Friday, June 17, 2011

Why is wowserism no longer the domain of women?

I usually don't catch up with NZ Herald columnists till the following day, given I read early and they are not published till later. Garth George yesterday called for the drinking age to be raised to 21. If you go back 100 years there are plenty of headlines about the demon drink and expunging it entirely from society. Yesterday I was reading from the Evening Post June 16, 1911 about the Women's Crusade for Prohibition in the Dominion and the eliciting of pledges from men not to drink. The campaign actually had a name. Catch my pal.

But the calls 100 years ago were largely from females. Now there are largely from men. I wonder why.

Oh and I see George is blaming alcohol for so many people being on the DPB. So if we legally withhold alcohol from them under-21s won't go on the DPB? Isn't it just better to withhold the DPB which indulges the consequences of drinking?

George blames alcohol for reliance on benefits and so reasons, take alcohol away from everyone under 21. Even those who drink responsibly.

Whereas I blame benefits for the abuse of alcohol. Nothing like a state income free of obligation to sooth a "shuddering hangover" Garth.

7 comments:

PM of NZ said...

"the calls 100 years ago were largely from females. Now there are largely from men. I wonder why."

Because men these days are blouses and need to be hardened up.

Anonymous said...

Nothing like a state income free of obligation to sooth a "shuddering hangover"

what's "obligation" to do with it.

Nothing like a state income to pay for a "shuddering hangover

KG said...

This may answer that question, in part at least. From this morning's Australian:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/commentary/the-rise-of-the-green-wowser/story-e6frgd0x-1226076657891

Lindsay Mitchell said...

Interesting KG, with, at least an upbeat ending.

Also much of the wowser advocacy is now govt funded and men can afford to get involved.

I can be relied on to always find ultimate fault with the state:-)

Kiwiwit said...

This knee-jerk braying for the drinking age to be raised reached a ridiculous low this week when the chairman of the board of Kings College blamed the drinking age for the recent deaths of his charges at that school - despite the fact that they were all below the age of 18. In his case it was a despicable abrogation of responsibility for a school culture that encourages drunken, boorish behaviour.

P.S. Your verification word for this posting is "schite". I trust this is not some form of system-generated opinion of my comment!

Moshe said...

Too many wowsers, too many greenies. It cannot be a coincidence. :-)

Anonymous said...

Wowserism catching on because? Too many fatal car wrecks. Too many births after drunken episodes.Too many court cases after drunken weekends activities. All adding up to too many people learning the very hard way, lessons in life.