Surprisingly Drunken History and Science
Why do humans like to get drunk? The results obtained our affinity with drunkenness as an evolutionary error, a technique developed by humans to release a small amount of pleasure for no reason in order to bypass our biological reward system. However, this is not a satisfactory explanation. We must be more confused than putting so much ingenuity and concentration on drunkenness.
In the site of eastern Turkey about 12,000 years ago, it appears that the remains of vats are being fermented, combined with images of festivals and dances, indicating that people are gathering in groups, fermenting grains or grapes, playing music and actually being hammered. humans. Even before discovering agriculture. In fact, archaeologists formulate a suggestion that alcohol is not just a by-product of agricultural inventions, but is actually the reason for agricultural inventions. The original farmers were driven by the desire for beer rather than bread. Without intoxication we cannot be civilized.
Once we start thinking systematically about the antiquity, universality and power of our taste for drunkenness, the idea that this is some kind of evolutionary accident becomes difficult to take seriously. Evolution is not stupid, it runs much faster than most people realize. Tibetans have genetically adapted to live in high-altitude areas, while Southeast Asians who live on boats have adapted to diving underwater and holding their breath. If alcohol is just hijacking the brain's pleasure center, then localized evolution has discovered and put a resolute end to this nonsense.
Other addictions can be considered appetite problems, such as our taste for pornography or junk food. But alcohol is extremely dangerous physically and socially. The fact that genetic or cultural evolution has not eliminated our so-called accidental tastes of alcohol means that the cost of drinking alcohol must be outweighed by the benefits.
Evidence from archeology, history, cognitive neuroscience, psychopharmacology, social psychology, literature, and genetic changes may be some beneficial benefits. For example, modern psychology supports the ancestral, cross-cultural view of the use of alcohol as a muse: one or two drinks can increase our ability to think outside the box. There is also wisdom in the Latin vino veritas, "there is truth in wine". Alcohol weakens our ability to think strategically and keeps us steady in the moment, which keeps us from lying. Just as we shake hands to show we're not carrying a gun, firing a few shots is a form of cognitive rejection that can make you more trustworthy and trustworthy. That's why, throughout history and around the world,
Drinking alcohol in moderation can also relieve stress, improve mood, make us more sociable, and provide a much-needed vacation away from the burden of conscience. We cannot deny that chemical poisoning is dangerous dangerous. Alcohol has ruined the lives of many people and continues to devastate people and communities around the world. More importantly, relatively new innovations in distillation have allowed us to bypass the natural limits of alcohol content and produce incredible spirits. Coupled with growing social isolation, this can make today's drinking more dangerous than in the past, and we're only dimly aware of this.
This, however, is all the more reason to understand the evolutionary dynamics behind our drive to get drunk. Understanding the functional role of alcohol gives us a better sense of its proper role in our lives today. Given the potential costs of getting it wrong, the stakes are too high for us to stumble like reports, guided only by popular notions, misunderstood policies or puritanical prejudices. History can tell us when and what we get drunk. But it's only when we associate history with science that we can finally begin to understand not only why we want to get drunk, but also how good it can be for us to tie one up once in a while.