What about Britain's binge drinking and partying culture?

So many people, ranging from 15 to their late twenties go out to pubs and clubs nearly every weekend both Friday and Saturday. Alcoholic drinks are very expensive with hefty amounts of tax slapped on them from the government and also drink selling places often add a decent amount of mark-up on the drinks. Pints of larger can be about £2.50 and that's relatively cheap. Say a guy drinks 5 of these on a night (which could be a low amount) that's £12.50 spent. If he needs a taxi drive back to where he sleeps; he needs to fork out at least another £5 - all in total that's £17.50 - and to be honest that's a pretty cheap night-out, plus a lot of people drink vodka drinks nowadays, which tend to be more expensive for the alcohol quantity involved. So why then do people go out Friday and Saturday nights at this large expense, eating up what they would probably earn at their jobs in 4 hours? Not to mention the lower wage rates for 15 and 16 year olds so they would be working about 5 or 6 hours just for 1 night of perhaps 6 hours of partying.

Firstly I'd just like to say that it's obviously not just Britain that does this; its every country in the world (some in their own way depending on their culture). But why? I've wondered about this for a while now. I do not count myself out of having this urge to go out and drink - I like it. The hangover the following morning for me isn't a nice experience though; and I am a healthy person; I can't imagine why less healthy people would drink huge amounts on a night and experience an even worse hangover the following morning.

So really why? I have thought about it and the answers are pretty simple. People go out and party because they want to release themselves. Whoever you are, you'll have certain compulsory commitments in your life: school; work; university; looking after your kids; paying taxes; abiding by the law; behaving in public; etc. These commitments can wind a person up tight. They look forward to a night out because they know that in the spirit of the partying night and with the aid of alcohol they are free to do loads more on that night and let go of themselves.

Another reason - It's a highly social event. We are animals remember? We like to socialise with our fellow specie members and what better way than to go where there is a high-density flock of people and they are all consuming alcohol to temporarily close more of the higher brain functions off and act more like primal animals and let their instincts fly. There is an innate urge within humans to interact with others and make social bonds and this is by far the most effective way to achieve this.

One last reason - part of the night out is usually finding a mate, as in a partner of the opposite sex (or same sex) that you're fond of to perform sexual acts with. That sounded a little scientific and lame, but that's all it is; though I'm not knocking it. it can be very exciting and fun. Most single men and women go out to pubs and clubs for mainly this reason. This of course is also another innate primal feeling and again, what better way to act this out than to go out to pubs and clubs, around a bunch of alcohol influenced people.

To sum it up, people go out on weekends to release internal pressures, socialise on a very forward and open level and to follow their sex drive - social partying with alcohol is like all 3 in one and it's a very effective method to achieve each. That's why people do it at quite a large expense; it's a fantastic and possibly the best way to satisfy the animalistic side of us.

Made for Brainflicker by David Askew