Homestar Runner Wiki Forum

I've been thinking about this... Is alcohol something so common in our culture that we take it for granted, and even find it acceptable in situations where it shouldn't be.
What I'm trying to say is... Well, look at Homestar Runner for example: TBC try to keep it as clean and work-safe as possible, yet you can see characters drinking alcohol and being drunk from time to time. How's this different from, say, the characters abusing drugs? Or does society just magically tell us what mind-altering stuff is acceptable and what is not?

I do not drink myself (One could call me an absolutist, but that term seems to be very negative). A lot of people have said to me that I'm binge some sort of a wanna-be or trying to be better than everyone else. The reasons why I don't drink are purely personal (I don't wish to discuss them here and now).
So what's with this bad attitude? Why is it so hard to accept or respect these sort of decisions? I'm not trying to be a pain about my own opinion to you, unless you're being a pain about it to me. You get what you ask. Heck, I'm even coming to the conclusion that this non-alcohol thing is actually one of the reasons why my ex left me. But I shall not bring her into this.

I know alcohol isn't all bad; just like Homsar, it's fine in small doses. It does however seem like it's more and more acceptable to over-do it nowadays.

I know I didn't make much sense with this topic, but I just felt like talking about it.

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Uh, waiter, can I get a reference, here?

Anyway, I think there's a line. Should children be exposed to the overuse of alcohol being glorified? I personally believe that they should not. But should children be shielded from any acknowledgment of the very existence of alcohol, as some might suggest (directly or indirectly)? I think that's going too far. Just like trying to shield children from even the barest hint of sexuality (or, heck, even anatomy), as has become popular in the U.S., does them no favors and serves only to ill-equip them for dealing with it in a mature and responsible way, trying to shield them from the very existence of alcohol until their 21st birthday just means they're going to get pretty messed up on their 21st birthday because they don't know any better.

There are sensible and responsible ways to portray alcohol and other substances in the media. Omitting it entirely from all media that a young person might come in contact with is not one of those ways.

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I've never seen anyone in HSR drinking alcohol--the only time it's been very evident that any character was drunk, I think, was in that one Answering Machine (I think it was #5), where Coach Z sounded drunk over the phone. The characters do drink "cold ones," but it is impossible to know the ingredients that make up "cold ones." For all we know, "cold ones" could be a type of soda.

As for alcohol in general, I do enjoy drinking on occassion, but not to the point of getting sloshed in any manner--I only like to drink socially, and I know my limit well. I have only gotten severely drunk once in my life, and it was a bad enough experience that I never want to repeat it again. I honestly have never seen the glamour that some of my friends and frat brothers in college see in going drinking to purposefully get smashed. And if you choose to never let a drop of alcohol touch your lips, then more power to ya. No one should judge you negatively for choosing to not drink.

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No, they're alcoholic, like a beer.

Look, you're absolutely right, but that's not what I meant.

I was going to write a long post trying to explain my point, but never mind. This subject has caused hatred and flamewars when I've brought it up before. People would just end up misintepreting what I'm trying to say, thinking I'm some sort of a raging zealot on a mission to eradicate alcohol.
I don't want to sound too emo, but nobody has ever understood me concerning this subject.

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heck, it's not that bad if it's controlled. although in the simpsons, 1 out of 2 episodes will show a scene of a bar full of drunks.
not to mention Krusty smoking 'moon rocks'.

*blink* Er.. okay.

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Uhm, I got a little carried away with my last post.

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J-Man i know how people can always think that bue to someone choosing not to drink alcohol means they don't want anyone to do so. (it may be the case for me but that's different)
You may be interested in the Straight Edge movement.

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Personally I think alcohol is fine. If it makes you feel good, go for it, it's just irresponsible people who shine a bad light on it.

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Is that applicable to all forum members or only those over the drinking age limit?

^_^

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To avoid possible conflict I'll say over the age limit.

Although I also see nothing wrong with under age drinkers/smokers.

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Many professionals have said that alcohol can be very healthy for you depending on your age, BMI, how much you drink, etc. Just as long as you dont drink full kegs, and as long as you dont drink drinks that are like half salt, then you could actually have healthy results. This is the reason why the drinking age is lower in other countries: Because they can be responsible with it, in many circumstances.

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