Guinness: Irish 'Arthur's Day' condemned

[Still Waters]

An attempt to establish an Irish day devoted to Guinness risks becoming a major PR hangover for the drinks giant Diageo, before even a drop is drunk.

Critics, including musicians and doctors, have accused "Arthur's Day" this Thursday of promoting drunkenness.

The event was conceived in 2009 to mark 250 years since the first pint of Guinness was brewed in Dublin.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...europe-24238550

[Gary Meadows]

What's wrong with promoting drunkenness?

Cheers

Edited September 25, 2013 by Jeffertonturner

[Still Waters]

What's wrong with promoting drunkenness?

Cheers

tut tut.........*throws pack of Aspirins your way*

[Guest]

Cynical marketing in disguise as a national celebration - its what the Irish do best. Look to St.Pats day for your example.

Seriously - Ireland is just starting to have a serious conversation with itself about its antisocial drinking and Arthurs day doesn't help. It seems there are two types of Irishman, problem drinkers and abstaining problem drinkers.

Br Cornelius

[TSS]

Good grief - is there anything left that people don't find a reason to complain about! :/

[Guest]

Good grief - is there anything left that people don't find a reason to complain about! :/

If you were an alcoholic do you think it would be appropriate to invite you out for a drink to celebrate the fact ?

Here's a few sobering facts about the problem;

Rates of alcoholic liver disease per 100,000 adults increased by 190% from 28.3 in 1995 to 82.2 in 2007, according to figures published in the journal, Alcohol and Alcoholism.

The figures also reveal “considerable increases” of alcohol liver disease amoung younger age groups.

Among 15-34 years olds, the rate of ALD discharges increased by 247%, while for the 35-49 age group, the rate increased by 224%.

This is a “worrying trend” but is “not surprising”, researchers found, as 18-29-year-old drinkers have the highest level of alcohol consumption among Irish drinkers and two-fifths binge drink weekly.

However, the figures show that the majority of ALD discharges are still among the 35 to 64 age groups.

Over two-fifths (43%) of all discharges were aged 50-64 years; 35% were 35-49 years old, 16% were aged over 65 years, while 6% were 15-34 years old.

http://alcoholireland.ie/newsletter/alcoholic-liver-disease-rates-and-deaths-almost-treble/

Br Cornelius

[Mr.United_Nations]

People complaining have nothing else to do

[Space Commander Travis]

Oh, spare us from dreary puritans with social consciences, please.

[TSS]

If you were an alcoholic do you think it would be appropriate to invite you out for a drink to celebrate the fact ?

Well this is where you and me differ - you like everything micro-managed, the risk factor removed from everything, and everyone legislated and curtailed. Sod everyone else, because if someone slips through the net then everyone should pay the price for it eh?! No thanks, I favor personal responsibility, minimal interference. Sure, have the mechanisms in place to help those that struggle with addiction, but don't stop everyone else from doing what they want just because some struggle to find a happy medium.

This is my life, not yours, i'll take responsibility for my actions, and you do the same with yours I say!

[Guest]

Well this is where you and me differ - you like everything micro-managed, the risk factor removed from everything, and everyone legislated and curtailed. Sod everyone else, because if someone slips through the net then everyone should pay the price for it eh?! No thanks, I favor personal responsibility, minimal interference. Sure, have the mechanisms in place to help those that struggle with addiction, but don't stop everyone else from doing what they want just because some struggle to find a happy medium.

This is my life, not yours, i'll take responsibility for my actions, and you do the same with yours I say!

So you see no role for society to manage its significant social problems ?

You think 100's or thousands of teenagers suffering liver failure as an acceptable cost of preserving the freedom to abuse your body.

The logic fails when society has to pick up the bill for alcoholism - when your tax pounds have to flow into clearing up the social mess that ensues. When more important things don't get done as a consequence.

Br Cornelius

[TSS]

So you see no role for society to manage its significant social problems ?

You think 100's or thousands of teenagers suffering liver failure as an acceptable cost of preserving the freedom to abuse your body.

The logic fails when society has to pick up the bill for alcoholism - when your tax pounds have to flow into clearing up the social mess that ensues. When more important things don't get done as a consequence.

Br Cornelius

Have you ever listened to yourself? seriously, step back and think about it rather then jumping to knee-jerk reactions of 'ban it'. If you were really concerned about the young damaging their livers then why not propose a sensible solution, you know like raising the drinking age to 21, legislate to stop pubs selling to people who are clearly just knocking them back in order to get drunk quickly.....but nope, lets ban 'arthur's day' and punish everyone just because some people can't control themselves...

