Pickle of the Year (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 07/31/09 | Reply
@:
Yup, Europe seems a good place to go to change your view on things. My cousin actually lives in Amsterdam. I haven't seen her in years, but relatives who've met her recently say she's a lot more open-minded ever since she moved out of Asia. ^^;
...and it's going to sound strange when I say it - many Americans don't actually know how to enjoy themselves.
That doesn't sound strange at all! It's difficult for me not to think that way when I encounter kids at school who won't even say hello or look me in the face unless they're either drunk or high. And some of my friends come from various suburbs in Ohio, and they tell me stories of their friends back home. Most of it goes something like: they were scared of/completely whipped by their parents --> started drinking and doing drugs in high school --> went to colleges far away from home --> are now really sad kids who will do anything to please others WILD and EXCITING.
...the pure act of getting as hammered as possible, as quickly and cheaply as possible...
Haha. A few weeks back, I had a long talk with my sister about my college adventures and mentioned a couple boys in my dorm hall who always had stacks of Coors Light in their room (which of course would then quickly make its way to the recycling bin). And my sister's reaction was, "...They get drunk off of Coors Light? That's, like, really cheap shit." Thankfully, my friends are classy enough to drink alcohol with flakes of gold in it. xDDD
Amsterdam, of course, has discovered the secret: if you make the forbidden things boring, no one will bother with them. Montreal too, although that didn't keep visiting American students from ruining themselves every other night.
Basically I consider binge drinking to be not only a really bad idea, but an insult to a fine pastime. I won't speak for other things, but drinking - slowly, and especially with good company - is one of life's great pleasures (it just happens to be the case that many of the best drinks contain alcohol). It's enjoyable. But leave it to my own country to completely refine that noble pursuit to the pure act of getting as hammered as possible, as quickly and cheaply as possible (the drink itself becoming an afterthought). The paradox is - and it's going to sound strange when I say it - many Americans don't actually know how to enjoy themselves. Forgetting yourself and leaving the planet for a few hours isn't exactly the same thing.
"The dipsomaniac and the abstainer are not only both mistaken, but they both make the same mistake. They both regard wine as a drug and not as a drink." -G.K. Chesterton
Well, legality hardly factors into the equation anymore. A lot of kids start drinking in high school, since it's very easy to find a 21-year old friend to just buy it for you. And marijuana is illegal, period, but almost half of Americans have at least tried it.
I guess I just think that if people are going to binge drink and do drugs, they may as well not be completely pathetic and reckless about it. It really is true that a loooooot of kids at my school are *unable* to go to parties without getting completely trashed beforehand, and around people who they don't necessarily know well enough to trust. I mean, a guy in my dorm keeps smoking pot even though he has lung issues! =__________=
Last edited by bellpickle at 5:17:40 PM EDT on July 31, 2009.
Madman With a Box (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 07/31/09 | Reply
Bill O'Reilly is on my list of people I would love to smack one day. -3- Play a game of Punt the Pundit...
Yeah, the drinking and partying in college thing always bothered me. You're supposed to be there to learn, not get wasted. I think alcohol should be completely illegal for anyone until they're out of school at least. My friend here started drinking before he was even legal.
bellpickle
Pickle of the Year (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 07/31/09 | Reply
@:
Yup, Europe seems a good place to go to change your view on things. My cousin actually lives in Amsterdam. I haven't seen her in years, but relatives who've met her recently say she's a lot more open-minded ever since she moved out of Asia. ^^;
bellpickle
Pickle of the Year (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 07/31/09 | Reply
@Fasteriskhead:
...and it's going to sound strange when I say it - many Americans don't actually know how to enjoy themselves.
That doesn't sound strange at all! It's difficult for me not to think that way when I encounter kids at school who won't even say hello or look me in the face unless they're either drunk or high. And some of my friends come from various suburbs in Ohio, and they tell me stories of their friends back home. Most of it goes something like: they were scared of/completely whipped by their parents --> started drinking and doing drugs in high school --> went to colleges far away from home --> are now
really sad kids who will do anything to please othersWILD and EXCITING....the pure act of getting as hammered as possible, as quickly and cheaply as possible...
Haha. A few weeks back, I had a long talk with my sister about my college adventures and mentioned a couple boys in my dorm hall who always had stacks of Coors Light in their room (which of course would then quickly make its way to the recycling bin). And my sister's reaction was, "...They get drunk off of Coors Light? That's, like, really cheap shit." Thankfully, my friends are classy enough to drink alcohol with flakes of gold in it. xDDD
Fasteriskhead
Otakuite++ | Posted 07/31/09 | Reply
Amsterdam, of course, has discovered the secret: if you make the forbidden things boring, no one will bother with them. Montreal too, although that didn't keep visiting American students from ruining themselves every other night.
Basically I consider binge drinking to be not only a really bad idea, but an insult to a fine pastime. I won't speak for other things, but drinking - slowly, and especially with good company - is one of life's great pleasures (it just happens to be the case that many of the best drinks contain alcohol). It's enjoyable. But leave it to my own country to completely refine that noble pursuit to the pure act of getting as hammered as possible, as quickly and cheaply as possible (the drink itself becoming an afterthought). The paradox is - and it's going to sound strange when I say it - many Americans don't actually know how to enjoy themselves. Forgetting yourself and leaving the planet for a few hours isn't exactly the same thing.
"The dipsomaniac and the abstainer are not only both mistaken, but they both make the same mistake. They both regard wine as a drug and not as a drink." -G.K. Chesterton
bellpickle
Pickle of the Year (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 07/31/09 | Reply
@TimeChaser:
Well, legality hardly factors into the equation anymore. A lot of kids start drinking in high school, since it's very easy to find a 21-year old friend to just buy it for you. And marijuana is illegal, period, but almost half of Americans have at least tried it.
I guess I just think that if people are going to binge drink and do drugs, they may as well not be completely pathetic and reckless about it. It really is true that a loooooot of kids at my school are *unable* to go to parties without getting completely trashed beforehand, and around people who they don't necessarily know well enough to trust. I mean, a guy in my dorm keeps smoking pot even though he has lung issues! =__________=
Last edited by bellpickle at 5:17:40 PM EDT on July 31, 2009.
TimeChaser
Madman With a Box (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 07/31/09 | Reply
Bill O'Reilly is on my list of people I would love to smack one day. -3- Play a game of Punt the Pundit...
Yeah, the drinking and partying in college thing always bothered me. You're supposed to be there to learn, not get wasted. I think alcohol should be completely illegal for anyone until they're out of school at least. My friend here started drinking before he was even legal.
Bazinga!