Is Getting Drunk a Australian Rite of Passage? No. It isn't. Simple.
Getting drunk as a youth is something most of us endure. But is has nothing to do with Australian-ness or our national identity. Sheesh, who came up with that stupid fucking idea?
The sooner we stop making "excuses" and "covering up" for being drunk the better it is for everyone.
I'm sure Canadians or Californians or Glaswegians or Greek Cypriots have some sort of drinking experience in their youth, and I'm sure it hasn't somehow become entwined in their identities.
Let's separate simply getting drunk from any other connotations and call it what it is, getting drunk.
There, said it. Whaddya reckon?
Read more here
Getting drunk as a youth is something most of us endure. But is has nothing to do with Australian-ness or our national identity. Sheesh, who came up with that stupid fucking idea?
The sooner we stop making "excuses" and "covering up" for being drunk the better it is for everyone.
I'm sure Canadians or Californians or Glaswegians or Greek Cypriots have some sort of drinking experience in their youth, and I'm sure it hasn't somehow become entwined in their identities.
Let's separate simply getting drunk from any other connotations and call it what it is, getting drunk.
There, said it. Whaddya reckon?
Read more here
well yes getting completely trashed was very much the 'norm' in ireland. So yes was a cultural habit too. yes, just calling us drunks gets past all the bullshit barriers and calls a spade a spade. I love not being special and different and belonging to the vast pool of alcoholics rather than just the pool of Irish alcoholics :)
ReplyDeleteYou wouldn't believe it but my father was (is?) from Ireland and came out to Australia in 1966. Would you believe you if I told you my name was Brendan Patrick Murphy? Sheesh, talk about national rites of passage...
ReplyDeleteWe moved to a small country isolated town in 2004. I have five children now 23, 20, 17, 14 and 9. The older ones have had to deal with this thinking. They have after parties and everything is in the dead of night or morning rather. My daughter 17 hasn't touched it, the others have, but not to the extent of their peers. I think the parents encourage them heaps. Words that cover up things are very harmful.
ReplyDelete