Is being drunk an excuse?
 

A bit of background:

Recently, I turned 21, which is the legal drinking age here. I have never really been an avid drinker, and probably drank heavily maybe 3-4 times a year, and even then wasn't really considered that drunk.

Anyway, on my 21st birthday I took an obsene amount of shots, probably more alchohol than I had in the past several years combined. I did get extraordinarily wasted, but still was aware of what I was doing and remembered it all the next day.

My question, based on my experience, is this:

When people use the excuse "I was drunk" - is that really an excuse?

Here is my thinking, I'm curious as to whether or not anyone else feels the same way. First of all, I don't believe it is an excuse simply based on the fact that if you are unable to take responsibility for your actions while drinking, you shouldn't be drinking at all. Secondly, although alchohol certainly lowers inhibitions, but you still know the consequences of your decisions. It ticks me off when people think that being drunk is the end all be all excuse for everything. I think that drinking allows one to do things that they would normally not have the guts to do... for better or worse.

On a side note, I realize that alchohol affects people differently. When I get drunk, I am usually pretty quiet and just revel in being drunk. However, when I do speak, I am quite certain that I am the most humorous guy on the planet. Others, unfortunately, are not quite as amused :p

I know when Im drunk I start to lose my clothes......the only difference between then and being sober is it happens quicker lol

I can honestly say Ive never done anything drunk I wouldnt have done sober....well except that time I said yes to anal sex

What absolutely annoys me to no end, in this country, a person gets into a car, drunk, and goes to drive home (because they're a better driver when they are drunk), and gets into an accident and kills someone. What do they get charged with? Vehicular Manslaughter -- they were drunk and weren't in control of their actions...

It's no excuse... For anything... Unless someone poured the booze down their throat and then forced them to get into that car, they knew what they were doing. Drunkenness is just one more excuse in the wonderful world of "accept no responsibility". Always have something to blame.

It's a reason, not an excuse.
One explains the why you did without trying to get out of blame, the other tries to get out of blame.

And yes, I have used the "I was drunk" line.

I don't think ' I was drunk' is an acceptable answer. It's just a cop out.

I've used the 'I was drunk' line many times too, mostly for saying that i don't remember someone's name though; faces become fuzzy and names become unfamiliar after you sober up.

However, for drunk driving, there is no excuse.

I agree that it should never be a full fledged excuse, but i can't completely dismiss it either.

Like you said, alcohol affects everyone completely differently. Like you said you were aware of what was going on and could still make logical decisions, and for some people, or hell even for the same people on a different day. I take in a decent amount of alcohol and sometimes I can function fine, logically, and remember it. However on other days I can barely remember a period of several hours, and make blatantly illogical decisions. Thats why its important that when I drink a lot it is in a familiar environment where I can't do anything very bad, and of course never ever drive if I've had more than one beer that night. No matter how i feel, one beer is the hard limit i set for myself while sober so i know i'll fall back on it while drunk.

Ok I'm rambling, but I don't think its a end all excuse, but I do think it can have a significant effect on actions of people. And it definately hits everyone differently, just like any other drug, legal or illegal, of any kind.

No excuse for drunk driving though, because thats an easy blank and white decision you should make while sober and carry through while drunk.

Yes, no excuse for drunk driving. But with the exception of that, and some other things which should be clear to everyone, I'm of the opinion that you shouldn't generally hold something against someone for something they did when drunk. If it happens consistently, you might want to talk to them about it when they're sober.

I will be the first to admit I am very very strict regarding drinking and driving. I kid you not, If I have a sip of a wine cooler I will not drive. Do I believe that it would affect me? Not really, but if you don't draw the line in a clear, concise manner that line can blur, especially if you have been drinking. Is it Anal? It certainly is, but If I had drank, even a little bit, and gotten into a car accident and severly injured/killed anyone, I would always question whether or not that would have happened had I not been drinking...

I disagree completely with your viewpoint. But hey, that's what discussions are for, right? In my opinion, far to many people think that all actions performed when drunk absolve them from responsibilty for those actions. Let's take cheating for example. If my g/f cheating on me, drunk or sober, I would end it with her in a heartbeat. In my mind, although she may not have done so while sober, it still was her decision to a)drink b) put herself in that situation

never an excuse. Vote Yes to Prohibition. //quickly runs away




btw.... sooooo true....... me thinks most drunks think this same thing.

I'd say that "I was drunk" might work as an explanation, but not as an excuse. And the down-side of it is, it then gives you something else that you have to come up with an excuse for.

