The land of refugees, universal healthcare and… beer?

It appears that nearly every European country is renowned for its beer. Each nation has its own unique culture and history centered around the brewing process, and perhaps even more excitingly, the consumption of it. We create legends about the birth of beer brands, devise various holidays to justify our indulgence, and turn board members and managing directors into millionaires, all while never seeming to quench our thirst for it. When a government dares to limit or, in extreme cases, forbid the marketing of alcoholic beverages, it triggers a heated public debate, and it seems that the influence of the lobby supporting these products is stronger than ever. How did we find ourselves in this situation?

For young adults, it's almost obligatory to go through a partying phase. As children, we look at adults with a mix of disdain and confusion when we witness their foolish behavior after drinking, or when we catch a whiff of a lit cigarette, or taste the bitterness of the coffee they consume multiple times a day, from morning to evening. Then something shifts; hormones surge, puberty takes hold, and we can't wait to grow up. Despite being fully aware of the adverse health effects, it feels inevitable and unstoppable. Until one day, we grow up and realize that we were merely imitating adults who set a poor example. When should we challenge these societal norms and become aware of our own destructive patterns?

I dare to assert that much of what we call "culture" is, in reality, generational trauma. A deep dive into psychology isn't needed to recognize that overindulgence in substances often stems from a lack of healthy coping mechanisms. Addiction gets trivialized through frat-house humor, and the lady in the midst of the recent controversy surrounding Bud Light might not have been entirely wrong. The mandatory party phase in our late teens is likely the first time we blatantly display hypocrisy, which isn't inherently terrible; we were just kids and no one taught us any better. However, it becomes far worse if we never outgrow this phase and remain hypocrites for the rest of our lives. Why is it so shocking when a country decides to ban the sale of alcoholic beverages at an international football event? It's their culture, right? So why can't we simply respect it, or was it all just an excuse to sell more products from the start?

In my view, social media didn't ruin society. It's we, the people, who were broken from the beginning. Social media merely provided a platform for this brokenness to be displayed in the public eye and gave a voice to all, including those who probably didn't need one. Let's not delve deeper into that topic before Elon decides to cancel me. So, I would argue the same applies to alcohol consumption. Gatherings of intoxicated individuals celebrating their so-called culture provide a stage for their darker impulses. These are the same people you encounter daily on the street, colleagues at your workplace, and the ones you buy your morning latte from. It's not the people or the parties that are the problem; it's our approach to them. The status quo exacerbates the issue and hinders our progress as a society. From my personal experience, and backed by several studies, I know for a fact that addiction rarely appears out of nowhere; it's often intertwined with various mental health issues. Despite the ever-increasing global population and unprecedented wealth and stability, overall life satisfaction and happiness seem to be on the decline. Can a week-long beer celebration truly be the solution to all of this?

Even a kindergartener could confidently answer, "no." But it is certainly the path of least resistance. Hustle for five days, party for two, and repeat. To confront yourself and ask what you genuinely desire or strive to achieve are not easy questions to answer. Frankly, nobody should be coerced into doing so. Nevertheless, I'm encouraged by the changing attitudes toward mental health. We even have several royals openly discussing it on every available platform, even if some do it for egotistical reasons – I'd still take that over nothing. It's perfectly fine if you've never contemplated the connection between substance abuse and mental health until now. But now that you have—what will you do?

Bottoms up.

Love,

Faja