We ought to be able to discuss drink and its possible effects, including sexual violence, says Eilis O'Hanlon, as what counts is to have fewer victims.
Calls for Ireland to change its attitude towards alcohol are ritualistic mumbo jumbo at this stage. Meaningless prayers sent out into the void to a God who isn't listening.
Worse than that, some of the responses to the deaths of two young men in incidents linked to the drinking game, 'neknomination', betray an almost masochistic pleasure on the part of the chattering classes, who love nothing more than wallowing in how awful we are as a nation, as a people. All of which is then followed, predictably enough, by the cries of Something Must Be Done; regulation of the drinks industry, controls on advertising; minimum pricing. Everyone has their own wish list.
It's as if there are people out there who really don't know that it's dangerous to drink to excess, or as if wicked advertisers are cynically peddling the lie that risking your life is just a bit of harmless fun.
Neknomination is not simply an Irish phenomenon, and it's unlikely we're even the worst. Young people do stupid things all the time, for all sorts of reasons.
Bravado. Thrillseeking. Social pressure. A belief that they're invulnerable. It's part of being young. The vast majority get over it and grow up. In a small number of cases, the consequences are more tragic.
If it wasn't neknomination, it would be something else. Tombstoning (diving off cliffs into water). Carsurfing (riding on the outside of a moving car). Snowtubing (curling up inside a tyre which is then pulled along behind a car). They're all incredibly idiotic things to do, and everyone involved in these crazes knows it. Tombstoning alone has led to a number of deaths and disabilities. Young people keep on doing it. Right now, there's even a craze which involves swallowing a spoonful of ground cinnamon in 60 seconds without water – the choking and spluttering effects of which are then filmed, naturally, and placed online as entertainment. It has led to the hospitalisation of some teenagers in America, but what are we going to do – ban cinnamon?
Source: Eilis O'Hanlon, Irish Independent, 09/02/14
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