[kylecazar]

Well,it's all about your culture's relationship with it. In NYC, it can be difficult to socialize at times without alcohol because it's very ingrained in the young professional community. In Istanbul, where it isn't, perhaps it's difficult to socialize as a coffee abstainer.

In neither case is it really that difficult to abstain and still socialize, but presuming you don't have a problem and can drink moderately, I can see why the benefits outweigh the negatives.

[big_chungus]

Also a non-drinker, and yeah, it really sucks to not drink in the professional American world. Not only does it make me the buzzkill, I honestly hate being around drunk people. Being drunk is really only fun when everyone's doing it together, like the adult version of campfire songs, making it hard to be the odd man out.

[C1sc0cat]

You really should not use "Drunk" to mean some one that has had one or two drinks - it shows your huge (presumably unconscious bias) from your upbringing.

[wutbrodo]

For what it's worth, this isn't true for me. Whether I'm drunk or sober, I find it easier than most to socialize, with either friends or strangers. When the company I'm with is drinking, _they're_ better at being social too: having the social energy be more two-sided leads on average to evenings that are more fun.

[jjdredd]

> it really sucks to not drink in the professional American world.

Can you tell us more about this? Genuinely curious.