A generation that is stupid enough to ignore every warning sign

Once again I'm returning to a first person point of view, addressing the topic of Alcohol which has huge relevance to the generation which I am a part of.

Today, there is more information available throughout the world than ever before. My generation, heading forward will create so much more information that, within fifteen years a lot of current information will cease to have any relevance. We're also chauvinists, proudly holding our noses above older generations. Nobody can out do the way we talk, the music we listen to, clothing we wear, or the lifestyles we follow. An anything goes attitude stands strong. Truth be told, my generation aren't as clever as they assume. Despite more young people than ever attending University or pursuing apprenticeships, this alleged 'superior' generation lacks the intelligence to notice, or care about heavy alcohol consumption's damaging effects. I'm not talking about alcoholics, a problem which can impact people within any age group, no. This is about people in my generation who hold stupid parties, where copious amounts of alcohol get shoved down people's throats. Ridiculous nights out where people become a threat to everyone with their wily behaviour. Vomiting fests, passing out on stranger's lawns, fatuous schmuck talk. How stupid can we be?

Many of you young people will say "How can you say we're a stupid generation?" Good question. First, there is something that has become universally available for everyone. Information. More so than ever, people can now access information on almost every single topic possible, be it scholarly reports, expert opinions or reading reviews from users; all of this without even leaving one's house. Most people, before looking to apply for a job, do some research about the company. Who they are, what they do, their areas of expertise, their reputation, why people want to work there. Many lovely folk are smart enough to contact old employees to get their personal word. Like so, more information has come out regarding alcohol and the damaging effects which it has on the body, which are listed below. Scientists are now finding links heavy alcohol consumption at a young age has in relation to diseases picked up later on in life. Such harm continues through with young people more likely than any other age group to get behind the wheel intoxicated, believing they can overcome the law or any breathaliser which comes their way. Doctors warn that my generation does not hold enough sensitivity into the very real dangers binge drinking persists. My generation are definitely aware of the health risks but a "live it up today" urge overcomes self control and the prospect of having only a few drinks never seems good enough. An interesting picture at my old Junior High said "If the effects of smoking happened on the outside, would you still smoke" depicting a tar laden woman looking like an ashtray. If an poster was released showing the damning effects of alcohol in the same way, I think my generation would look at it smile, then carry on down to the bar, too phased to let some poster ruin their life. No surprise the generation I live in go about life with blinkers on, shutting out any signs of warning.

I never understood the selfish alcohol fuelled desires of my high school class mates, or the insolent manners which were shown to those who disapproved of it. A rather resolute mission to march forth through weekends, attempting to be as stupid as possible, drinking copious amounts of beer, wine and spirits, seeking some unobtainable sensual pleasure which obviously eluded them in their weekday lives. It befuddles me that many of my generation still find pleasure in stupid outings like this, where the coolest person is still the one who can get drunk the fastest or the slowest. Weekend after weekend, this bedlam lingered, through year 12 (11th Grade) into year 13 (12th Grade), people turning up to school on Monday dazed and confused. One such occasion a classmate of mine was telling me about his "cool" weekend. "There was a massive party I went to on Friday. We went and hung out at my mate's house the next day and then we went to his mate's party on Saturday. I only slept for four hours the whole weekend." An effervescent part of me longed to say "shame, that's what you get Mr. Coolio" but like most school boys, it was nothing new from a "good" weekend (for them) story.

The 2009 after ball was held in a conspicuous metal shed in Albany. My parents assured me they'd pick me up promptly at my calling, so I decided to stay the whole night. Apart from being the first experience I had of being among the alleged "popular" people, it was also an occasion bursting with cheap liquor, the kind I've found at other stupid high school and University parties. I can remember everyone who was there, how much everyone had to drink (that wasn't too hard to figure out) and those who misbehaved. The rather timid New Zealand police came in to check around but were far too lazy to even try arresting anyone, as most people were already intoxicated. After about thirty minutes in there I decided to avoid all alcohol. Getting drunk is a stupid person's idea of fun. It was there for the world to see that night. Girls who were classmates of which I'd never even communicated with stumbling up to me and started hugging me, their breath reeking of cheap bourbon. A rugby team mate following me for thirty minutes telling me to take a sip of his lion red beer (he was too drunk and stupid to taste such bad beer). Girls sleazily throwing away their dignity to mediocre, half wit guys who could barely stand.

