Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

No

61 (47.7%)

Yes; I used to drink but now I don't

7 (5.5%)

Yes; I've never consumed alcohol

40 (31.3%)

Yes; but only because I'm under age!

20 (15.6%)

Total Members Voted: 128

[DeKaFu]

tee·to·tal·er or tee·to·tal·ler (tttl-r) also tee·to·tal·ist (-st)
n.
One who abstains completely from alcoholic beverages.

After some reading on teetotalism, I'm now curious how common it actually is for people to choose to voluntarily abstain from drinking alcohol, and why or why not.

So...yeah. Why or why not? What are the attitudes towards people who do?

[Darvi]

I have an ongoing bet with myself that I won't drink for 7 years after legal age. Only 2 and a half more to go!

[Argembarger]

I'm still (barely) underage (American) but I have no intentions of ever drinking.

It's just not something that appeals to me. I don't want to get drunk.

My college friends have tried their damndest to try to get me to drink, or even try it. I'm starting to think that my blatant teetotalism bothers them somehow, which is silly because I have absolutely no problem with other people drinking around me (as long as they aren't constantly drinking to excess)

Only alcohol I've ever drank was a sip of communion wine at my grandfather's funeral.

I just like being sober, and have no desire to get drunk to see if I might like that better. And I don't like the smell, so I reckon' I won't like the taste.

I don't smoke, either. Or drink coffee for that matter. I avoid soda if I have any other choices. I guess I'm just a boring guy.

[Darvi]

I don't do coffee or tobacco either, but no soda!? oO

[Argembarger]

Not no soda, exactly. A lot of times, at least living with my roommates, it's either that or city tap water, and I hate city tap water.

[Vattic]

I'm practically teetotal in that I don't drink for 6 months or more at a time but it's not that I'm deliberately avoiding alcohol.

[Euld]

I clicked no, mainly because I don't object to drinking alcohol but I don't like drinking in excess, especially at bars.  I got drunk once, and it was kinda fun, but ultimately pointless.  I was with some friends, and we pretty much laughed at ourselves as we went back home.  But one friend threw up, we all had to drink a lot of water, one VERY drunk friend had to be persuaded to get some sleep... it was more of an annoyance really.  I hang out with my friends because I like them for who they are already, so why do people insist on drinking heavily?  And I really can't stand how if my friends get drunk, I essentially have to babysit them as they throw up all over themselves.  How is this fun exactly?

[scriver]

I believe people in general should drink a lot less than we do - many people seem far to oblivious to how reliant they are on alcohol in their daily lives (of course, I'm aware many do just fine, I'm just a "but think of what could happen!" kind of guy), but no, I'm far from a soberist myself.

[Ultimuh]

I have tasted a very mild alcoholic beverage. Julmust I think it was.. I din't like the taste.

But other than that one time, I have never been drinking any alcoholic beverages, ever.
Why? Just because I choose not to. Why does things need complicated anwsers, when its that simple?

Tough I do drink lots of soda, especially one brand, that is popular here in Greenland. FAXE KONDI

[Tellemurius]

Yea i don't drink much due to the damn age limit, even then i don't drink much anyways. I mean i will enjoy some shots or two (i swear Canadian whiskey tastes like maple wood) but not every day and not to drown myself.

[olemars]

I'm almost at a teetotal level of alcohol consumption. Maybe a couple of beers per year on average, never been drunk. Never seen the point of drinking really, so I haven't.

My college friends have tried their damndest to try to get me to drink, or even try it. I'm starting to think that my blatant teetotalism bothers them somehow, which is silly because I have absolutely no problem with other people drinking around me (as long as they aren't constantly drinking to excess)

Sounds very, very familiar to my experiences. They always demand an explanation for why I don't drink, and I don't really have a better answer than "I just don't". It's bloody annoying.

[Argembarger]

Why? Just because I choose not to. Why does things need complicated anwsers, when its that simple?

This. It really bothers me when my friends really pressure me to drink. It's mostly because they're very reasonable with it.

"Just take a sip; humans have been drinking alcohol for thousands of years, a sip is not going to hurt you and if you don't like it you can stop"

And I'm just like

"nope lol"

They make me feel like I'm being some kind of douchebag for refusing, which bothers me. I really don't want to drink but sometimes they make me feel like they're in the right and I'm just being some kind of elitist dick about it. Which I'm not trying to be. I don't look down at them for drinking at all.

Ninja'd: yeah, basically.

[Leafsnail]

Yeah, I'm teetotal and want to be for the foreseeable future.  I am underage, but I've refused a lot of drinks in the past.

Apart from not wanting to make myself look like an idiot while drunk... well, I don't want to ever have to depend on it.  It's just a kindof principle I have.

[Durin Stronginthearm]

I'm still (barely) underage (American) but I have no intentions of ever drinking.

It's just not something that appeals to me. I don't want to get drunk.

You don't have to get drunk, y'know. Maybe that's the problem, too many people associate alcohol with drunkenness when it's actually more enjoyable in moderation.

Speaking as someone who's very fond of alcohol, I don't understand drinkers' snobbishness towards teetotallers either. Maybe they feel like their lifestyles are being criticised somehow?

[ChairmanPoo]

I drink sometimes. But it's rather unfrequent. TBH I don't like alcoholic drinks too much

- When I go out to parties I usually have a drink or two. But since in the last two years I've gone out exactly three times, it doesn't add to much.

- When I'm at home (as opposed to the dorm), I try to have one cup of red wine at lunch (for health purposes and such). I tend to forget doing it most times, though, so it's sporadic as well.