What are the impacts of Dry January and the Forum...More or less engagement? Life support?

lousubcap

An article to promote dialog From The Atlantic-

Full disclosure-in  a previous life I have participated in "dry" months on more than one occasion-but not in the past 25 years!

Going Damp

Americans are zealous flip-floppers, especially when it comes to alcohol consumption. The history of drinking in America is one of back-and-forth: As Kate Julian wrote in a 2021 Atlantic article, “Americans tend to drink in more dysfunctional ways than people in other societies, only to become judgmental about nearly any drinking at all. Again and again, an era of overindulgence begets an era of renunciation: Binge, abstain. Binge, abstain.” No time of year better captures this dynamic than the start of a new year. December is for partying and eating too many cookies, the cultural narrative goes; January is for drinking water and working out. Dry January has become a popular way to start the year with a classically American dramatic turnabout. But in recent years, some people have become less doctrinaire about New Year’s resolutions and self-improvement goals. Last year, fewer people said that they participated in a full month of no drinking than in the year before, according to a Morning Consult survey. And in general, young people are drinking less alcohol. Enter Damp January, which encourages people who do drink some alcohol to be mindful about their habits and to consider drinking in moderation, rather than necessarily ceasing entirely. That seems like pretty intuitive, logical behavior to employ at any time of year. Rather than feeding the American impulse toward extremes, Damp January seems to promote an attainable step toward a healthier relationship with drinking. But almost as soon as Damp January became a topic of chatter on social media, brands seemed to have jumped on the opportunity to use it as a marketing hook. As Jaya Saxena put it in Eater last month, “We love taking a casual thing and making it Official.” Since at least the time of the Stoics, human beings have extolled the virtues of moderation. It feels a bit silly to brand and package such a straightforward concept—and perhaps also unwise to trigger the promotional apparatus that comes with calling something a Trend. (Once that apparatus gets going, it can be hard to pull it back.) The marketing of moderation was probably inevitable; Americans are inclined to pay for things that they believe will make them better, healthier people. And at the start of a new year, consumers tend to be especially vulnerable to marketing pitches suggesting that wellness lies on the other side of a purchase. As my colleague Amanda Mull wrote in 2019, “With New Year’s resolutions, the commodification of inadequacy can be explicit in a way that might seem rude during most of the year.” Going “damp” is a scaled-back resolution, a chiller in-between that goes against the spirit of harsher plans to reset. Damp January is a good match for our current moment; especially since the coronavirus pandemic started, some people have eschewed hustle culture in favor of self-care and being gentle with ourselves. Moving forward, maybe we can go damp on other resolutions too. Damp is a gross word, conjuring images of dirty sponges languishing in the sink. But if the concept encourages people to consume less—and to be less rigid about trying to change everything about themselves—the grating name might be worth it."

Happy Friday!

Battleborn

Like you, over the course of my adult life I’ve been forced to participate in dry months. There aren’t many dive bars in the middle of the Atlantic. Although those two beer Steel Beach Picnics did hit different. 

lousubcap

No steel beach in my neighbourhood (nod) but I definitely get the morale booster from the event or so I have been told. 

Stay healthy and safe out there-

TechsasJim

Dry January?    We’ve already had 2.5” rain in Houston so I don’t see the point in me staying dry.   

CTMike

lousubcap said:

No steel beach in my neighbourhood (nod) but I definitely get the morale booster from the event or so I have been told. 

Stay healthy and safe out there-

Yup, no beer day on submarines, regardless of how many days deployed. I am participating in dry January for the first time - will be interesting to see what (if any) changes occur.  

ColtsFan

Maybe next year. 

dbCooper

I did Dryuary in 2022, just to see if I could.  Doing it again this year to see if I still can.

However, keeping a close eye on my health this time.  This is due to someone posting the 10 healthy aspects of bourbon...

alaskanassasin

I didn’t hear about it unit it was too late. No excuses for sober October though.

fishlessman

Took the summer off and most of the fall. Lost a ton of weight, BP meds are no longer needed, CPAP I think can be dropped. I find the summer is better than January, way easier to stop drinking tonic water with the gin and I now have a nice collection of bourbon and rye

RRP

WELL… I just figured Friday night would have brought on numerous comments about this weeks announcement about that new warranty policy change. Perhaps DryJanuary was a good time after all to”slip the green weenie” to us older eggers who have no way to meet the new warranty policy! Just sign me “RRP who purchased 4 eggs and has NO chance of meeting this new policy!” Thanks Ed Fisher! 

fishlessman

RRP said:

WELL… I just figured Friday night would have brought on numerous comments about this weeks announcement about that new warranty policy change. Perhaps DryJanuary was a good time after all to”slip the green weenie” to us older eggers who have no way to meet the new warranty policy! Just sign me “RRP who purchased 4 eggs and has NO chance of meeting this new policy!” Thanks Ed Fisher! 

Same boat here.  4 eggs bought before the policy changed in 2005 and now this. Only time will change before this all plays out. Disheartening 

Ozzie_Isaac

I couldn’t figure out why things felt so calm and mellow this evening.  Then I realized I had been casually eating Jell-O shots left over from New Years each time I grabbed something out of the fridge while making dinner.

Does Jell-O doesn’t violate dry January?

fishlessman

Ozzie_Isaac said:

I couldn’t figure out why things felt so calm and mellow this evening.  Then I realized I had been casually eating Jell-O shots left over from New Years each time I grabbed something out of the fridge while making dinner.

Does Jell-O doesn’t violate dry January?

Jello violates all kinds of things.....prolly not dry January though.  Don't ever work in a jello plant😁

Ybabpmuts

It's January?

Gulfcoastguy

I have been completely dry since before Covid and rarely indulged for the 20 years before that. Not a religious thing, just a medical thing, my liver can't handle it very well.

Ragingirishman2

I’m not doing a dry January. While im a regular contributor to the What Are You Drinking Now thread, my consumption is usually 2-3 days a week of about 2oz of bourbon/whiskey, and sometimes wine. . I’m very cognizant of my boundaries and I don’t need a full month to take a reset, but casting no shade on those that observe a month off. 

Buckwoody Egger

Definitely endorse occasional dry periods and for important events. Memory is better, everything is better.  Almost no impact to my posting levels.  But I will drop a pic in the drinking thread real quick. 

Sidebar hypothesis regarding activity:  there is no longer the visibility to “likes” by logging in. Also no longer a way to get out of mobile view on a cell phone via logging in. Other than posting, thats two/thirds of the reasons I would historically bother to log in. 

lousubcap

Buckwoody Egger said:

Definitely endorse occasional dry periods and for important events. Memory is better, everything is better.  Almost no impact to my posting levels.  But I will drop a pic in the drinking thread real quick. 

Sidebar hypothesis regarding activity:  there is no longer the visibility to “likes” by logging in. Also no longer a way to get out of mobile view on a cell phone via logging in. Other than posting, thats two/thirds of the reasons I would historically bother to log in. 

I don't don't cipher that well but two/thirds sounds like a big number.  However, The_Buffalo may appreciate the insights. 

danhoo

I've enjoyed "adult beverages" for nearly five decades

I had not heard the term "dry January" until this year, and then I've heard it in three completely different circles.

I think it is best to see if this term surfaces again next year before considering anything drastic

JohnInCarolina

The Germans appear to have a slightly different take on this month:

YukonRon

Maybe next year. Thus far, during the month of January, a wee bit of wine has been consumed, daily. 

I received the invitation to participate, a bit late. 

dbCooper

The quest was completed, no more darkness here.  Nothing of note to report about impacts other than gaining about four pounds, probably in my back pocket.