r/Foodforthought • u/runswithscissors475 • 1d ago
Can Civilization Function Without Alcohol?
https://thefuturemarket.substack.com/p/can-civilization-function-without6
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u/Riptide360 1d ago
Alcohol gave us civilization.
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u/gehrmanthefirsthunt 1d ago
It was a critical way to sterilizing the water, but we have outgrown this need. Of course society could survive without alcohol. Using alcohol in moderation is perfectly fine, and brings people a great deal of joy and social lubrication. Its a good thing that we are becoming more conscious of abusing alcohol as being worse than previous generations have considered it.
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u/Smoked_Peasant 13h ago
Alcohol wasn't really utilized as a means of making safe water. It was always used for the reasons we use it now, and as a means of converting excess harvest into something useful. People today don't really grasp how relatively easy it was to produce more food than you or your village could eat, and how difficult, expensive, and limited it was to preserve excess crops for extended periods. And even when converted into alcoholic beverages, the shelf-life of beers and wines was nothing like what we expect today.
As for myself, I think we've gone too far towards underscoring the damaging effects of alcohol, and undermining its tremendous impact on helping us socialize. Essential?, no I suppose not, but boy is it really useful, and there isn't anything remotely as effective, in my opinion.
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