My local tavern is like the living room for the neighborhood. When my dad’s cancer came back, it was the first place I went to process my feelings, and the bartenders gave me a free beer and a free sandwich and lots of hugs. When the landlord fucked up our door lock and I couldn’t get into the building (without telling us he had done this!), one of the tavern regulars came back with me and helped me, even though it was 10:00 at night and raining. It is a place I can always go to where I feel like I belong. There’s something about the tavern, the pub, the local bar, that can have way more of a community feeling than the coffee shop or the gym or other third spaces (or church tbh no shade just how it’s been for me personally). The fact that it happens to be centered around alcohol maybe has something to do with it but either way I’m grateful to have it. Maybe it’s the last place left where people go with the express purpose of talking to each other.
Thanks for sharing those stories, Amber. And I'm sorry to hear about your dad's cancer 😔 I feel similarly about the other third spaces, at least my experiences with them in the US have always been more transactional. But I'm sure others have found community. And totally, where else do we go to just talk these days? Especially when we're all just on our phones 24/7 haha
Thanks Jesse! How long were you in Cardiff for? And totally, I think people have a hard time really understanding the pub and just see it as a place to get sloshed, but really it’s much more, especially in more rural areas
I was there on and off for 4 years while I got my PhD. Some great times in the city pubs as well as those out in the country. It’s too bad that culture doesn’t exist in the US (at least not in my experience) because I think it serves as an important space for people to connect.
It feels as though we're getting inundated with this stuff every day now, like we're gearing up for another Prohibition. Well, I guess bring on the second Roaring '20s; I'll make sure I've got access to a good speakeasy.
Interesting piece this. It's strange that even drinking could be political, I wouldn't say my drinking is a political choice at all. Sometimes I just fancy the taste of a beer or Guiness and then have one and then call it a day.
I used to drink alot and felt like it was the done thing, which it is especially in the UK. Although it does feel like you said neo prohibitory right now. I think that's mostly a good thing but rather than cutting things out fully enjoying things every now and then are part of living a proper and meaningful life to me.
I don't think your choice to grab a Guiness is inherently political, but the industry and policy decisions around alcohol definitely are and can be motivated by a bunch of factors. the entire project I did on why pubs are closing in the UK was pretty fascinating and worth a read if you're at all interested. Essentially since Thatcher in the 80s there have been private equity firms or pubcos (pub-owning corporations) that have been snatching up pubs, letting them fall into disrepair, and flipping them into things like apartment complexes. Underlying all of that is the "beer tie" where many pubs have to buy beer from a specific brewery at a designated rate, usually far above market price. Couple that with consolidation of all the breweries and it's pretty wild.
So yeah I'd agree that lower consumption is generally better, especially no binging. My point was more to illustrate how alcohol has always been used as a tool in some way.
Yeah I am aware of those chains. I try to avoid them at all cost all of the time. They're ubiquitous in the UK though and many people frequent them but complain at the fact the pub trade is dying. I'm not sure I have a strong view on it at all, if anything I'd likely cheer the demise of the pub in the UK in a way partly for it's ostensibly negative impacts on people.
I shall give your piece a read. Sounds like a pretty cool project.
Interesting post! Having grown up with alcoholic family members, I try to be mindful of my consumption and it's made me think of how cultural traditions can create safe guards around drinking, such as "don't drink before 5" or "never drink alone." I've certainly done both, but I wonder how much of problem drinking comes from disregarding traditional wisdom? I also notice how many European cultures seem to have better cultural safe guards than Americans, Brits and Irish not withstanding.
So there's definitely problematic drinking, of course, and definitely different cultures cultivate a safe or unsafe relationship with it and it's much more normalized in other countries.
My take is that a lot of our problems come from our general Protestant background in the US and subsequently Prohibition, because that's where so much of the negative connotations started. But prohibition mostly framed immigrants, Black, and poor people - the "other" - as consumers at the local saloon and causers community trouble. Which was all false, of course. And I think there's this lingering idea that the temperance movement was the driving force, but it was mostly the Anti-Saloon League as the major political actor.
