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Would alcohol be as popular if it weren't a beverage?
(lemmy.world)
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this post was submitted on 07 Jun 2025
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Alcohol is something that for a very long time was associated with civilisation itself, it was and is very important. It's just embedded into most societies of course people don't consider it drug.
It was the only way to make water drinkable in many places
"Small beer" wasn't made for funsies
It's largely a myth that ancient and medieval people brewed beer for lack of fresh drinking water, kind of like the "spices were for eating rotten meat" myth. People have always known how to find fresh water or preserve meat.
The main reason people have always brewed beer and wine is because they're good. Small beer was in fact made for funsies.
And, interestingly, in certain places and times there was also a cultural reason as drinking those was higher status than water which was "for commoners."
I agree for the most part,
It was very dependent on where people lived
My point that booze comes in many delightful varieties still stands
Booze has a journey, other drugs are about the destination