Do we drink sensibly?

[Rasmie]

Reading about drink driving in another article - boats as well as cars - do we Shetlanders have a drink problem? When I was a bairn passing the nip glass got people happy but rarely faain ower and spewin. Since we all became wealthier or maybe drink cheaper it has become a norm in many circles to consume vast quantitiies at speed. Almost a coming of age macho thing but it is now becoming a must for the women as well. Are we going to hell wi drink?

Gulpers or Sippers?

[Mario]

The younger generation of Shetlanders - 12 (yes 12!) - around 25/30ish do seem to have the whole "get totally plastered at the weekend" thing down to a fine art.

 

I think it's simply because there isn't enough to do. Also, drink is now cheaper, easier to get hold of and targetted at the younger generation. Nobody should be worried if they get blootered every now and then but it's the every week occurence that is severely worrying.

 

This is possibly across the whole of the UK but I think remote areas particularly suffer from binge drinking.

[Njugle]

i don't think it's because there is nothing to do at all, it's more down to what has 'become the norm'

 

There almost seems to be an element in this of our ability to laugh at ourselves gone totally astray. Getting in a "hoor o' a state" is socially acceptable and funny, for both sexes and dare i say more so for women now than men. Most of the world regard drinking to excess to be shameful or disgraceful, here we applaud it and find it an endless source of amusement. How did that come about? (Is it an evolutionary offshoot of Up-Helly-Aa ?) Or do we compare ourselves to the excesses of the rich and famous and get "out of it" to escape our perfectly acceptable, relatively ordinary lives.

 

There is often talk associated with this whole phenomenon of 'de-stressing' which technically is garbage as waking up totally poisoned with no wallet or mobile phone and then suffering physically and mentally until wednesday does little to alleviate anything.

 

Note well; I'm not a prude on this, i've been in 'states' with the best of them, in fact, i remember the time, it was so funny, we drank four bottles of mescal.....etc etc...

[wally jumblat]

I think it's simply because there isn't enough to do.

 

I hear this the whole time, but I've never understood it.

 

We have absolutely amazing facilites here in Shetland, and there is always plenty to do every single night of the week. Just listen to Whats On on Radio Shetland.

 

What is it that you'd like to do but can't?

 

What activities are you being deprived of?

[shetlander]

Yes I think Shetland has a drink problem - and that it can be attributed to the culture that consuming vast quantities of it at almost every social event in the isles and then falling aboot blootered is perfectly acceptable. There seems to be this idea that showing the outside world just how much we can drink 'go on - tak a drink' is essential to us maintaining our friendly, hospitable reputation and upholding our image of being able to enjoy ourselves.

 

Living in a place where crime is relatively low and everybody looks after everybody makes folk complacent too I reckon. Few of the many folk I've seen flaked out in the corner of country halls at the end of a big night over the years would make it home in one piece if they had to do so themselves after being flung out of a pub or club in a larger town or city south. In Shetland there seems to be this perception that folk can get away with drinking less responsibly and if they aren't in a fit enough state at the end of the night to see themselves home then somebody else will.

[Distortio]

there is always plenty to do every single night of the week. Just listen to Whats On on Radio Shetland.

 

surely even radio shetland would wear a bit thin after a while...

[Mario]

surely even radio shetland would wear a bit thin after a while...

 

Agreed. No, seriously though. I'm not having a pop at Shetland's facilities. In large, they are very good. However, I think it's a combination of lack of variety/accessibility/culture.

 

Here's an example of the culture problem and I know this has all happened to you. Here, if someone asks you if you were "out" at the weekend - this automatically means that you were on the skite. Why is that? It's obviously bourne out of the fact that if you were out of the house at the weekend, the natural place would be the pub. There is also Up Helly Aa/Folk Festival which although they both have their merits are massive piss ups. I also remember, and still do to this day, that if I didn't go on the piss at the weekend, I would get a fairly good slating from me mates for being unsociable and a "loser" . That's one of the biggest problems for the kids at the moment - they're under severe peer pressure to get into this way of life.

 

I have also found myself in situations at the weekends, not really wanting to go out but because everyone else is out, I get bored and wouldn't mind some social interaction so I end up, out of boredom, going. Seriously though - what else is there to do? I am heavily involved in football during the week and also I like to go to the gym 3-4 times a week - but what do I do during the weekend? In my opinion, I have two options, go down to Bolts and get a DVD, or go out. It's the problem that SO many people go out, there is nowt to do but something by myself which can get a little tiresome. I am happy that it seems the CMV is going ahead - that would be a fairly good alternative that you could socially interact with people who aren't there to get blootered.

 

I have been, and sometimes still are, a pisshead to the highest degree - however, I don't understand how some people in Shetland don't get tired of it. I think everyone goes through a stage when you want to go out most weekends and get fairly drunk but for me, I've found myself doing it because of a lack of alternative rather than actively enjoying it. I also don't get the people who get hammered every weekend to the stage where they actually can't speak. I've seen them, they just sit there. The next day they speak of having some "quality banter". Eh?

 

I'm sure Shetland is not alone in this. I know for a fact that many rural areas in the north of Scotland are similar in their culture. However, I think less so as for them, there is the affordable option of going to see a movie, a gig, a concert or going to visit friends they can't see that often.

