Revolutionaries!
Most people like to party. People of all ages like to party. Extroverts and introverts like to go on parties – even if they are different kinds. And we party on numerous occasions throughout the year. Maybe it’s even fair to say that human beings are party animals.
No matter the kind of party, what does an awesome party consist of?
Music. Friends. Maybe games. New encounters. Dance. Jokes. Laughter. Lightheartedness. Dressing up. Leaving home. Something unusual. Decoration. Lights (candles, disco balls, garden lights…)
Parties are occasions of community and celebration. They bring together people and help us to create a shared experience of lightheartedness and laughter and shedding the constraints of everyday life. And so, in cultures around the world, we humans arrange parties all the time and for a myriad of occasions.
During weekends and after work. To celebrate the end or the beginning of a new season. On religious holidays. When we achieve successes. When we want to celebrate family or friends.
During vacations. When entering a new environment or when we have accomplished something. After great performance. Or when meeting a deadline.
After great performance at the University. After final exams. After a good game in sports. After making it through yet another year on this planet. Or when moving into a new apartment.
In our free time!
If you look at all the reasons and occasions for arranging parties, it seems we like to party all the time. Doesn’t it?
As you read this, are you also thinking of the latest party you went to, or are you brimming with anticipation for the next party to join? We sure do. How do you feel when getting ready for or during a party?
“When I meet friends, can dance freely, listen to great music, get to know new people, get to dress up, having two weekend days ahead of me and when I have just delivered on the tasks at work I feel …… “ (fill in the blank).
Without reading your mind, we are absolutely sure you filled in the blank space with at least one positive word – something like: free, happy, joyful, proud, accepted, lighthearted, excited, optimistic, ecstatic, confident, fulfilled, courageous, loving, inspired.
The combination of factors of when we party, with whom, where and at what stage in our lives all that gives us almost a guaranteed result of experiencing emotions like happiness or joy or pride or acceptance or excitement or optimism or inspiration or confidence or even a beautiful cocktail of those and other feelings.
So what is alcohol’s role in a party then? Hmm.. let’s put it this way. Alcohol’s role is to take credit for all the nice feelings. It’s role is to hijack all the positive emotions. To connect the emotions and experiences with the ethanol and make you believe you need the ethanol for all the positive experiences and feelings. Nothing else.
Because when we look at alcohol honestly, and fake free, we realize:
The term alcohol originally referred to the primary alcohol ethanol (ethyl alcohol), the active ingredient in alcoholic beverages. Ethanol is a toxic, addictive, psychoactive drug. It causes loss of balance, gastrointestinal diseases, cancer. The long term use of alcohol damages nearly every organ and system in the body – not even talking about the developing brain. There has not been a shred of evidence produced proving that alcohol would have the chemical impact to improve our dance moves or social skills, our appearance, wit or story telling ability.
What we have proof of is that our minds are very strong and we can be lead to believe that we are high from a substance even if we have not even consumed it. The placebo effect of alcohol is really strong and the marketing communications of the alcohol industry are very powerful and that is how we have been conditioned to believe that alcohol means party. The thing is this: it’s fake reality that doesn’t benefit anyone except Big Alcohol.
But to us, party is party. It’s time to win party back from the grip of the alcohol industry.
To make moments and experiences special, everything we need is already inside us. Alcohol is ethanol and party is party: Music, friends, new encounters, decoration, free time after hard work. And no alcohol can hijack that amazing feeling.
And here comes some DRINKSPIRATION from us:
Alcohol-free dance events are flourishing (even in early mornings), where the focus is firmly on the music and the moves – not on the ethanol…
And a guide to sober dancing =)
Also published on Medium.