Alcohol as a convivial tool

Alcohol consumption is highly socialized: the presence of beer or wine at everyday meals, parties, etc. is commonplace, and a refusal to drink can sometimes be interpreted as a refusal to socialize. While it's true that alcohol can have exciting, euphoric and disinhibiting effects, making it easier to make contact, it's not alcohol that creates the atmosphere, but the people present! While it's customary at most cocktail parties or receptions to make new connections or maintain existing ones over a drink, in these circumstances, what counts above all is sharing a pleasant moment. If you'd like to have a glass of orange juice, there's nothing and no one to stop you. Why should it dampen the mood? Alcohol isn't essential to fun, and it's perfectly possible to have a great evening out with friends or on your own without having to drink any. 

Whether or not to drink alcohol should therefore remain a personal decision, linked to a philosophy of life or a particular situation. It's certainly not the basis on which to build relationships, even if it does sometimes play a part. The key is to consume it in moderation, because if it is abused, even occasionally, it can lose its facilitating role and even hinder social relationships.

Excess alcohol leads to a number of behavioral consequences, such as irritability or even aggressiveness, recklessness or even risk-taking, sleepiness or even an alcoholic coma. Spending an evening with someone who is sad or unkind about alcohol is a far cry from the warmth and friendliness of this beverage !