The Mainstream Media and Drinking: How did they agree on this particular lie???

[stronger]

I like beer and spirits, but I cannot understand why wine is so popular

[tertius]

Interestingly, the Puritans were quite fond of alcoholic beverages. They stopped at Plymouth Rock because they ran out of beer and needed to brew some more, not because they liked the scenery. It comes a bit later in history when temperance became a religious cause.

I'm sure people knew what I meant by "puritanical". I approve of your pedantry, though.

In the 1700's through mid 1800's, Americans drank like savages. Consumption was something like 70 gallons of beer or 15.5 gallons of distilled spirits annually per capita. I figure this includes those who didn't drink at all, and children, so those doing the boozing, were probably consuming more.

The temperance movement gained traction because this actually was causing a lot of social problems. We have a hard time with moderation in America. We don't even do moderation in moderation.

There's a quite good book called "Drinking in America" that documents the ups and downs and cultural significant of alcohol in the US.
Recommended to everyone.

[This Old Man]

Same site.

http://www.psmag.com/navigation/heal...l-class-85221/

Just sayin'.

[HeavyMetal]

I like beer and spirits, but I cannot understand why wine is so popular

I didn't care so much for wine (I still don't seek out white wine) until I had it paired with the proper foods. There's nothing like a nice Cabernet/Syrah/Malbec style wine to complement the flavor of a nice fatty steak, or a strong cheese.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Same site.

http://www.psmag.com/navigation/heal...l-class-85221/

Just sayin'.

Amazingly enough, we've already talked about this.

[Mark E. Hurling]

I didn't care so much for wine (I still don't seek out white wine) until I had it paired with the proper foods. There's nothing like a nice Cabernet/Syrah/Malbec style wine to complement the flavor of a nice fatty steak, or a strong cheese.

This reminds me of something my Grandfather Werner said about his dueling fraternity at the University of Gottingen before the Great War. "It's our job to teach you how to drink like a gentleman. So eat lots of fatty pork or beef or cheese to keep you from showing how much you have actually had to drink. Lest you act the fool." Then they'd go out and whale away on each others with schlagers.

[stef]

The first bit is what stef mentioned, the fact that we retain a strong puritanical, prohibitionist streak.

Prohibition was not a "puritanical" urge, tertius, but a "progressive" one.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Yes, tersh. Controlling other people's behavior has long been the purview of the left. Right now, for example, Michelle Obama is taking salt shakers out of school cafeterias across this great land, along with more than 2 slices of salami.

[tertius]

Yes, tersh. Controlling other people's behavior has long been the purview of the left. Right now, for example, Michelle Obama is taking salt shakers out of school cafeterias across this great land, along with more than 2 slices of salami.

Yes, please do cram everything into a stupid left/right dichotomy that ignores enormous swathes of history, including shit unfolding in our own culture, right now.

That helps make discussions productive.

[DirtyRed]

I like beer and spirits, but I cannot understand why wine is so popular

Girls and gays have to drink something.