On the time of writing, it’s 5 weeks since my final glass of wine. Amongst my pals, that’s common – however it’s for me. Usually, I’m the exception – one of many few individuals I do know who virtually all the time has a bottle of wine open and a glass with dinner most nights. I additionally – shock! horror! – don’t have any qualms about consuming alone. I all the time had day(s) off, the odd week or two, however by no means a correct stint and I wished to see how I felt booze-free. Today, increasingly more individuals are doing one thing related.
With this in thoughts, I picked up Edward Slingerland’s Drunk (Little, Brown Spark, 2021) – a e-book that feels extra related than ever. Subtitled ‘How we sipped, danced and stumbled our strategy to civilization’, it’s a thought-provoking e-book and its themes have been percolating since I learn it.
From the opening line (‘Folks prefer to masturbate.’), it’s a shamelessly provocative work. A lot of it seems like a defence of booze, a
justification for us all to embrace intoxication, pointing to its key position in society’s growth. That is – no less than partly – righted with a closing part (‘The darkish facet of Dionysus’) that weighs up alcohol’s extra problematic facet, from fuelling assault to its reinforcement of gender inequality. There’s little question, nevertheless, that Slingerland firmly believes that civilisation wouldn’t be the identical with out ethanol’s results.
It’s laborious to disclaim that humanity’s dedication to intoxication is weird. Contemplating the undeniably unfavorable well being impacts, we’ve endured in making and sharing alcohol and different medicine – and such behaviour isn’t new. As Slinglerland highlights, it’s probably that we farmed grain first for fermentation reasonably than meals; as he factors out, the oldest-known recipe isn’t for bread, however beer.
Slingerland argues that alcohol’s potential to loosen us up has been integral to our growth: from enabling creativity and aiding social cohesion to lubricating business and political dealing – in brief, to constructing trendy society. I have to admit I’m not totally satisfied by his arguments, and absolutely the breaking of bread – with or with out an accompanying beverage – achieves lots of the identical objectives.
However I’ve witnessed, and felt, among the stress and ostracisation that not consuming can convey – and this e-book made me take into consideration such moments much more. As Slingerland notes, the previous couple of centuries have seen a shift in each what and the way we drink. Now, with a transfer to moderation – one which we should always all applaud – can we discover one other strategy to bond? And, in that case, what does that imply for the way forward for wine?
Aria accompaniments
Is there something like a little bit of solar to go away you craving the chunk of a bone-dry Sherry? Effectively, maybe: Carmen does it for me. Because the eponymous lead sings so joyously in Act I, J’irai danser la séguedille, et boire du manzanilla (‘I’ll go and dance the seguedilla and drink manzanilla’). Georges Bizet’s opera is operating on the Royal Opera Home till early July, however should you can’t make it, settle in with Spotify/Apple Music and a glass of fino or manzanilla – and maybe a second to console you after the tragic ending.
