Why Do We Drink?

I was looking for a timely topic for December’s festive holiday time when I came across a piece in the Life & Arts section of the Weekend Edition of the Financial Times (8/12/18) titled “Humanity’s Drinking Game” by Robin Dunbar.

It is summed up very nicely in a subhead that reads: Dunbar, an evolutionary psychologist, says that, “Alcohol has been more valuable to our species’ success than we might imagine. From prehistoric campfires to modern pubs, here’s how DRINKING HAS KEPT US TOGETHER.” Wow! That’s quite a statement.

DRINKING IS A PLEASURE AND A RELIEF. But, to the public health official reading the latest reports of alcohol’s societal ruin, this answer might seem frustrating. Why would anyone drink if it’s so bad for you?

LIKE MONKEYS AND APES, HUMANS ARE VERY SOCIAL. We have an urgent desire to schmoose – alcohol helps our cause. Friendships protect us against outside threats and internal stresses. Alcohol itself triggers the brain mechanism that is intimately involved in building friendships in humans. This mechanism is the ENDORPHIN system. Of the many social activities that trigger the endorphin system in humans (laughter, singing and dancing) the consumption of alcohol seems to be one of the most effective.

HUMANS HAVE A LONG ASSOCIATION WITH ALCOHOL that reaches back into the mists of prehistory. Archaeologists have found residues of fermentation in clay vessels in China dating back more than 8,000 years.

FOR HUMANS, FERMENTED DRINKS PLAY A CENTRAL ROLE in feasts the world over – and feasts are all about friendship. One of the biggest surprises of the last 10 years has been the torrent of publications showing that our HAPPINESS, HEALTH AND SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DISEASE – even our speed of recovery from surgery and how long we live – are all influenced by the number of friends we have. This is followed by giving up smoking (no surprises there), exercise, obesity, alcohol consumption, diet and even air quality – in other words, you can eat, drink and slob about as much as you want. None of this will affect you as much as having a few good friends to go out with.

OLD STYLE PUBS VERSUS HIGH STREET BARS A recent study found that people who had a “local” that they patronized regularly had more close friends, felt happier and more trusting of those around them. Those who never drank did consistently worse, while those who frequented a local pub did better than regular drinkers who had no place that they visited regularly.

Low lighting and elegant furnishings add up to a very convivial spot to have drinks with friends

SOCIAL EATING WITH OTHERS HAD THE SAME OUTCOME – it   seems that evening meals are more important than lunchtime ones. There’s something magical about doing things in the evening. This may date back some 400,000 years to the time when humans first mastered the use of fire. In the flickering light of a campfire one can relax and talk endlessly.

FRIENDSHIPS WORK BECAUSE THEY PROVIDE US WITH “a shoulder to cry on” when our world falls apart. What’s the bottom line? Dunbar says, “The secret to a long and happy life is not money. The important thing is to take time out with people you know and talk to them over a beer or even a bottle of Prosecco. There’s nothing quite like a convivial evening wrapped around drinks to give one health, happiness and a sense of well-being.

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