[Guest Anonymous]

Do we drink too much????

 

LINED UP AT DA BAR LIK HENS ON A BALK,

DRINKIN PINTS SAE FAST DAT DIR LAEK TAE SHOCK,

SEEKIN EXCUSES NO TAE GEENG HAME,

TAE DA WIFE WHA'S ANGER IS RISING LAEK STEAM.

 

DA STORIES YOU HEAR AT DA FACE O A BAR,

RANGE FAE SEX, TAE POLITICS, AN MAYBE DA CAR,

IF YOU STAND LANG ENOUGH IT'S AMAZIN TAE HEAR

HOW BIG SOME TALES GET WHEN DIR TELT TROW BEER.

 

YOU'LL HEAR O DA OLICK DAT WEIGHED TWENTY POUND,

AND HE GETS A BIT GRITTER WI EVERY ROUND,

OR DA COW AT DA SHOW WI A CALF O GREAT SIZE,

TWA NIPS LATER SHO'D TWINS AN DEY BAITH WAN A PRIZE.

 

YOU'LL HEAR O DA SEXUAL EXPLOITS O MAN,

IN DA BACK O A MINI, OR AN AULD AUSTIN VAN,

OR DA TIME AT DA PAET HILL WHILE CASTIN A BANK,

DAT SOME EEN FELL DRUNK HEID FIRST IN DA STANK.

 

BIT DIR'S WAN TALE I'M SURE YOU DON'T AFTEN HEAR,

NO MATTER HOW MUCKLE'S BEEN SWITTLED IN BEER,

AN DAT IS HOW MUCKLE TROUBLE AN STRIFE,

DIS DRINKIN CAN CAUSE WANCE YOUR HAME TAE DA WIFE.

 

 

RASMIE (Da Aulder Een)

[Pooks]

Rasmie (Da Auld Een), is yun een o' dee own eens? If so den congratulations. If no congratulations tae dae composer and congratulations for sharin' it wee me.

[Guest Anonymous]

I'm guilty fur yun een

 

Pooks, is dir a pairt o dis forum for poems ????

I'm new here an dunna ken my wye aboot yet.

[Pooks]

Nae dedicated poetry section as yet although if there was enough demand I am sure the powers that be would create something. In the meantime continue as you are.

[JAStewart]

Its the product of many things.

 

Firstly, the culture. I noticed that Mario said 12 year olds are drinking - actually the reason that all the halls got stopped is because a girl of ELEVEN had to get her stomach pumped because she was way too drunk. Also, it is really easy to get served in the pubs here. I have friends aged 15 & 16 who get served without ID. Hell, I got served when I was 15 at Burra halls, and 15 & 16 & 17 at pubs, so that doesn't help. Also, as mentioned, Up Helly Aa is seen by almost every squad member as a 'piss-up' opportunity, as is the folk festival.

 

Secondly, the lack of things to do is debatable. It really depends when you want to do - and if the weather is up for doing it. We have great sports facilities-great if you want to do sport. I think its just lack of motiviation among Shetlanders. I know that at weekends for the past...two years(?) my choices have been to go out on the piss or stay in and watch a film.

 

People say that you don't need alcohol to make a good night, this is true, but you can have way more fun with it, from my personal experience.

[shetlander]

The point that seems to be emerging here isn’t that there’s a lack of things to do but that it just isn’t considered ‘the norm’ to do a lot of them in favour of going to the pub and getting blootered – which comes back to what you are saying Mario about being branded unsociable or a loser if you don’t go with the flow.

 

It all comes down to culture – the only way things will change is if individuals and their group of mates lead the way by consciously deciding to make different choices and be a bit more imaginative about how to spend their spare time than just in the pub.

[Distortio]

It all comes down to culture – the only way things will change is if individuals and their group of mates lead the way by consciously deciding to make different choices and be a bit more imaginative about how to spend their spare time than just in the pub.

 

we could all get together somewhere and discuss the various ways we could act imaginatively. i've always found pubs to be quite conducive to this sort of thing. you know, get a few drinks on board, get the ideas flowing. i'm sure we'll have some top ideas by closing time.

[Colin]

Its the product of many things.

 

Firstly, the culture. I noticed that Mario said 12 year olds are drinking - actually the reason that all the halls got stopped is because a girl of ELEVEN had to get her stomach pumped because she was way too drunk.

 

I have to clear up a misconception here. (Probably worthy of a thread on it's own)

The halls didn't get 'stopped' as you put it. They stopped themselves.

The were many other reasons as well but, the example you quoted is one of them.

 

Secondly, the lack of things to do is debatable. It really depends when you want to do - and if the weather is up for doing it. We have great sports facilities-great if you want to do sport. I think its just lack of motiviation among Shetlanders. I know that at weekends for the past...two years(?) my choices have been to go out on the piss or stay in and watch a film.

 

I think that the issue here is that most of the 'entertainment' available at weekends is adult orientated and would have to agree that there does not seem to be much focus on the under-18 age group.

We do try to put something on once a month at Scalloway but, and we are the first to admit it, that doesn't help much.

 

People say that you don't need alcohol to make a good night, this is true, but you can have way more fun with it, from my personal

experience.

The people that say that don't know how to drink