My goal was more to illustrate how alcohol has always been used as a tool in some way (around the world), not that alcohol is always good.
I’m with you on the very marginal increase in risk associated with moderate alcohol consumption, and tend to just go on my merry “let’s have a beer with a friend” way. My mother seems to get alarmed each January—when the prohibition press goes into high gear because it’s their dry month—and tries to talk me into giving it up, but I’m not buying it.
I have not! and yeah it was a cool word, Padraic was a linguistics teacher before he became a distiller, so you could tell he was pretty eager to nerd out on language haha
Wow, Padraic sounds like a fascinating character! I’m enjoying imagining that conversation, haha. 🙂 And it’s a great film from a few years back, your post here made me think of it. https://youtu.be/40X5EX6Us7c?si=m_DYF0PIrg_vMXxU
It also made be think about how it relates to culture. Spain is rated as one of the healthier countries in the world, and an almuerzo (brunch/breakfast) deal often includes a una caña (small beer). From day to night, people are on patios sipping their drinks between endless chatter. I think the effects of a strong social fabric outweigh the adverse effects of alcohol.
I’m one of the ice-bath-taking Huberman dudes, but so much of the hyperproductive human-robot advice he spews comes from stats in America. I’ve always taken breaks from alcohol because I know alcoholism runs in my Belgian blood, but as you say, it’s also political.
There’s something that feels ultra individualistic about this push away from alcohol. Be productive! Don’t drink! Use AI to streamline your work! Don’t waste your time socializing, playing, and drinking!
Bars aren’t all negative, especially in countries with strong social values. Again, I’ll use Spain as an example. Bars are where some of their greatest artists and writers hung out.
My local tavern is like the living room for the neighborhood. When my dad’s cancer came back, it was the first place I went to process my feelings, and the bartenders gave me a free beer and a free sandwich and lots of hugs. When the landlord fucked up our door lock and I couldn’t get into the building (without telling us he had done this!), one of the tavern regulars came back with me and helped me, even though it was 10:00 at night and raining. It is a place I can always go to where I feel like I belong. There’s something about the tavern, the pub, the local bar, that can have way more of a community feeling than the coffee shop or the gym or other third spaces (or church tbh no shade just how it’s been for me personally). The fact that it happens to be centered around alcohol maybe has something to do with it but either way I’m grateful to have it. Maybe it’s the last place left where people go with the express purpose of talking to each other.
Thanks for sharing those stories, Amber. And I'm sorry to hear about your dad's cancer 😔 I feel similarly about the other third spaces, at least my experiences with them in the US have always been more transactional. But I'm sure others have found community. And totally, where else do we go to just talk these days? Especially when we're all just on our phones 24/7 haha
Great, nuanced commentary Skylar. During my time in Cardiff I realized the important value of community pubs.
Thanks Jesse! How long were you in Cardiff for? And totally, I think people have a hard time really understanding the pub and just see it as a place to get sloshed, but really it’s much more, especially in more rural areas
I was there on and off for 4 years while I got my PhD. Some great times in the city pubs as well as those out in the country. It’s too bad that culture doesn’t exist in the US (at least not in my experience) because I think it serves as an important space for people to connect.
It feels as though we're getting inundated with this stuff every day now, like we're gearing up for another Prohibition. Well, I guess bring on the second Roaring '20s; I'll make sure I've got access to a good speakeasy.
it definitely feels like it right?? Very weird energy out there
Interesting piece this. It's strange that even drinking could be political, I wouldn't say my drinking is a political choice at all. Sometimes I just fancy the taste of a beer or Guiness and then have one and then call it a day.
I used to drink alot and felt like it was the done thing, which it is especially in the UK. Although it does feel like you said neo prohibitory right now. I think that's mostly a good thing but rather than cutting things out fully enjoying things every now and then are part of living a proper and meaningful life to me.
