In the Know Nadine Sarwat: Scrolling Alone or Drinking Together?
Dec 16, 2025
Nadine Sarwat, a Senior American and European beverages analyst, joins host Diana Wood to explore the interplay of socialization, alcohol consumption, and mental health during the festive season. They discuss the decline in face-to-face interactions, linking rising phone use and economic pressures to shifting drinking habits. Nadine highlights intriguing trends like Millennial nostalgia for in-person gatherings and advocates for moderate alcohol use. The conversation delves into potential regulatory approaches to alcohol, emphasizing a balanced view of its social benefits and risks.
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Alcohol As A Social Lubricant
- Socializing declines and polarization make alcohol's role as a social lubricant more relevant.
- Alcohol's elimination has opportunity costs not captured by black-and-white analyses.
Young People Socialize Far Less
- Young Americans now spend about 40 minutes a day socializing, down from ~60 minutes in 2003.
- That represents a ~33% drop in daily socializing time for under-24s.
Phones Replace In-Person Time
- Time reallocated from socializing mostly goes to phones, video games, and schoolwork.
- Increased exercise is smaller in magnitude than the socializing decline.