This chapter explores the use of alcohol as a tool to enhance attraction, confidence, intimacy, and enjoyment in relationships, while acknowledging the negative consequences of excessive alcohol consumption. It discusses the historical and contemporary drinking practices, highlighting the dangers and risks associated with modern drinking culture. The chapter also suggests strategies to limit alcohol consumption and promote responsible and collective drinking.
Do we have alcohol to thank for civilization? The answer, according to Edward Slingerland’s new book, “Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization,” is a resounding yes. Edward, who’s a professor at the University of British Columbia and self-proclaimed “philosophical hedonist,” says that far from being an evolutionary fluke, our taste for alcohol is an evolutionary advantage — one that we’ve relied on for millennia to help us lead more social, creative, and pleasurable lives.
(This episode first aired in July 2021.)