Well, it may be a reason, at least

[fpb]

Why do the British tend to binge drink and become addicted and self-destructive?
I can think of a reason why the British tend to binge drink and become addicted and self-destructive.
It is that beer and wine - especially wine - cost such insane prices that one has to be in a self-destructive mood to even want to buy some.
That could certainly be one reason why the British tend to binge drink and become addicted and self-destructive.

Comments

[super-pan.livejournal.com]

If that's a British thing, then it would seem to be they passed it on the States as well.

[eliskimo.livejournal.com]

No, I think binge drinking in the US has entirely different cause. Beer and wine are often dirt cheap -- if you're willing to buy cheap product, of course -- and there is a culture that says 'drinking is for getting drunk' nothing else.

There is also a culture that enjoys and savours wine for it's own qualities, but rarely do they meet. I remember a complete lack of understanding on the face of a fellow student in college when I suggested that I might like *a* (singular) beer with a pizza just becuase they taste good together and I had no interest whatsoever in becoming intoxicated.