I really appreciate this quote... particularly in today's society. Recently, I had a long talk with my dad about culture and societal norms of today and we ended up talking about how everyone seems to follow the crowd. It's true, everyone seems to feel the need to go along with whatever trends pop up... and while I certainly won't say I don't from time to time, there's some pretty serious "trends" that aren't any good. My least favorite is one that has existed for a long time, and comes in a dangerous form: alcohol.
My friends have recently been getting to the ages where they think drinking and partying are just the BEST ways to spend time (some friends, anyway.. not all) and it honestly saddens me that drinking is such a norm that if you choose to NOT drink, you'll be made fun of for it. So many people think it's funny to get drunk, or something to be proud of... it's not. It's a horrible addiction that claims 88,000 lives on average per year... and consumes 2.5 million years of potential life per year. 2.5 MILLION. Let that sink in. That is how freaking harmful it is. My friends are well aware that I despise alcohol and anything to do with it; so most of them will stay off of the subject when talking to me. That, I don't really care about. If they want to go make poor choices in their own time, I certainly can't stop them... but I want no part in it which they know and respect. For those who do choose to argue it with me... they can sometimes end up receiving quite the lecture. Don't get me wrong. I know that culture is culture, and there's little I can do to change it... but I don't tolerate stupidity very well. I've heard all sorts of stupid arguments about alcohol, but my least favorite is "well it's just a little, it won't hurt" or "it's just one time, it won't hurt". Oh really? How do you think addiction starts? Do you think a person rolls out of bed one day and just decides to be an alcoholic? No. It grows over time, starting with "just one" and escalating over time. The more you drink, the higher tolerance you get to alcohol. As you get a higher tolerance, it takes more alcohol to get drunk and THAT is what most will fail to see. People don't take tolerance into account, and it leads them right into the claws of addiction. By the time a person realizes how bad they've gotten (if they even do), they've essentially dug their own grave. The sad thing about alcohol (aside from its deadly side effects) is that it alters a person. I've seen friends completely change because of alcohol and how it messes with their mind; and due to that have cut them off. It's horrible to experience; but it's even worse to watch a good friend go down the road and know there's nothing you can do to stop them. So many people feel pressured to drink alcohol because everyone else does. They'll be at a party and get offered a drink, and if they turn it down may get humiliated for it. Having a fucking brain shouldn't be seen as shameful. Unfortunately, that's how bad things have gotten. When it comes to alcohol, in my opinion, there is no such thing as "in moderation". Even "in moderation" it can be harmful... because it'll only grow. This brings us to the quote I chose to headline this post- the most courageous thing you can do is still speak your mind out loud. In today's world, it takes a lot to go against culture- particularly such a large part of it as drinking. I can tell you from experience that it DOES take a lot of courage to be able to tell your friends you're entirely against their lifestyle. It's hard to lose friends over beliefs so foolish. It's even harder to be called a moron when you're making a smarter choice than everyone else. But in the end... it's worth it. I'd rather be a social outcast than put poison into my body. Rant over. Maddie
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