If the Abuse of Alcohol is More About Culture
If the abuse of alcohol is more about the culture one is in than anything else, what that means for somebody fighting the battle with alcoholism is that there are many solutions out there. What has occurred in the country is that most institutions and people have centered on similar solutions? Many of these solutions have not taken lifestyle into consideration and that presents many issues. An alcoholic should read the piece and then go searching for solutions that are not as commonplace however which are based on a study of culture.
Two Lessons from the Essay
There are two lessons that one can study from the essay. The first is that it is critical that policymakers spend more time interrogating evidence-based solutions. It does indeed seem like a good idea to tax alcohol or ban it in some situations. However, the evidence shows that the methods are not as effective as the policy makers would want them to be. There is no law that prevented the Camba from drinking on workdays; it is societal pressures that did that. Policymakers should spend more time interfacing with academics and truly reading about solutions backed by evidence.
For the Person Fighting Alcoholism
For the person fighting alcoholism, the lesson is to read more about the problem and to try and find a better societal mold for him or her. If need be, one can change residences and friends so that the societal pressure on him or her is different. If one tries to change and remains in the same situation, he or she will fail. Just like the second and third-generation Italians succumbed, so will the person. It is critical that he or she finds a community where the norms encourage him or her to drink less.
