The Inebriation of Society

At midnight last Thursday night, a 21-year-old man adorned in suit and tie lay bloodied and lifeless on the South Link Road in Cork. Passer-bys pulled in at the side of the road, shook and jelly-legged they emerged from their cars. Shock and disbelief painted across their faces. They had witnessed the whole horrific slideshow of events. What had begun as a celebratory UCC Arts ball in the Rochestown Park Hotel had resulted in the tragic end of one young student’s life.


http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/0205/breaking10.html

This young man’s story is just one of many. Countless, pointless deaths have been caused by the consumption of too much alcohol. Research shows that one-in-four pedestrians killed in road accidents are drunk. Drunk and disorderly conduct has become far too commonplace in today’s society. So much so that it is scary even for a young woman like myself.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/alcohols-role-in-pedestrian-deaths-revealed-1956003.html

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0921/1224254909449.html

A study by the Health Research Board reported that the high levels of alcohol-related social harm “does not bode well for the future health and well-being of the Irish population.” It’s a dark and dangerous road that we’re going down as a society where drinking copious amounts of alcohol is the norm. I dread to think about the liver damage and other long term side-effects of our consistent consumption of alcohol.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/alcohol-related-social-harm-does-not-bode-well-106416.html

This Sunday heralds the beginning of UCC’s Raising and Giving Week (Rag Week). An awful start to what will be an eventful week. One can only hope that it will pass off without incident or casualty. This is more than unlikely. This year, however, Gardaí are cracking down on celebrations by taking a zero tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour. Many precautions have also been taken by the student’s union to prevent any repeat of last year. I think it’s only right that student patrols take place but also that students are warned of the implications of being arrested such as the consequences it will have for J1 applications and future job prospects.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2010/0205/ireland/gardai-to-lead-ucc-rag-week-crackdown-111352.html

Personally, I feel that the media do not highlight the abuse of alcohol in this country adequately. Why is it socially acceptable for our society to be so alcohol orientated? Alcohol is present and flowing,in this country, at all celebrations, christenings all the way through to funerals. Why is this, when it is so distant from the norms and traditions of other cultures around the world? Why can’t the media counteract this norm? We as a society need to change, and change fast, before things escalate. It is in my opinion, that the media can be used as a tool to sculpt a new and better society for ourselves.

DA