Actually, your idea doesn't solve societies ills, what it does it breed resentment, and mistrust of those who try to dictate our lives to us.

When I was little, my grandfather told me a very simple lesson in life "everything in moderation Chris, everything in moderation"...I do all the things society says are bad for me, and the things people would like banned (including pastimes)...and i'm still here, no medical problems at all. That's not because i'm lucky, or somehow genetically breed to be somehow indestructible...it's because I moderate what I do, and if it goes wrong anyway then 'hey ho' no problem, I knew the risks and choose to take them.

I don't expect anybody to be stopped from doing what they want with their life because of my actions - and vice versa. I fully support though programmes and research into genuine addiction (dopamine levels etc)...and giving the people with those problems individual help (since most addictions are linked to an individual cause anyway)....what I am fully against though (and always will be) is legislation designed to stop everyone, in order to not tempt a few...

Edited September 27, 2013 by Sky Scanner

[rashore]

Dunno what it's like over in Ireland... But I'm not too sure how Arthur's day is that much different than St. Patrick's day, Cinco de Mayo, Thanksgiving and black Friday, Christmas, pretty much every Thursday and Sunday from September to February for football (especially Superbowl Sunday), and probably other days for all the other sports the rest of the year, Labor Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Halloween, Mardi Gras, New Years Eve, and of course all of October for Oktoberfest here in the U.S.. I'm sure I'm probably forgetting some drinking days too.

[Artaxerxes]

Well I think it's a great name for a day!

Arthur

Edited September 27, 2013 by Artaxerxes

[Guest]

Have you ever listened to yourself? seriously, step back and think about it rather then jumping to knee-jerk reactions of 'ban it'. If you were really concerned about the young damaging their livers then why not propose a sensible solution, you know like raising the drinking age to 21, legislate to stop pubs selling to people who are clearly just knocking them back in order to get drunk quickly.....but nope, lets ban 'arthur's day' and punish everyone just because some people can't control themselves...

Actually, your idea doesn't solve societies ills, what it does it breed resentment, and mistrust of those who try to dictate our lives to us.

When I was little, my grandfather told me a very simple lesson in life "everything in moderation Chris, everything in moderation"...I do all the things society says are bad for me, and the things people would like banned (including pastimes)...and i'm still here, no medical problems at all. That's not because i'm lucky, or somehow genetically breed to be somehow indestructible...it's because I moderate what I do, and if it goes wrong anyway then 'hey ho' no problem, I knew the risks and choose to take them.

I don't expect anybody to be stopped from doing what they want with their life because of my actions - and vice versa. I fully support though programmes and research into genuine addiction (dopamine levels etc)...and giving the people with those problems individual help (since most addictions are linked to an individual cause anyway)....what I am fully against though (and always will be) is legislation designed to stop everyone, in order to not tempt a few...

You really don't have a clue about what is going on on the ground. The national sentiment in ireland has been overwhelmingly against Arthers day for the reasons I have discussed. If it isn't banned by the government due to public demand - Diageo will withdraw it due to the huge wave of adverse publicity it has generated for them.

You really haven't got a clue on this one.

Br Cornelius

[TSS]

You really don't have a clue about what is going on on the ground. The national sentiment in ireland has been overwhelmingly against Arthers day for the reasons I have discussed. If it isn't banned by the government due to public demand - Diageo will withdraw it due to the huge wave of adverse publicity it has generated for them.

You really haven't got a clue on this one.

Br Cornelius

Well with any luck common sense will prevail and it will go ahead anyway. Those that don't like it will just have to ignore it. Problem solved.

Edited September 28, 2013 by Sky Scanner

[skookum]

We should just ban everything and live like they did in that film the Demolition Man. I could think of one person who would be happy on here.

[Guest]

We should just ban everything and live like they did in that film the Demolition Man. I could think of one person who would be happy on here.

As surprising as it seems I am generally a libertarian on these things. I like a drink, I like a smoke and some times I like more. I don't agree with bans on things that do little harm. However societies general acceptance of drinking has massive social consequences and Ireland has a particular problem. It is society that suffers if this issue isn't addressed head on. It cost you and me money to deal with the fall out.

Arthurs day and sports sponsorship help to normalize this cultural acceptance of problem behaviour and society can take a stand on the issue if it chooses not to accept the fallout from turning a blind eye.

Ireland as a nation is only just starting to have the conversation with itself and events like Arthur's day don't stand well with the national mood at the moment.

I can indulge responsibly and not cause problems to myself and others. I know of far to many alcoholics to say that many people can do the same.

Br Cornelius