Now, I know you are teasing.. however.. Prohibition isn't the answer... because if you tell someone that they can't have it, makes them want it all the more. Drinking isn't evil, however some people become quite evil when tehy drink.

Drinking responsibily is something that people need to learn, though some never do. People should know what their limits are, and stop themselves from going beyond that point.

Video tape people when they're drunk, and make them watch the video, no, they aren't the best singer, no they aren't the funniest, or most charming, or best looking, or really anything but biggest fool when they are drunk....

Ehh -- I've spent too much time around drunks -- I'm not amused by it... :(

yup. teasing.

nice answer btw. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

I've also spent WAY to much time around drunks. It's why I never drink more than one of anything alcoholic...ever.

I agree pretty much completely with the "an explanation, not an excuse" description. Pretty much falls in with what I was rambling around trying to put in the words.

I don't believe the train of thought that people drunk just do what they wanted to do anyway sober, at least if we're looking at isolated incidents. I think drunkenness can completely change what you would or wouldn't have done. This doesn't mean people should be absolved of everything just because they are drunk, but it is an important fact when looking at any situation.

However, if there is a consistent problem of similar actions while drunk, then I think there's a clear indication of that 'wanting secretly to do it sober' or 'that being what you're really like' thing being likely.

If people drink, thats a part of their personality and you take that into consideration how they are sober and drunk when you look at hanging out with someone or being in a relationship or whatnot. Its all part of a whole.

And yeah, I enjoy the sauce at this particular point in my life.

Definitely an explanation and not an excuse. Everyone must be responsible for their actions.

not an excuse. the person knows they can't control themselves when drunk, therefore they know that they may do something stupid. it's a very poor excuse. just be responsible.

It's not a justification for actions, but it gives insight into the reason behind them. I've done things when I was drunk that I really had no control over (after drinking for a while though, I learned to gain some semblance of self-control when I'm plastered), but I still wouldn't say that completely excuses the activities. It just makes them more understandable, and hopefully more forgivable (this evidently does not relate to drunk driving, which should by now be so socially stigmatized I don't know why anyone does it anymore).

not an excuse....

I follow the axiom:

A drunken heart speaks a sober mind.

I guess this sentiment is my point. Regardless of what happens, if you did it, you had control over it. If you one of those people that "lose control" and you have issues with that, you shouldn't be drinking - or at least not that much.

Re-reading my posts, it almost seems like I anti-alchohol, but in all honestly I usually go downtown every weekend or two and get wasted. I just do my best to do it responsibly...

Sure it is, go ahead and do it, you can always blame the booze that is what is there for

Actually, legally, as long as you voluntarily intoxicate yourself, you are legallyr esponsible for any and all actions. Vehicular manslaughter is what you get charged with for running someone over regardless of sobriety most of the time, unless you intentionally planned to run them over (then you could make a case for Murder 1st).

Back to topic, I think it depends. Going and doing something REALLY bad (ie: burning a house down, starting a fight, stealing things, etc.....) cannot be excused by being drunk. However, I think that being drunk is a fine excuse for more minor things (ie: saying something rude/mean/really stupid, being a minor nuisance, etc....).

EDIT: Irregardless -> regardless for suave's sake

I think that "being drunk" gives people, at the time of an action, a sense of justification/excuse for committing that action, but "being drunk" does not justify/excuse the action committed. Make sense? haha.

On a personal note, this is only partly a personal response. I drink plenty, and get drunk with reasonable frequency. But I rarely do anything while drunk that I regret even a little, and only once or twice have I done anything I really regretted.

The idea that you should hold someone responsible for whatever they do while drunk seems to suppose that being drunk shows you how a person really is. But this view depends on the dubious proposition that who a person really is is their subconscious, and their conscious is merely a facade. It seems more reasonable to suppose that a person is some combination of their conscious and subconscious lives. So, an example. If you tend to be a bit rude when you're drunk, but are the epitome of politeness when you're sober, which one is your true self?

Being drunk and doing something while you're drunk is nothing but an excuse. Basically, your inhibitions are easier to let out and so on.

Actually, perfect sense. I agree wholeheartedly with you.

I don't believe that someone is the "true self" when they are drunk. Alchohol is a drug, and unless you are forced to drink it, you are voluntarily taking it. Most people would hold someone who is coked out of their mind responsible for their actions, alchohol is no different, other than the fact that it is a legal mind altering substance...

Agreed. Explanation, yes. Excuse? No. You drank it, your fault. But it can certainly explain some of the more... interesting things some of us have done :)

I agree with NoSoup.

