Are You A Drunk Or A Pothead?
August 8, 2009 
7 Comments
Last night, Sonja and I went to something called First Fridays in Venice. It’s where all the merchants on Abbott Kinney stay open late, and it’s like a street party.
It used to be really mellow. You would go meeting interesting people. It wasn’t the hip and trendy scene it’s turned into now. Now, that it’s a hip and trendy scene, you’ve got a bunch of drunk 20-something people all over the place.
What is it about being in your 20s that make you have to get wasted as you can be (and become as rude as you can be)? Look, I’m not some old crabby guy. I’m sure I was rude when I was drunk in my 20s.
In California, though, Marijuana is as easy to get as a bottle of booze. All you have to say is that you have some kind of sickness. You stubbed your toe? Here’s your marijuana card.
All the drunk 20-somethings were pushing and shoving people, but in front of the medical marijuana store it was mellow with people just talking, laughing and having a good time. I’ve said it a thousand times, on every bottle of alcohol there should be this warning:
OVERCONSUMPTION OF THIS SUBSTANCE
MAY CAUSE YOU TO BECOME AN ASSHOLE
I’ve got nothing against people drinking. It’s just, why do the majority of people who drink turn into assholes? I mean, everyone was just walking down the street. There was no reason to push and shove. One person hit Daphne in the ass with their bike pedal, and they didn’t give a shit (or even notice).
European people often say ‘Dumb Americans can’t handle their booze.’ It’s funny, though, because neither can Brits or Irish people. So basically all of Europe except Britain and Ireland can handle their booze and Americans can’t.
It’s funny to watch the smokers as well. In Los Angeles, a lot of smokers are posers. They pose with their cigarettes like an ad from the 1950′s. Let’s see all the wonderful byproducts of smoking:
LUNG CANCER
BAD BREATH
STINKY CLOTHES
EMPHYSEMA
YELLOW TEETH
…and a slew of other amazing things that deteriorate your body on a daily basis. Oh yeah, that’s cool and attractive.
I think the reason why people turn into assholes when they consume alcohol is because their true personality comes out when they drink. I’m not saying the world is full of assholes. I just think people’s social frustrations really come out when they’re drunk.
Pot smokers chill out, have a conversation and enjoy the moment. That is, unless marijuana makes them paranoid. Then they become anxiety-filled.
People who drink are always looking to CTN (chase the night). Alcohol gives you the urgency to be somewhere else so you feel like you’re missing the party, and thus causing you to have the barrel down the street mentality.
Here’s a hint. Think of all the nights you’ve gotten wasted and chased the night. Tell me if you’ve ever gotten where you thought you wanted to be.
This is not an anti-alcohol blog. It’s an anti-bad human behavior blog. In fact, I had a great time last night!
It’s time you realized, though, that alcohol never really enhances the night. It just makes you anxious and gives you a feeling of missing the night (thus creating the CTN effect).
That’s all for today. I’m sure I’ll have more tomorrow, the next day and the day after that.
As for tonight, do something different. Make it your destination. Have fun with the people you’re with and learn how to attract (instead of chase) people into your life. It’s a lot more fun and a lot more satisfying. Not only that, you won’t wake up thirsty and hungover next to someone you wish wasn’t there.
So where do women hide from drunks that are chasing the night.
So do you really want to drink and either meet her or act like this woman.
Ah oh David! Your starting to get abriviation happy that you love so much. lol. (CTN).
But so very true, can’t tell you how many times i used to do this. Chased the night loaded on alchohol. Looking back it was so Dumb now rather than just enjoying the moment for what it was.
The ONLY problem with pot is that when you get stoned, you’re perfectly content to sit in your chair and get stoneder and just watch as the world goes by. You lose the ambition to go out and meet people, instead you just sit around laughing at all the drunks behaving badly. And since you can’t do it in public places, it gives you an excuse to stay home. At least going out for a drink gets you out of the house and in places where you are going to meet people, even if they are acting like a bunch of a-holes. IMO the only reason pot did not come off prohibition of the 1920′s is because it’s not nearly as addictive. Alcohol and tobacco are by far the most addictive drugs available, making them more popular and giving them more public support.
Drinking rarely gets you any further in life. But hey, I find it’s great to have a few drinks on the ocassional weekend after a stressful week to get things out your system. Most of the funniest, memorable moments with my closest friends are when we have been drinking and acting silly.
Everything in moderation.
I love what Shakespeare says about drink in Macbeth…. especially “it provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance”
MACDUFF:
What three things does drink especially provoke?
Porter:
Marry, sir, nose-painting, sleep, and
urine. Lechery, sir, it provokes, and unprovokes;
it provokes the desire, but it takes
away the performance: therefore, much drink
may be said to be an equivocator with lechery:
it makes him, and it mars him; it sets
him on, and it takes him off; it persuades him,
and disheartens him; makes him stand to, and
not stand to; in conclusion, equivocates him
in a sleep, and, giving him the lie, leaves him.
Really man, it comes down to insecurities. When people can’t find comfort in their own skin, they turn to substance. I’ve lost a lot of my friends to alcohol, etc.
Early 20′s, mid 20′s, even early 30′s is the time when others are looking for a way to discover themselves – when their minds aren’t made up it leads to discomfort. When you feel uncomfortable substance is like a dream come true.
That’s my empathetic point of view.
On the other hand, I know what you’re talking about. I used to be the guy hanging from chandeleirs at parties.
I sure hope Daphne is okay.
Poor doggie.
Don’t know why people think its cool to look like that picture David posted up there.
It’s very unattractive!