Now is the time for Sober Clubs to Rise
Not drinking alcohol sucks. First you have to be sober for the world — which was awful long before ce2020a. Second: every social gathering is lubricated by some for of inebriation causing product
CW: Alcohol, Cigarettes, Clean Living, Sobriety, Socialising with Other Humans, Covid-19, New Normal
So, with the Pandemic making it so that people are now slowly figuring out how to socialise with each other after having been isolated, and numbers invariably rising anytime a country opens Nightclubs and Bars up again — perhaps we need to ask why we require inebriation to interact with other people?
The Work Social Lubricant Does For People
“I desire to take no responsibilities for the actions I have done while enjoying myself for a few moments. I’ve found that if I point to a type of tree, I can enjoy myself for a few moments in life — and all the bad decisions I make I won’t have to live with” — Bradlen Grahang Hayesm, Ideal for a Dragon
Part of why people will get together in Nightclubs and Bars to socialise is the notion that “Alcohol frees their inhibitions” — but how exactly does it do this?
Simple: you just blame the alcohol for anything you did that you don’t want to have to take responsibility for doing
That is the main lifting that Alcohol does for anybody’s anxiety and concerns
Also add in the air of mystery that other people will also be making terrible decisions — and that will put to ease the worry that they won’t like you
Yeah… sober them would know better than to like me… but drunk them will be stupid and drunk, and not see every flaw present on me. Like the Christmas Light Display that those flaws all appear to be
Everything I’ve Done While Enjoying Myself I Regret
Now, so much of Toxic Positivity is the believe in the notion that decisions while feeling really happy and good about stuff will instantly be a good decision. That if you make a decision while Angry, Sad or Scared — that it is the wrong decision
Now, I’ve made bad decisions while Sad or Scared. I’ve also made good decisions while Sad or Scared
I’ve never regretted anything I did while angry — except that one time I broke that one gift my Aunt Karen bought me — but that was a case of me not realising I could do that
However, any decision I’ve made while feeling good — I have lived to regret. One day, I’ll prolly die not regretting a decision I made while feeling good. I won’t regret it due to being dead
Alcohol allows you to feel good… and instead of regretting it, just be all, “that ain’t me… that was the product I was consuming… I’m still a great person”
Which is part of why it works so well as a social lubricant to allow people to feel positive light for just a few moments in their lives
That lack having to engage if you are a good person — as it was just the product that was bad — is part of why it is present
It isn’t that creepy guy groping you while “dancing” — it is the alcohol he is drinking. It isn’t the young girl whose life is changed from a set of pictures being changed that will cause a shift in the definition of “no” for her — it was… wait… still the young girl? She should have _known_ the alcohol would have done that, and doesn’t get the blame?
Okay… what about that girl whose definition of “no” has shifted to have her being ostracised for being “too stuck up” and “prudish”? Wait… Alcohol can shift that definition of “no” being in that nice tantalising middle ground
It would help if social issues were not interconnected — I mean, I want to only look at ONE problem and ignore every other one out there. That is what being rationale and big brain thinky is about
Most importantly though, Alcohol provides the social contract
Changing the Social Contract of Alcohol
“Would you like to sign a contract” — Kyubey, notable alcoholic, probably
One of the biggest parts of being sober in this world — is how normalised drinking to the point of being dead or comatose is considered “just an everyday affair” for how people work
Somehow, doing the same thing with Heroin and Opiates is bad — but doing it for Alcohol is freaking awesome and you are weird if you do not do this
The thing is: with current global pandemic making it so there are less options to be social with others
Now places are opening up — and yes, Nightclubs and Bars are big deal options — because they are where you can, allegedly dance, and be social about stuff
Why not start opening up Sober Clubs as well?
One of the biggest things causing a drop/dip in the numbers for Nightclubs and Bars has been people thinking getting drunk during a pandemic might not be a good way to do stuff
With the numbers rising (a little bit) in most places that are reopening Nightclubs and Bars — this is only serving to reinforce people not wanting to show up at those places
Next with a complaint that has been levied for decades now: where are the sober social gatherings?
I mean, sure yes… churches are one (sometimes)… but what about for those of us who are in high probability to get struck by lightning or set on fire if we cross the threshold onto holy ground?
The big issue that Sober Clubs have faced, is not fully understanding the social contract that has Nightclubs and Bars work
Nobody Drinks Alcohol Cause They Like It
Okay… maybe not nobody — but the vast majority of people drinking at those places are doing it, because they feel a bit forced into having to do it
Not like with a gun at their head… but well… peer pressure. You know that thing from those old drug commercials?
Well, it turns out when the product you are consuming isn’t a vilified product that has jail time involved, it is really easy to pressure somebody into going along and consuming it with you — even if they don’t particularly like it
Most people are just drinking because they think they have to, in order to be with a crowd of people
With this being normalised a fair amount in social gatherings
It is right up there with the notion that losing your virginity is some kind of coming of age thing where you will be given knowledge of divine origin — or whatever the crap it is people belief about that nonsense
Hell… if people weren’t cowards they’d open Sober Glory Hole Orgy shops
What If They Don’t Like Me?
With that fucking attitude they won’t
Look… people will like you, and people will not like you. The fact you act like it is your decision somehow, only serves to fudge things so that people generally won’t like you
Put your best foot forward — and do your best
Long story short… people are frightening, and people will do stuff in social gatherings to make people less frightening
Often times, these sorts of things can be used to make some kind of weird cult initiating ceremony. But it isn’t a weird cult initiating ceremony if everybody is doing it. Then it is just a coming of age story
We have an opportunity to denormalise alcohol consumption
That opportunity is that people are even more frightening when they are plague ridden and using substances that deprives them of their better sensibilities
This article is not from me getting jealous of all the cans of beer getting all kinds of oral sex instead of myself. Do not think that
But, it is time for the rise of Sober Clubs