Poll: Are you a drinker or a teetotaler? • Hacker News Board

Re: Poll: Are you a drinker or a teetotaler?

#11

Post by vincentmilliken » Fri, Sep 19, 2014, 11:43 AM UTC

colinramsay wrote: post #7

danford wrote: post #4

Well I know I can't be the only person who had to look this up: >Teetotalism refers to either the practice of, or the promotion of, complete personal abstinence from alcoholic beverages. I mean, I kind of inferred, but this is my first time hearing the term. Anyway, I only drink on special occasion or when I go out to a fancy restaurant. Other than that it's copious amounts of marijuana.

That seems like we need a follow up poll then - do you smoke weed! The discussion resulting from "do you smoke weed but not drink alcohol" might be interesting too?

Would be interesting to see a poll on smoking weed, I would say a lot of people who do smoke weed would not drink alcohol that often, if none at all.

Re: Poll: Are you a drinker or a teetotaler?

#12

Post by lmm » Fri, Sep 19, 2014, 11:44 AM UTC

untothebreach wrote: post #6

Wish there was a category for "Former drinker, now teetotaller". There are only so many times you can ask your friends to clean up your puke, talk the cops out of arresting you, and drag your passed-out-ass back to the hotel before you wake up and say, "maybe I shouldn't drink anymore"

I haven't asked my friends to do any of those for >5 years, but I'll still have five or six drinks several times a month. It's very possible to learn where your limits are, and use alcohol to enhance your socialising without having to hit the bad stuff you've described.

Re: Poll: Are you a drinker or a teetotaler?

#13

Post by bithush » Fri, Sep 19, 2014, 11:44 AM UTC

Tee-total. Male 30 living in London, UK. I used to drink in the teens but gave up at 18. Not had a drink since.

I also don't do any drugs so no weed for me.

Re: Poll: Are you a drinker or a teetotaler?

#14

Post by newaccountfool » Fri, Sep 19, 2014, 11:44 AM UTC

colinramsay wrote: post #7

danford wrote: post #4

Well I know I can't be the only person who had to look this up: >Teetotalism refers to either the practice of, or the promotion of, complete personal abstinence from alcoholic beverages. I mean, I kind of inferred, but this is my first time hearing the term. Anyway, I only drink on special occasion or when I go out to a fancy restaurant. Other than that it's copious amounts of marijuana.

That seems like we need a follow up poll then - do you smoke weed! The discussion resulting from "do you smoke weed but not drink alcohol" might be interesting too?

Why leave it at that? Why not ask everyone if they do amphetamine daily or just once a week?

Re: Poll: Are you a drinker or a teetotaler?

#15

Post by alexchamberlain » Fri, Sep 19, 2014, 11:45 AM UTC

I suspect this varies a lot between regions. In the UK, I drinking one or 2 pints of beer in a pub is quite a common social activity; same in the states?

Re: Poll: Are you a drinker or a teetotaler?

#16

Post by dspillett » Fri, Sep 19, 2014, 11:45 AM UTC

diggan wrote: post #3

I wouldn't say I'm a heavy drinker since I mostly drink one beer per day but since it's the only option for me, I guess I'm a heavy drinker according to this poll.

Usually in polls like this drinking without a stipulation of "just the one" infers "more than a unit or two of alcohol". It is rare that when I drink I just have the one.

Of course any set of definitions like this is going to put some in what they consider the wrong category. I drink a couple times a week, and avoid drinking at home unless I have guests around for that or a related event, but when I do drink there tends to be quite a bit involved. By the definitions here I'm a "regular drinker" but I think I better fit in the "heavy" category.

Re: Poll: Are you a drinker or a teetotaler?

#17

Post by notduncansmith » Fri, Sep 19, 2014, 11:46 AM UTC

happimess wrote: post #8

diggan wrote: post #3

I wouldn't say I'm a heavy drinker since I mostly drink one beer per day but since it's the only option for me, I guess I'm a heavy drinker according to this poll.

I'm with you--I have a beer with dinner almost every night, but it is very rare for me to have three drinks in a night.

Same boat. I didn't put myself in the heavy drinker category, but I do usually have one with lunch or dinner (rarely both) and the occasional glass of wine after dinner.

Re: Poll: Are you a drinker or a teetotaler?

#18

Post by rdc12 » Fri, Sep 19, 2014, 11:47 AM UTC

A bit of a social drinker, thou occasionally a quiet whiskey by myself. But when I do drink it tends to be quite heavy at that sitting.

Re: Poll: Are you a drinker or a teetotaler?

#19

Post by vegancap » Fri, Sep 19, 2014, 11:47 AM UTC

Every Friday and Saturday I usually have a mad one, then I don't touch it during the drop. I'm aware alcohol's the same as nicotine, it's an addictive substance, I know that's why I drink. I'd like to one day be teetotal. I did go 2 month previously as I worry about what it's doing to my health, and I have to admit drinking isn't the only factor that comes into these two nights a week... but I found my friends stopped coming to visit because they thought they couldn't drink. I started to become a social pariah, I used to go out skateboarding at 2am alone. It was kind of awesome, but I felt like I was missing out on my friends activities etc.

Re: Poll: Are you a drinker or a teetotaler?

#20

Post by skrebbel » Fri, Sep 19, 2014, 11:47 AM UTC

untothebreach wrote: post #6

Wish there was a category for "Former drinker, now teetotaller". There are only so many times you can ask your friends to clean up your puke, talk the cops out of arresting you, and drag your passed-out-ass back to the hotel before you wake up and say, "maybe I shouldn't drink anymore"

I'll join and complain about the lack of a "former teetotaller, now drinker" option.

Also, I want a "Formerly heavy drinker, then teetotaller, now social drinker, but afraid of slipping into heavy drinking again so considering simply avoiding all that by teetotalling again" option. I bet it'd get more than a few votes.