Live data from Hacker News

The Zen of Drinking Alone

drunkard.com

41–50 of 290 posts

Re: The Zen of Drinking Alone

#41
"Write drunk, edit sober" comes to mind.

Comments seem to be on the moralizing side of things, ouch. I'm sure we're all aware that being an alcoholic is bad, yes, thanks. And yes, I'm sure we can all strive to be paragons of abstinence and Real Zen. But while we're doing that, we might do well to remember not take things too seriously all the time.

Re: The Zen of Drinking Alone

#42

Its sad that this seems to have such an appeal. We seem to be becoming all so isolated, despite technical advancements that were meant to make us more connected. Going to a bar and talking to people that are outside your friend group, outside your "bubble", and while feeling the happy inhibition that being slightly drunk gives is healing.

> Going to a bar and talking to people that are outside your friend group, outside your "bubble", and while feeling the happy inhibition that being slightly drunk gives is healing.

Yeah but it’s gets old when you realize it’s all just a meaningless as the socialization you do “ technical advancements that were meant to make us more connected”.

Re: The Zen of Drinking Alone

#43
post #39
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Watching a movie alone in the comfort of your own home? I get that. Going to the cinema alone? Definitely shunned.

How? I was in cinema alone and no one cared. No one said a word to me.

Not the person you replied to, but a great example is my now-wife. When we had started dating over a decade ago, she thought I was nuts for going to see a movie by myself while I waited for her to finish her shift at work nearby.

She genuinely couldn't believe I was doing that and thought I was weird for it. Obviously things worked out, but yeah.

Re: The Zen of Drinking Alone

#44

This is poetic, but if you break it down into a syllogism, it's clear that this is totally stupid. Removing the flowery language, here are the claims and supporting arguments, along with my rebuttals. * Drinking alone helps you understand yourself better. - No it doesn't. It distracts you from that endeavor. If you sit at a table with no TV or phone and do nothing, you will have a significantly more interesting and h…

This magazine or blog or whatever seems to either be an elaborate joke or bait or something:

  >Are you guys for real?
  >Yes. While there is some satire involved, we believe to the very core of our >souls every word we write.

  >Who are you?
  >We are a group of functional alcoholics based primarily in Denver, CO. Included in our ranks are published novelists, filmmakers, English gentlemen, barflies, punk rock musicians, comedians, outright dastards and admitted boozeheads.

  >Do you mind the word alcoholic?
  >No. We are taking it back from the fascists. Soon it will be considered a compliment.

Re: The Zen of Drinking Alone

#45
It's funny reading this article in the middle of dry January (I've been observing the informal month since college). Tangential to the article, but the weirdest thing about not drinking is realizing that you don't even like some of the people you hang out with when you drink.

Re: The Zen of Drinking Alone

#46
post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think being a loner is generally seen as unusual though isn't it? I enjoy drinking alone, exercising alone, traveling alone, sitting alone, working alone. I don't really think I'm that weird by objective standards, there are also things I like doing with people (I'm married and have a family), but as a sometimes introvert, I definitely value time alone, including relaxing with a beer. Related, when I went to univer…

No one shuns reading alone, listening to music alone, or watching a movie alone. Drinking alone is more dangerous than drinking with friends.

I think all of your statements need to be taken with a large pinch of salt.

Plenty of people will give you the stink eye if you're by yourself in public. Some arse once loudly informed me I was a loser for being at the movies by myself. That happened once, but it was enough to make me realize that some people really can't fathom the idea of people having fun by themselves.

Drinking with friends is likely to be much more dangerous than drinking alone, unless you're an alcoholic, or your friends are abstaining. Peer pressure is real, and it goes away entirely when you're alone.

Re: The Zen of Drinking Alone

#48

This is poetic, but if you break it down into a syllogism, it's clear that this is totally stupid. Removing the flowery language, here are the claims and supporting arguments, along with my rebuttals. * Drinking alone helps you understand yourself better. - No it doesn't. It distracts you from that endeavor. If you sit at a table with no TV or phone and do nothing, you will have a significantly more interesting and h…

Instead of drinking, all of these can be accomplished by taking a “spiritual retreat” for a weekend.

It could be a trip into the woods, a religious retreat with other people, or a stay at a quiet hotel far from home.

I’ve done all three. When I have to make the long drive to my parents for a mandatory family get together, I’ll book a hotel halfway to take time for myself.

The idea is to get away from your normal environment and sit down with yourself. I usually bring my kindle and a notebook.

Re: The Zen of Drinking Alone

#49
post #31

I agree with everything in this article. Drinking alone is the best, particularly if you like to write while listening to music. The flights of fancy I used to go on! I wish I could still do it, but I found myself waiting for the liquor store to open up at 7:00 am to get rid of the shakes. Then when I tried to stop I couldn't. Long story short, after several rehabs, more stints in mental health lockup than I care to…

I have very strict rules I follow for alcohol consumption, if for no other reason than I'm the son of a man who was a functioning alcoholic for most of his life. I've read the big book, and consider it a source of wisdom, even if I perhaps don't follow all of the tenants contained within. The serenity prayer, which is AA adjacent if not (now) directly part of the AA wisdom is my personal lodestar, it's great wisdom o…

What tools do you, or other HNers for that matter, have to share about breaking alcohol addiction? Especially covering the hard parts: what are the major hurdles to overcome?
Post reply on HN