Being drunk is NEVER an excuse for irresponsible actions.

Well as I stated, I've learned to control myself, but I find that a lot of people, their first few times drinking, completely lack that sort of self-control. That, and one of the main reasons for drinking is to "loosen up" so to speak, or relinquish some of that control with which we lead our sober lives.

edit: aero: AHHH NOT IRREGARLDESS! *shoots himself*
Just "regardless" is more than sufficient for your purposes. :)

If you have to say "Sorry, I was drunk." more than once it no longer becomes a valid excuse or even remotely understandable.

It amazes me how people will say some of the most horrible things then come back the next day trying to apologize because..."they were drunk." and then will do the exact same thing two weeks later. If you said it while drunk you probably were thinking it while sober and no I'm not going to forgive you for it.

I've done stuff that I don't remember doing at all when I was drunk. Though I'm not sure that I would have done something completely stupid during that (those) times. And I wouldn't have been able to pass it off as 'I was wasted'

Being drunk is an excuse for doing stupid things. It's a good one. Lot's of people use it. It's like an automatic 'get-off-the-hook-free' card. Oh well, I was drunk. I couldn't help it.

To that I say bullhonkey. You may commit certain actions under the guise of drunkeness and thereby justify those actions, but the consequences of those actions are dealt with soberly.

I have to agree with pretty much everyone here. Drunk is drunk and you decided to get that way. I'm sure that's why courts don't allow it as a temp insanity defense.

Here in Finland:
Drunkenness is pretty much an excuse AND an explanation to do stupid things, but it's NOT that simple here, either.
You're ALWAYS yourself when you're drunk. Probably you're more close to your True Heart then. (depends on a person, but I'd still grossly overgeneralize)
"Honeybabe. I think I love you" is much easier to say for the first time, when you've had a few beers.

Fact: Alcohol diminishes one's inhibitions and fears.
Reality: People let go of their "everyday faces" and habits. Just look at your boss at x-mas party. :) (if he doesn't let loose there, he's a tightass!)
People show more of their relaxed persona and be more "true" to themselves and others.

I think the human mind NEEDS a way to sometimes "lose" oneself in order to stay clean.
I personally prefer to get loaded a few times a month (usually every saturday) to "boot my brain", rather than lay sprawled on the floor of my livingroom and "let the evil thoughts slip away".
Some people jog, smoke pot (DON'T!), drive fast, do kung fu, masturbate, wash dishes or whatever to "boot" and lose themselvews for a while, just to carry on next week at McJob.

Unfortunately too much people aren't true to themselves and don't/can't show their True face, so they change radically when they're drunk.
If you notice you change into "Mr./Ms. Hyde" after a few beers, take more time to get to know yourself.

My two cents. :)

We must not forget, however, that oftentimes when females consume copious amounts of alcohol, they begin to make out with members of the same gender, and/or remove lots of clothing, which they might not do when sober. For that reason, drunkeness is okay in some respects.

If you can't control yourself while drinking, you shuld either drink responsibly or prepare to accept full responsibility for everything you do while intoxicated.

what about black out drinkers? they get so drunk and they remember nothing about the day before? i have several friends that are like that... they act very beligerant and sometimes violent yet when i question them the next day, they dont recall any of that. personally, i have never gotten that drunk but has any of you ever gotten that drunk?

I had a roommate in college who was like that... And she swore high and low that she didn't have a problem with alcohol. That she knew what she was doing. Sadly, she didn't know what she was doing when she had her stomach pumped in the emergency room for alcohol poisoning, or when she was found naked wandering around one of the men's dorms or a few other episodes... Can't help someone who doesn't beleive that they have a problem, but I stopped covering for her and bailing her out of her situations and she eventually flunked out of school.

I've been that way before. One time I blacked out and woke up the next morning out in the woods and covered in mud. That particular time I think I was having a drinking contest with my buddies, when I was 16 or so. By the time I made it out of the woods I was only half covered in mud......with the other half being puke.

The only other time I haven't been able to remember what happened the night before was when I was at a party and I was nervous and I didn't know anyone. I didn't do anything really stupid, but I was "that guy" at the party. That was also when I was like 16.

this is uncanny - I feel almost the exact same way. I just sort of sit there and bask in the glory of being wasted. The one time I got so fucking wasted that I was stopped by the people at the party (enough to have alcohol poisoning), I STILL knew what I was doing. I wouldn't do anything stupid like rape a girl or throw a bowling ball through a car windshield. I find myself asking the same question: Is being drunk really an excuse?


