On the news today I heard the story of a College Freshman at Westminister Choir College of Rider University dieing due to alcohol related reasons. The typical response to this is, he was just being dumb. If it seems that obvious, then why is it still happening? Is education all we need?
I feel like the education provided by schools about alcohol awareness, typically high schools in general but throughout college too, only provides the education. Well, yeah, of course, that's what it's supposed to do. But education isn't enough, you need the experience as well.
Take people in foreign countries for example. Many of the drinking ages are (very loosely) 18, and some even younger. Alcohol is a part of their culture, they grow up around it, they know how to treat it. They have had the experience of being exposed to it, and are therefore not so ambitious and eager the minute it becomes openly available, legally or not. This makes them more aware of what they are dealing with. In due time, away from their parents and in a new setting, they know how to react and how to limit themselves.
Now we have an ideal American student, 17, freshman in college, never drank a drop in her life. Knows the consequences, and has been educated about the effects. Her new friends bring her to a party, where, not wanting to look like a loser, she takes a cup and fills it up. Gets involved in a couple of games, cups empty, time for a refil, no second thought. Do we all know where I'm going with this?
When it comes down to it, is it your experience or your education that counts? Where would you be without math homework, labs, internships, practice, doing things? In a bad situation, pushed into an experience you have never had before, and don't know if it's right. You don't know what is right from wrong until you have been shown. Unfortunately, many college freshmen who have not been shown the right way to handle a situation, are forced into the wrong way to handle a situation first.
It's kind of like when you're at a friends house taking a shower, and you're trying to turn it on. You're not really sure what to push, what to turn, and where to touch. You attempt various actions, pushing here, twisting there, meanwhile getting drenched by low pressure, freezing water, then by high pressure, boiling water. Eventually, after experience of twisting and turning, you know which knob does what and what to do to make it do what you need it to do.
Obviously, not everyone needs experience. Some people know somebody who has been negatively effected by alcohol, and stay away from it because of their experience with them alone. I, thankfully, have not known anybody that has had alcoholism, and I hardly have any experience around the stuff myself. So why have I stayed away from it? I know I have a bright future ahead of me, and I am not ready to throw myself into something I am totally unfamiliar with. It would be like being accepted for a job in archeology after graduating as an engineering major. Something most likely to result in failure and loss of a job. Except in the case of alcohol, my life is at stake.
What is my proposal? No drinking age. OK, so maybe this hurts the first generation that it is enacted into. But also take into consideration that the temptation to do something forbidden is taken away and isn't so "dangerous" any more. Plus, the one through ten year olds aren't tempted to run out and buy beer just because they would be able to. Their parents would be able to ease the substance into their lives, not making it such a big deal anymore. Counterarguments, anyone?
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4 comments:
No Counterargument here.
I do however think that there should be a drinking age. Obviously not 21. I think we should change it to 18 and then go from there.
I agree with Caitlin on the idea that the drinking age should be lowered to 18.
But Sarah, you're right in alot of ways. I know plenty of people, cousins actually, who do live in Europe and don't get rushed to the hospital for alcohol poisoning every time they go to a party. They grew up always having at least one bottle of wine at the table during dinner. It's a completely different culture and I think we can learn alot from it. When something is restricted, you want it more. By making alcohol a little less "dangerous and cool" we can probably stop alot of excessive drinking.
Ugh, alcohol. My sister went to the hospital for alcohol poisoning recently. I completely agree with your whole experience vs education point, that's a very interesting way to look at it and it's actually quite plausible. I always agreed with the Europe point because I knew a kid from Belgium once and he's like yeah we don't have that problem over there... but idk I still don't think that the drinking age should be lowered to 18 because like... they started out like that, and here, we would just abuse it because idk how to explain it it's just different here.
I have lived in a community where kids drink fairly openly at very young ages (some as young as eleven or twelve years old). It is private property so the kids never get in trouble with the law and as a general rule, the parents either don't know or don't care. In my experience, none of these kids is more responsible with alcohol for having had more experience with it. They get wasted several times a week, and even after such incidents as alcohol poisoning or louy decisions made while intoxicated (i.e. having unprotected sex or passing out at a party), they never learn their lesson. As soon as they feel better they are out drinking and partying again.
That being said, I do support the lowering of the drinking age, because I find it ridiculous that a person who is considered old enough to marry, vote, smoke, and even be sent to war is "too young" for a beer or something.
-Cailin
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