable things that would be you those same positive results of a glass of wine."
If I may be so blunt, you honestly are now sounding like some Mormon friends I know who have never drank, but for some reason feel particularly qualified to speak on the matter.
That seems to be begging the question, if I'm using that term correctly. You're starting from the premise that the glass of wine has significant deleterious effects, and thus should readily be avoided if other goods can replace it. I'm not sure I personally agree with that premise.
I enjoy having a glass of wine while I'm reading. It's relaxing and goes well with reading. Sometimes I have a glass of wine, take a bath and read. One day when you drink wine again you should try it.
Really, what I was hoping to suggest and perhaps have done a poor job of, was encouraging people to try and find those things that they get from alcohol without it. ie, Could you find a way to relax for your reading without a glass of wine? If you could find that place without anything external, but thoughts are that would be a pretty great skill to have all the time.
I do agree that if you can't enjoy something unless you're drinking, that's an issue. If I had to drink every time I read a book, I would have to do some soul searching. And you're right, if you can only party when you're drunk, are you really partying?