Social Non-Drinking

After three weeks, my experiment of not drinking alcohol in January is still going well. You know when people talk about the veil of maya, that layer of delusion that prevents you from seeing reality clearly, well since I stopped drinking it feels as though that veil that has been lifted. Do I consider myself teetotal? Certainly not. Do I want a drink? Not really.

The big test of any non-drinker is dealing with social situations. How do they cope with the slurred thoughts and confused words of the drunkard? Do they laugh along at the ribaldry or do they become alienated? Indeed, enjoying yourself in pubs as a non-drinker is the second most difficult challenge that the non-drinker will face. The most difficult is avoiding becoming smug and self-righteous.

I remember talking with teetotalers when I lived in London an finding them rather subdued. By shunning the ritual drug of the social scene, they aroused suspicion; they were like a pacifist at a skinhead rally who fails to singalong with the national anthem. At some level we all want people to be like us, anyone different will suffer tall poppy syndrome.

So what to do?

I recommend mirroring the drunkard’s elation, that worked with me on New Year’s Eve. However, dealing with the dullness of drunkards when you are sober is rather more problematic. Maybe you should just accept that they are not going to be very quick witted and be playful. It might work.

21 Jan 2009