What a generation I am a part of? A stupid generation who ignores all the warning's about alcohol's damaging effects. A generation which pretends to be health conscious yet brashly destroy their bodies and minds on the weekend. Blurred vision, slurred speech, bleeding throat, memory loss, breathing problems, irregular heart beat, high blood pressure, stomach ulcers, lapses in judgement, decreased reaction times. Long term effects may include liver cirrhosis and kidneys, heart problems, poor ability to remember information, respiratory deficiencies, depression, anxiety and sleep disorders. Everything people of my generation want to avoid, yet they persistently go out on weekends in the hope of getting drunk, suffering from some of the short term effects, which for quite a few will lead to long term damage down the line. The stupid generation don't ever think they'll be forty of fifty one day. Many snobbishly assert invincibility over all the elements, alcohol included.

I must admit to enjoying the odd alcoholic beverage. Champagne on New Years being one of my favorites. The pleasure with alcohol lies in an amazing taste and when used sensibly works wanders at social gatherings and some post sport events, particularly in rugby. No, like anything, moderation is the key. I can only enjoy one or two drinks and leave it at that. Pushing past into a partially drunk state- pathetically known as tipsy- is not pleasant and I've spoken with enough people to know this. I've heard many excuses from people in the stupid generation as to why they persist in their ways, so here are a few. "I drink because it makes people less boring." "I drink because that's how I live my life." "I like to get drunk because one drink doesn't taste good. Six or seven hit the spot." "I enjoy drinking because it's what me and my friends do to have fun." Although many sound like squabbled excuses, each in fact presents a rather sad, inexcusable person ignoring the damaging effects alcohol has on the body.

Massey University's students magazine ran an article on the effects on alcohol. Fascinating, insightful, it dives right towards key problems with binge drinking, particularly how uneducated high school and University students are in this field. The Magazine interviewed three Massey journalism students. One student, Rachael Coomber had the following to say in response to the question 'Do you think Binge drinking is a problem in New Zealand?' "No, binge drinking is not a problem. Everyone Drinks. It's not a problem if everyone is doing it." Not only did Ms. Coomber have many other stupid things to say, she forthrightly admitted to never wanting to give up alcohol binge fests no matter how tough the government got on students allowances. "I have to budget in my goon." Rachael Coomber currently holds office as the President and spokesperson for a blinking minority who pretend there is no problem with binge drinking in New Zealand, something many students proudly put atop of the agenda in their lives.

Yet for some ghastly reason, the insufferable Green Party seeks to treat my generation with pity and make it seem as if we are not the problem. Turei's submission for the alcohol reform bill gave some ghastly and rather suspicious conclusions; one such instance says "it's simply not true" that the U25 generation are responsible for the heavy drinking culture, then giving bogus statistics to back their reasoning. In response to Mrs. Turei's belief on this, which people are making the most noise? Which people are passing out the most? Which people, time and time again feel as if their bodies can handle anything? My generation, the under 25's. It's not enough to say less than 30% (bogus stat) of problem drinkers are under 25 because these things cannot be measured among younger students, who have no families to look after, do not work full time jobs (most of them) and waste vast amounts of money again and again in search of a sensual high. Letting Generation Y off the hook for making the stupid decision to get drunk and create chaos is completely baffling and demonstrates how politicians always seek a scape goat, which can't be found here so they doggedly assume such a problem doesn't exist.


Hopefully my generation can take some accountability. It isn't enough to say "Well I'm not responsible for my actions. I got drunk because I had to. Some one made me do it." The main solutions lie in educating each other on alcohol and how to enjoy it at social occasions, rather than being stupid about it.