[hueving]

Fewer* drinkers. Perhaps you could spend more time understanding the English language rather than offering baseless implications that suggest people who drink are a problem for society.

Drinking is a great social lubricant if you are introverted. Without it, many of the social groups in security and programming that I have participated in would have ceased to exist. Bonding over laughs while having a pint is not something to pretend is irrelevant.

[throwawaybooze]

> Drinking is a great social lubricant if you are introverted.

I used to drink a bit and this was a common refrain in groups of drinkers, especially heavy drinkers. The reality is a bit more depressing - this justifies drinking that is covering up real problems.

Now I stopped drinking and, after an adjustment period, I have a much better and more satisfying social life. A social life that revolves around doing positive things - fitness, creativity, learning.

One difference I notice is the sense of humour - we laugh, but not at people and we don't exclude people from our groups. And we speak more freely without having to worry that someone will suddenly react badly and start throwing around insults to defend themselves... about grammar, say.

[hnnewguy]

>The reality is a bit more depressing

I'm glad you're able to identify "reality" and explain it to the rest of us, wandering around in a fog.

>A social life that revolves around doing positive things - fitness, creativity, learning.

My social life revolves around fitness, creativity, learning and some occasional social drinking the inevitably ends up being a good time with people I love. None of those things are precluded by drinking.

Between the comments here and on the sports article a few weeks back, I've learned this community is oddly concerned about and sometimes nasty towards things other people might happen to find enjoyable, and enjoy explaining how they're "wrong".

[hueving]

It sounds like you were just an alcoholic or at least hanging out with alcoholics. I have never had any issues with having to walk on eggshells or have friends have outbursts. We only have one or two drinks so what you described is a non issue.

[shawabawa3]

> Fewer* drinkers

I hate this. Less now means fewer whether you like it or not. Language changes and no amount of pedantry will stop it

[hueving]

Nope, you're describing a mistake grade school children have made for many years. It used to be corrected by high school, but failing education systems have led to confusion between discrete sets and continuous sets. Let's not try to defend ignorance.