I've heard that I have a very high tolerance for alcohol, and I do, so maybe that has something to do with how I "felt." But I just don't see how it could alter you to the point where you would do something that bad.

Well I have this friend, who cant remember shit when he gets drunk. He is a complete alcoholic, and when he even gets the slightest buzz from *any* drug (not just alcohol), he cant remember shit. He gets fucked up every day and basically lives like the guy from the movie "memento". Thats what I call him, heheh. But he knows how he reacts to altered states of mind, as do most people (except for the first few times they get fucked up) they know how they will react to the drugs. So I'm inclined to say alcohol is not an excuse for most actions since most tend to know how they will react when drunk.

Nope, not ever an excuse. Sometimesa contributing factor.

if your drunk, you do stupid things that you would NOT do sober - this is because the alchohol reduces our inhibitions. Only in the clear light of the sober day do we realise how stupid some of the actions, that while we drunk seemed perfectly acceptable, are. What other excuse do you have, you did because you were drunk.

this excuse I think holds toght for a multidude of social indiscretions and you will rightly be forgiven. More serious lapses of judgement - driving, cheating and so on are not and should not be tolerated, this is where handling alchohol in a RESPONSIBLE way comes in. Some people can't do this and should not be allowed to drink

It doesn't justify your actions, because you got drunk in the first place. But imagine this, you get in a stupid argument with someone when they're drunk and next morning they don't remember any of it, while you're still fuming...what do you do? Let it go? What else CAN you do?

The things you do when you're drunk are the things you WANT to do when you're sober. Not remembering (or convincing yourself you don't remember) doesn't cut it, and is a nice easy way to slip into a pattern of harmful addiction.

Is being drunk an excuse? NO! It's not even an explanation, or a reason. You act like the fool because that's what you chose to do. It doesn't matter if you're driving or taking your shirt off at Mardi-Gras. As far as being less inhibited, grow up. If you won't do it sober, don't do it while drunk. And speak to your friends - they shouldn't let you do what you wouldn't admit to.

Alcohol impairs your judgment, so, it IS an excuse for lack of judgement and motor skills. It also slows down the part of your brain that processes reason, making you all about emotional responses and a lack of precise motor skills. Again, it is an impairment and therefor can be an excuse.

However, I don’t think it excuses behavior while drunk, and that if someone has a problem with drinking responsibly, they should not drink at all. Ever. Accountability is the way to deal with problem drinking behavior. For most "problem drinkers," that means abstinence.

Conclusion: It's an excuse, but that doesn't excuse the behavior.

if you cant control your actions when yoru drunk then for gods sake just dont get drunk! its no exuse.

Have you ever actually been drunk? You certainly don't look like you speak from experience.

d*d: I think you provided a very good viewpoint on the topic. I agree.

Damn right it can be used as an excuse. Although I agree with the majority of the posts, I do have to say I have used it as an excuse and I have been exhonerated of my actions because of it's excuse. Example: I met a girl at a bar when I was pretty much 3 sheets to the wind. I remember getting her number at the end of the evening after we had a chance to get to know one another. I called her up and we ended up dating for a brief period of time. When we met for the second time, she was telling me things she had already told me before. She pointed out the fact that this was the second time and all I could say was, "Forgive me, I was inebriated at the time that I met you and I don't remember much of what was discussed." She wasn't offended at all. So yes, in some instances, it CAN be an excuse.

Now imagine: You leave a bar with your friend, get in the truck, drive home and on the way your friend sticks his head out the window where it is lopped off by a telephone support cable. You wake up the next morning, still drunk, not knowing how you got home but the police are there to arrest you......this is when you CANNOT use being drunk as an excuse.

In short, I guess being able to use 'drunk' as an excuse is situational.

Your inhibitions are reduced sure, but those things you did are the same things you always wanted to do.

Things like sleeping with that girl, or punching that guy, or telling that home-truth, or whatever - all of those things are what you WANTED to do. You probably wouldn't dream of expressing those thoughts, which is where the beer kicks in.

So, if the shame of whatever action is based on whether you would admit to secretly wanting to perform that action, then being drunk is no excuse.

If the shame comes from the expression of a desire we are all quite happy to admit to having, but which we suppress for various reasons, then *maybe* being drunk is an excuse.

However, people getting drunk because it gives them the feeling of freedom to act with impunity really is a dangerous thing to do. So if in doubt, hold them responsible. What's the alternative? Taking Budweiser to court with a class action suit?

