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Leo Tolstoy on why people drink (2014)

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Re: Leo Tolstoy on why people drink (2014)

#51

Post by giraffe_lady »

Blahah wrote: post #9

Drinking slows down my brain and reduces the number of threads running in parallel. Sometimes very useful to enable normal-passing interaction in social environments. Or just to be able to focus. Lots of people with ADHD drink to achieve a more single threaded experience. Edit to add: I don't meant to encourage drinking as a tool for managing ADHD. It works but it's a blunt and dangerous tool. If you're at that point…

Untreated or late diagnosed ADHD people are ridiculously overrepresented in drug & alcohol recovery programs. It's honestly chilling and it prevents me from taking this in the probably more lighthearted spirit that was intended.

Re: Leo Tolstoy on why people drink (2014)

#52

Post by ProllyInfamous »

shortcake27 wrote: post #11
ProllyInfamous wrote: post #2

People ~~do~~ abuse drugs to escape seemingly-insurmountable problem(s) in their life. "The opposite of addiction is connection" ——Gabriel Maté I have been "clean" from a past life for 14 years. Every day is a challenge.

Eh, I don’t think it’s that deep. I take drugs because it feels good and I have a good time, so the risks are worth it. I have zero interest maximising my lifespan at the expense of enjoyment. I’ll never understand why the general population is so hell-bent on preventing people from enjoying their own life.

I changed "people do drugs" to "people abuse drugs" to help encompass the good point you bring up. I want you to safely enjoy your life =D

Re: Leo Tolstoy on why people drink (2014)

#53

Post by johnfn »

zarakshR wrote: post #25
ldjkfkdsjnv wrote: post #5

Call me crazy, but as a highly analytical person that has spent 70% of my waking hours in the last five years working on something technical, my social skills are best when I'm hungover. The logical analytical side of me is diminished and I am much more "normal". I have a much higher rate of success on dates with women when I have a really bad hang over and then a few drinks. It does feel like a lobotomy, and that's…

> If I am in my normal raw intellect, I will begin going deep on some topic thats outside the range of normal human discourse. It will be hard for me to stop, because of my interest. Alcohol removes that to a large degree. Peak HN.

Is there something wrong with talking about the problems associated with intelligence? They certainly exist and I think most intelligent people are familiar with them - but whenever I see them brought up they get casually brushed off with comments such as yours. I can't see how they're categorically different than any other set of problems.

Re: Leo Tolstoy on why people drink (2014)

#54

Post by bcatanzaro »

I find the description of alcohol as something that "stupefies" rather reductive. People are often louder, more expressive and more interesting when they've had a drink. The opposite of catatonic. Now it's true that overdosing on alcohol is poisonous but most people don't drink to the point of stupification regularly.

I am interested in why Tolstoy feels the need to be so reductive. Sounds to me like he might also be "hiding from himself what he doesn't wish to see". Which is a human activity so I don't begrudge him his own chosen blind spots, I just think it's interesting and I'm wondering if he is being fully honest with himself about why he hates alcohol so much.

Re: Leo Tolstoy on why people drink (2014)

#55

Post by ProllyInfamous »

skhm wrote: post #48
ProllyInfamous wrote: post #2

People ~~do~~ abuse drugs to escape seemingly-insurmountable problem(s) in their life. "The opposite of addiction is connection" ——Gabriel Maté I have been "clean" from a past life for 14 years. Every day is a challenge.

congratulations on 14

Thanks man! I just got my teeth fully-restored (implants) from all the teeth-grinding that having-been such-a-fool was. I've cried for days (teefs are so important!)... I can chew food again.

Re: Leo Tolstoy on why people drink (2014)

#56

Post by jahsome »

giraffe_lady wrote: post #38
zarakshR wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If I am in my normal raw intellect, I will begin going deep on some topic thats outside the range of normal human discourse. It will be hard for me to stop, because of my interest. Alcohol removes that to a large degree. Peak HN.

It's 1985 I am stoned with my roommate hearing this comment. it's 2008 I am on reddit reading this comment. it's 2023 I am on HN reading this comment.

It's 2040 and BroGPT 7 responds with this to all prompts.

Re: Leo Tolstoy on why people drink (2014)

#57

Post by colordrops »

ldjkfkdsjnv wrote: post #5

Call me crazy, but as a highly analytical person that has spent 70% of my waking hours in the last five years working on something technical, my social skills are best when I'm hungover. The logical analytical side of me is diminished and I am much more "normal". I have a much higher rate of success on dates with women when I have a really bad hang over and then a few drinks. It does feel like a lobotomy, and that's…

https://www.reddit.com/r/hangovereffect

https://www.vice.com/en/article/n7nakg/what-is-the-hangover-...

Re: Leo Tolstoy on why people drink (2014)

#58

Post by mensetmanusman »

johnfn wrote: post #53
zarakshR wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If I am in my normal raw intellect, I will begin going deep on some topic thats outside the range of normal human discourse. It will be hard for me to stop, because of my interest. Alcohol removes that to a large degree. Peak HN.

Is there something wrong with talking about the problems associated with intelligence? They certainly exist and I think most intelligent people are familiar with them - but whenever I see them brought up they get casually brushed off with comments such as yours. I can't see how they're categorically different than any other set of problems.

That's why it's not then intelligent that rule the world, it's the sociopaths.

Re: Leo Tolstoy on why people drink (2014)

#59

Post by ldjkfkdsjnv »

colordrops wrote: post #57
ldjkfkdsjnv wrote: post #5

Call me crazy, but as a highly analytical person that has spent 70% of my waking hours in the last five years working on something technical, my social skills are best when I'm hungover. The logical analytical side of me is diminished and I am much more "normal". I have a much higher rate of success on dates with women when I have a really bad hang over and then a few drinks. It does feel like a lobotomy, and that's…

https://www.reddit.com/r/hangovereffect https://www.vice.com/en/article/n7nakg/what-is-the-hangover-...

Wow! This comment:

"Alex, 30, lives in New York City. He says he has depression, anxiety and undiagnosed ADHD. His experiences sound similar to Dylan’s, with a heavy night of drinking making way for a newfound sense of self. “I was calm, empathetic, emotional, not anxious,” he says. "

Is similar to me, even live in nyc and a similar age

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