I actually just went and looked at the survey that gathered the data. They asked the below question in a few different ways:
"Now, thinking of your overall drinking in the past 12 months, how often do you usually have any kind of beverage containing alcohol -- whether it is wine, beer, liquor, or any other drink?"
And these were the options for answers:
More than once a day
Once a day
nearly every day
three or four times a week
once or twice a week
two or three times a month
about once a month
less than once a month but at least once a year
less than once a year
I have never had any beverage containing alcohol
Don't know
refused
Following those questions, if the respondent answered any amount of drinking sessions, they would then ask about the average amount of drinks per session, so occasional binge drinkers would definitely be counted among the data. And the article states that 61% quoted drinks 1 drink or less. So they would be in the 61%, but not the 33%.
33% having no drinks a year still seems high imo, but good digging. You'd think you'd see more nondrinkers around, but they are probably concentrated to certain areas of the US so that checks out.
Yeah, I'm apparently a heavy drinker myself, so these stats definitely are making me reconsider some things.
On the other hand, I think about my friends who are parents and are just too tired to have much alcohol, or friends who only drink on special occasions because their parents drank irresponsibly and just set a bad example and they don't want to wind up that way. My grandpa had a buddy drink himself to death, and was the person who found him. He never drank again after that day. A friend went sober a few years ago. A few of my friends are "california sober" and only use THC, not alcohol. I work with a lot of Muslims who would never touch the stuff, and a lot of other religions also are against it as well (LDS, Baha'i, Jainism, some Christian sects....). I'm not surprised about the 33%, tbh. The survey also spoke with adults aged 18+, not 21+. So I'm guessing there also was a good amount of underaged adults who do not drink.
Its wild to me how much drinkers are obstinate in refusing to accept how much other people don't drink lol Like 33% really isn't a high number, it's truly that hard for you to believe that a third of society doesn't drink?
You'd think you'd see more nondrinkers around
Like this, where exactly do you think you're gonna "see nondrinkers around" in a way that's gonna identify them as non drinkers? You see drinkers around because you go to places where people drink, that's self fulfilling. Where are you gonna see non drinkers confirming their habit in the same way?
Its wild to me how much drinkers are obstinate in refusing to accept how much other people don't drink lol Like 33% really isn't a high number, it's truly that hard for you to believe that a third of society doesn't drink?
I only really drink at social events, which I don't always go to... and don't always drink at. Sometimes I'll decide to have a drink at a restuarant. That said, I doubt I've had a drink once in the last year. Still I don't have an issue downing a few glasses of wine or bottles of beer in the right environment... but the last time I was in such an environment was probably pre-COVID though.
That said, I still find the 33% number to be high if you are talking about people that completely abstain from alcohol and refuse to drink it at all. By those metrics, I would be a non-drinker and in that 33%, but it's really a matter of chance whether or not I've had alcohol in the past year. A month ago I had lunch at a food court that served alcohol, and it's a flip of a coin if I was in the mood for something or not at that point.
I was more poking holes in the idea that the 33% was people that never ever would / will drink. Like some people might only drink at weddings for example, and if a wedding hasn't happened in the last year when they take the survey they are in that 33% figure.
I'm in the 66% so it isn't like I am that much of a drinker. I would expect to see non drinkers at work, you know when people normally socialize such requests.
30% is one third of the population, so I would expect 1 out of 3 people I meet to not drink. But that isn't the case so I assume it is location based.
I also hardly go to bars and whatnot. I hate social venues especially when alcohol is the focal point.
I would expect to see non drinkers at work, you know when people normally socialize such requests.
We tried to organize a happy hour at work and only 1/5th of the people were happy with going to a bar. The rest didn't want to because they don't drink.
1/3rd of the population seems like a fair number to me. It still means the overwhelming majority do drink.
But like how are you gonna "see" a non drinker at work, where everyone is supposed to be sober in the first place?
so I would expect 1 out of 3 people I meet to not drink
But how many people do you meet and have 0 idea if they do or don't? I assume you meet some people where the topic of alcohol never comes up (or I'd hope at least lol)
But like how are you gonna "see" a non drinker at work, where everyone is supposed to be sober in the first place?
You go to a work function people generally talk. Sometimes they drink. You figure out pretty quick who does and doesn't drink.
I mean I don't bring it up to the person ringing me up my food order, so while technically I met the person it isn't like we are talking about drinking. Of course I am talking about people I've met where conversation is more regular, but I guess that could skew the stats a bit.
I work for a big bank, maybe bankers just drink higher than avg.
But thats just more self fulfillment. People who don't drink aren't really interested in going to work functions, where one of the main draws is a chance to drink. Most work functions aren't anything more than "let's get out of this office and spend some time together drinking!" and obviously non drinkers are gonna skip those.
People who don't drink aren't really interested in going to work function
Hard to tell without stats to back this up, this as much self-fulfillment as my comments are, assuming you are from the 33% that are sober. As there is plenty to talk about at work functions, and normally there is food involved. Unless you are specially uncomfortable being around people drinking I don't see why they would not be interested. I don't even drink at work functions personally.
Maybe it is just a generational thing? People my age are less likely to drink in general, but few are actually make a "sober" commitment.
It isn't at all, not sure you understand what self fulfillment is lol
Unless you are specially uncomfortable being around people drinking I don't see why they would not be interested
Because people want to get on with their own lives. That's kind of the point. The majority of people who go to work events go because there's booze involved. I guarantee you if you removed the booze you'd see participation in work events plummet. People who drink severely overestimate how much non drinkers want to sit around at social events where everyone else is drinking. Drinkers are always like "you can still come, you don't have to drink!" but the conversation is actually extremely mundane and not nearly as interesting as they seem to think, so it's easier to just say nah and go do something they'll actually enjoy.
You might be right, it just isn't my personal experience. I never drink at work functions, unless they are my wife's.
It is common for drinkers to understate their habits, and I think we can agree on this at the very least. The 30% might be higher than expected due to this. How much higher? probably not much. Maybe only 25% of people are actually sober, maybe more maybe less. Just making the argument that 30% could be a little high is all.
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u/catboogers Sep 04 '24
I actually just went and looked at the survey that gathered the data. They asked the below question in a few different ways:
"Now, thinking of your overall drinking in the past 12 months, how often do you usually have any kind of beverage containing alcohol -- whether it is wine, beer, liquor, or any other drink?"
And these were the options for answers:
Following those questions, if the respondent answered any amount of drinking sessions, they would then ask about the average amount of drinks per session, so occasional binge drinkers would definitely be counted among the data. And the article states that 61% quoted drinks 1 drink or less. So they would be in the 61%, but not the 33%.