It is my experience that while sober, you want to do the right things. Make choices for yourself that are the safest, and in the best interest of yourself and others. That’s not always the case with someone who is drunk. They literally lose their ability to judge right from wrong because they’re running on impulses and not reasonable, rational, sober, thinking. Many of these people are called alcoholics. They have what seems to be a medical condition that shuts off their ability to know limitations with drinking. Not everyone is like this, but if you are, you should not drink.

There’s a reason why you’re not supposed to let your friends drive drunk. Because they don’t know any better at the time. Of course it’s an excuse. If it’s an excuse to take your friend’s life into your own hands, then it’s an excuse for behavior that was inexcusable. I know that sounds like a contradiction, but it makes since.

My best friend, and the father of my child killed himself in a one-vehicle drunk driving accident. His front driver’s side tire caught a steep embankment and the car flipped, throwing him from the vehicle 180 feet to his death in a field across from where his car flipped. His girlfriend had asked him to drive home, even though he’d called her to tell her he could not drive. Was his drunkenness the excuse for his accident? Yes. Would that accident have happened if he had been sober? Most likely not.

P.S. I was not the girlfriend.

when i was 21 up to 25 i never had blackouts, no matter how much i drank, nowadays sometimes i can't remember shit, go figure...

I personally had maybe 3 sips of alcohol before my 21st birthday. And afterwards I still haven't drank that much. But about a week ago, I went way past my limit without even knowing it. The next morning I wake up, and find out I was saying alot of personal stuff about myself that night. The most personal thing I've ever said was, I really hated that movie.

I was drunk is a good excuse when you do something minor such as that.
However if you do something horrible its a good excuse to die by firing squad.

the only acceptable excuse: Fuck, I don't know - I blacked out.

You can search the news just about anywhere in the world and find a story about some drunk who woke up in jail and had no memory of:

Getting into that accident that killed an entire family, running over the guy in the crosswalk, robbing the gas station and blowing the head off the clerk, (fill in what ever situation you want here).

In every situation, "because I was drunk" has never held up in court nor will it in the future.

The words, "Drink in moderation" and "Drink responsibly" aren't put there so the drunk can laugh at the words later.

I agree with what your saying but there are also descisions you make when drunk which may have nothing to do with "what you really want to do but are to shy when sober" such as the descion I made to try and give my key a gentle kick when it got stuck in my lock - busting the key and locking me out- my excuse"I WAS DRUNK" there is no way I would have done it or even wanted to do it sober

Well driving drunk is the worst... I have lost 2 freinds and have a now brain damaged cousin after an accident with a drunk driver... therefore i always is sober when im driving...

I really can't understand that in the States... In Europe it's pretty much inconcivable (sp?) to drive drunk, yet in the states everyone seems to have a go... Wtf? Care to enlighten me what your thinking getting in to a car drunk?

I have noticed in american films and shows we get over here there seems to be no stigma attached to drink driving, people are often seen to be driving home from bars or parties

Another good example of being responsible for your actions. Why did the key need a gentle kick? Was the lock stuck or were you unable to open a lock due to your level of intoxication? No matter what the reason was, you can't tell me that somewhere between not getting the lock open and kicking the key that something inside didn't say, "This is a very bad idea". Everyone, sober or drunk, should know that keys, locks and kicking only work in movies.

Nope, can't say that it counts as a valid excuse for me.
Everyone does things that they regret when they are drunk, wether remembered or not (i've had a few occations when i have balcked out) but still is no valid excuse.
my .02

I hate the people that get drunk and act loony. My sister needs to be put in a straight jacket when she drinks. I hate to use the lame excuse "they are drunk", but what other conclusion should I come to.

Hey all I live in Australia and drinking is pretty much part of the culture. I've been drinking since I've been 17 till now (i'm 23). Anyway through my years of experience i've learnt how to control my drinking, like I know when i've had enough to have fun and not to much to throw up everywhere. But in my young days my friends and I were use to drink way over our limits and it would sometimes end up a mess but we have fun (we use to get up to a lot of stupid stuff). I believe being drunk is an excuse maybe not a good one and definately not good enough for the law, but as people have said already being drunk lowers your inhibitions which makes you do things you wouldn't do if you were sober but still want to do. The key word there was drunk, when you are sober you have reasoning between things you want to do and things you should or shouldn't do. When your drunk that reasoning may dissapear (thats why it's a bad idea to drink and drive) so in a sense the excuse of I was drunk is right because being drunk removes that reasoning.