I don't think your choice to grab a Guiness is inherently political, but the industry and policy decisions around alcohol definitely are and can be motivated by a bunch of factors. the entire project I did on why pubs are closing in the UK was pretty fascinating and worth a read if you're at all interested. Essentially since Thatcher in the 80s there have been private equity firms or pubcos (pub-owning corporations) that have been snatching up pubs, letting them fall into disrepair, and flipping them into things like apartment complexes. Underlying all of that is the "beer tie" where many pubs have to buy beer from a specific brewery at a designated rate, usually far above market price. Couple that with consolidation of all the breweries and it's pretty wild.
So yeah I'd agree that lower consumption is generally better, especially no binging. My point was more to illustrate how alcohol has always been used as a tool in some way.
Yeah I am aware of those chains. I try to avoid them at all cost all of the time. They're ubiquitous in the UK though and many people frequent them but complain at the fact the pub trade is dying. I'm not sure I have a strong view on it at all, if anything I'd likely cheer the demise of the pub in the UK in a way partly for it's ostensibly negative impacts on people.
I shall give your piece a read. Sounds like a pretty cool project.
Interesting post! Having grown up with alcoholic family members, I try to be mindful of my consumption and it's made me think of how cultural traditions can create safe guards around drinking, such as "don't drink before 5" or "never drink alone." I've certainly done both, but I wonder how much of problem drinking comes from disregarding traditional wisdom? I also notice how many European cultures seem to have better cultural safe guards than Americans, Brits and Irish not withstanding.
So there's definitely problematic drinking, of course, and definitely different cultures cultivate a safe or unsafe relationship with it and it's much more normalized in other countries.
My take is that a lot of our problems come from our general Protestant background in the US and subsequently Prohibition, because that's where so much of the negative connotations started. But prohibition mostly framed immigrants, Black, and poor people - the "other" - as consumers at the local saloon and causers community trouble. Which was all false, of course. And I think there's this lingering idea that the temperance movement was the driving force, but it was mostly the Anti-Saloon League as the major political actor.
My goal was more to illustrate how alcohol has always been used as a tool in some way (around the world), not that alcohol is always good.
I’m with you on the very marginal increase in risk associated with moderate alcohol consumption, and tend to just go on my merry “let’s have a beer with a friend” way. My mother seems to get alarmed each January—when the prohibition press goes into high gear because it’s their dry month—and tries to talk me into giving it up, but I’m not buying it.
Man it’s been in high gear lately, even before January! Luckily Malbecs are pretty dry haha
Interesting read, Skylar! Have you seen the film “Another Round”? Also thank you for introducing me to the concept of “seanchaí”…!
I have not! and yeah it was a cool word, Padraic was a linguistics teacher before he became a distiller, so you could tell he was pretty eager to nerd out on language haha
Wow, Padraic sounds like a fascinating character! I’m enjoying imagining that conversation, haha. 🙂 And it’s a great film from a few years back, your post here made me think of it. https://youtu.be/40X5EX6Us7c?si=m_DYF0PIrg_vMXxU
haha not too much linguistic stuff in there but I'll have notes on the full convo up in a few days!
Great article, Skylar!
It also made be think about how it relates to culture. Spain is rated as one of the healthier countries in the world, and an almuerzo (brunch/breakfast) deal often includes a una caña (small beer). From day to night, people are on patios sipping their drinks between endless chatter. I think the effects of a strong social fabric outweigh the adverse effects of alcohol.
I’m one of the ice-bath-taking Huberman dudes, but so much of the hyperproductive human-robot advice he spews comes from stats in America. I’ve always taken breaks from alcohol because I know alcoholism runs in my Belgian blood, but as you say, it’s also political.
There’s something that feels ultra individualistic about this push away from alcohol. Be productive! Don’t drink! Use AI to streamline your work! Don’t waste your time socializing, playing, and drinking!
Bars aren’t all negative, especially in countries with strong social values. Again, I’ll use Spain as an example. Bars are where some of their greatest artists and writers hung out.