If my reasoning faculties were intact, I wouldn't have been drunk

Getting intoxicated is a concious act in most cases.
(Granted, there are exceptions like spiking a drink w/ GHB - but that's another disturbing issue.)

In the majority of cases, then intoxication is no longer a valid excuse.
It's only part of an explanation.

When it's by your own hand, being intoxicated does not mitigate culpability.

hee hee i love getting drunk...i love doing daft mischievous things when i'm drunk but there is a huge difference between this and getting violent and dangerous or just down right evil. i also have been known to become over amorous when drunk which has not always gone down well with girlfriends...
i have a couple of friends who get become all testosterone when they are drunk and it really pisses me off. according to stats more than half of all violent crime is committed under the influence of alcohol...i tend to get either sleepy or really giggly (spelling?)

now if everyone smoked weed then we'd get rid of these problems and probably find solutions for all the worlds ills. ;)

I usually don't consider negligence or ignorance to be good excuses. It may rationalize, but it doesn't justify.

I seem to quote you often Mal but that's because we share similar views on a lot of topics. Being drunk is a symptom. It's NEVER an exucuse. Period. :mad:

it's not an excuse but serves as part of an explanation.

I've done quite a bit of hardcore drinking, and will continue to do so. And every single time, my mind functions perfectly (almost), but things like vision and balance decline, and my little voice saying "Don't do that" completely disappears. Which actually makes for fun times during big parties. I'm normally a pretty reserved, shy person, so if I weren't drunk, I'd hate big parties. Drinking actually gets me up and talking to people. So in that respect, drinking is my enabler; something I wouldn't normally do, but within reason. I agree that being drunk is an explanation of your actions, but no way is it an excuse. Sure being drunk helps me be more social, but it doesn't make me start making out with every girl I see.

As some one who spent his 20's getting very drunk a lot of the time I was always aware of what I was doing and what I did I did. Being drunk is no excuse for anything. Well maby a hang over but that is it.

I hit my face on a cab door. My excuse? I was drunk. You lose motor skills and perception. For inexcuseable behavior, its obviously not going to make you come out scot free.. but for sheer stupidity, its their fault for getting drunk. I mean, am I going to blame that cab door for coming out and hitting ME in the face? haha.

It all depends on the person.

I personally have a very high tolerance and matabolism for alcohol and other drugs. I had about 18 beers in under 90 minutes less than two hours ago and I'm sober up pretty well right now and know I won't have a hangover tomorrow. I know when I am plastered off my ass I might let one or two things more slip than I would if I was sober, but other than that I talk and act about the same. I have never had to rely on the "I was drunk excuse", if I ever had been drunk and said something, I will correct myself in the morning by saying, "yes, that wasn't the best thing to say, but it is true."

From that respect, I simply do not know what people say when they cannot recall the next day, when they say, "I'm sorry, I was drunk." But I do have the ability to respect it as not everyone has the same tollerance/metabolism as I do.

Personally, I don't go and get pissed drunk in public where I could possibly offend someone else. If I ever get truely drunk off my ass, I do it in relative private where the only people I would come in contact with would be friends. I would recommend this to everyone because any true friend, in my opinion, should be able to say their fellings when they are so far drunk that they do not remember even starting drinking the night before.

You're damn right it is. No, it's not an excuse, it's a fucking reason and a justification. It is my god given right to act like an ass and do stupid shit when I'm drunk. This question offends me.

It's been nice knowing you...I predict a boom-stick in your not so distant future. ;)

It could totally be an excuse the first time you do something stupid, but once you learn from your mistake and don't drink that much again, then it is no longer an excuse. It isn't even a reason. If you know you will sleep with whoever when you drink too much, then you don't need to be drinking that much, and if you do then don't use "I was drunk, it wasn't my fault" line because it's bullshit.

It's not a good excuse, but it's a reason for why things happen.
They made a conscious decision to get drunk. What happens after that is completely their fault.

However, it's a perfectly good reason for why they acted like such an idiot. ;)

Consumption of alcohol impairs motor reflexes and judgement, everyone of atleast their teen years should be aware of this. So if you choose to drink, you're choosing to impair yourself, and are therefor responsible for the consequences you may reap (be it saying hello again to lunch, that giant cucumber in the bathroom [hellooooo tequila!], or the death of another vias-a-vie drunk driving). Never an acceptable excuse, only a reason.. :hmm:


Devin

My feeling is alcohol gives you the ability to do things you want to do. It is not always true, like a girl getting raped (they didn't always want it). But for the most it looses you up to allow to do things you wouldn't generally do.