Is there anywhere in the world I can avoid British culture?
Discussion
Just to underline what half the replies have been telling the OP, here's a graph of annual alcohol consumption in the OECD nations. OK, it's data from 2010, but I doubt things have changed all that dramatically since...
For the OP's "typical" Brits so obsessed with drinking that they can't actually read the bars on the graph, I'll help out. The UK drinks less per head than France or the OECD average, and almost exactly the same (2% in it) as Switzerland.
OP - You're clearly in a dead end career in a dead end city. Why not get yourself a few more qualifications and move somewhere nicer? If everyone in Sheffield is so obsessed with constantly being drunk as you suggest, then it's probably fair to say that average alcohol consumption in the rest of the UK must be significantly lower than it is in Switzerland, just to compensate for the huge intake in your neck of the woods!
Like most people, I enjoy a good night out on the beers with friends and/or colleagues, but that's at most maybe once every month or two, and I can't remember the last time - if ever! - that any of us got into any sort of drunken altercation or any trouble, except maybe with our wives when we tiptoe gracefully to bed at three in the morning.
OK, that might've been a more frequent pattern at Uni and for a couple of years after graduating, but it seems that unlike Sheffield and/or your chosen line of work, the rest of the nation grows up and settles down by their mid twenties.
For the OP's "typical" Brits so obsessed with drinking that they can't actually read the bars on the graph, I'll help out. The UK drinks less per head than France or the OECD average, and almost exactly the same (2% in it) as Switzerland.
OP - You're clearly in a dead end career in a dead end city. Why not get yourself a few more qualifications and move somewhere nicer? If everyone in Sheffield is so obsessed with constantly being drunk as you suggest, then it's probably fair to say that average alcohol consumption in the rest of the UK must be significantly lower than it is in Switzerland, just to compensate for the huge intake in your neck of the woods!
Like most people, I enjoy a good night out on the beers with friends and/or colleagues, but that's at most maybe once every month or two, and I can't remember the last time - if ever! - that any of us got into any sort of drunken altercation or any trouble, except maybe with our wives when we tiptoe gracefully to bed at three in the morning.
OK, that might've been a more frequent pattern at Uni and for a couple of years after graduating, but it seems that unlike Sheffield and/or your chosen line of work, the rest of the nation grows up and settles down by their mid twenties.
tastyorange said:
What a load of nonsense with other posters accusing the OP of being in the wrong industry or making friends with the wrong class of people.
The British drinking culture permeates all classes / professions / wealth etc.
Yes, and no. I work for a UK company. Not one of my colleagues - or a few colleagues who are also friends ever talk about "the pub".The British drinking culture permeates all classes / professions / wealth etc.
Football, yes (yawn) - cricket, how far they have been cycling, guns (a fair number shoot), restaurants. They drink, sure, but it isn't the focal point.
Vaud said:
Yes, and no. I work for a UK company. Not one of my colleagues - or a few colleagues who are also friends ever talk about "the pub".
Football, yes (yawn) - cricket, how far they have been cycling, guns (a fair number shoot), restaurants. They drink, sure, but it isn't the focal point.
According to your profile, you live in Switzerland.Football, yes (yawn) - cricket, how far they have been cycling, guns (a fair number shoot), restaurants. They drink, sure, but it isn't the focal point.
Instead, perhaps you should advise the OP to relocate to Switzerland.
tastyorange said:
What a load of nonsense with other posters accusing the OP of being in the wrong industry or making friends with the wrong class of people.
The British drinking culture permeates all classes / professions / wealth etc.
But there is a key difference to people who yap on about drinking ten pints before a kebab and appeared in a load of photos with 'Don't stay in' watermarked over the top and those who go out for a few drinks, or whatever and don't need to tell everyone about it, OR didn't do that and did other stuff instead. I can assure you that while I know people like the OP talks about (most of them are from places like Basingstoke, which I imagine is a smaller version of Sheffield in the south) I don't surround myself with them like he has done.The British drinking culture permeates all classes / professions / wealth etc.
tastyorange said:
What a load of nonsense with other posters accusing the OP of being in the wrong industry or making friends with the wrong class of people.
The British drinking culture permeates all classes / professions / wealth etc.
Except, it would seem, for those parts of Britain it doesn't permeate? The British drinking culture permeates all classes / professions / wealth etc.
Admittedly, the contents of the recycling boxes outside some of the houses on our road do make my mind boggle, but in the sort of circles I move in (bog standard middle class Surrey, Central London and Somerset, primarily), the sort of culture the OP refers to is, at worst, something I sometimes see strangers going. It bears absolutely no resemblance whatsoever to any of my friends, colleagues or family.
Maybe you too could do with a career and/or location change?
TEKNOPUG said:
The top 14 countries in the world, by litres of alcohol consumed per capita, are all European.
The UK, is 15th, joint with Switzerland...
Living in the UK isn't your issue; it's your work and social circle that is the problem. Only YOU can change that.
I think this is the take home message for the OP ... The UK, is 15th, joint with Switzerland...
Living in the UK isn't your issue; it's your work and social circle that is the problem. Only YOU can change that.
Kermit power said:
Just to underline what half the replies have been telling the OP, here's a graph of annual alcohol consumption in the OECD nations. OK, it's data from 2010, but I doubt things have changed all that dramatically since...
For the OP's "typical" Brits so obsessed with drinking that they can't actually read the bars on the graph, I'll help out. The UK drinks less per head than France or the OECD average, and almost exactly the same (2% in it) as Switzerland.
That graph doesn't tell you anything. The annual consumption could for example largely consist of people who drink in moderation every night, e.g. a glass or two of wine with an evening meal. Or it could be largely made up of people who go out and get completely sFor the OP's "typical" Brits so obsessed with drinking that they can't actually read the bars on the graph, I'll help out. The UK drinks less per head than France or the OECD average, and almost exactly the same (2% in it) as Switzerland.
tfaced down a Club Zeus once a week. budgie smuggler said:
That graph doesn't tell you anything. The annual consumption could for example largely consist of people who drink in moderation every night, e.g. a glass or two of wine with an evening meal. Or it could be largely made up of people who go out and get completely stfaced down a Club Zeus once a week.
This is a fair point. For whatever reason, I only seem to know people in the former group, whereas the OP only seems to know people in the latter, yet we both live in the UK. Hmmm.....tfaced down a Club Zeus once a week. budgie smuggler said:
Kermit power said:
Just to underline what half the replies have been telling the OP, here's a graph of annual alcohol consumption in the OECD nations. OK, it's data from 2010, but I doubt things have changed all that dramatically since...
For the OP's "typical" Brits so obsessed with drinking that they can't actually read the bars on the graph, I'll help out. The UK drinks less per head than France or the OECD average, and almost exactly the same (2% in it) as Switzerland.
That graph doesn't tell you anything. The annual consumption could for example largely consist of people who drink in moderation every night, e.g. a glass or two of wine with an evening meal. Or it could be largely made up of people who go out and get completely sFor the OP's "typical" Brits so obsessed with drinking that they can't actually read the bars on the graph, I'll help out. The UK drinks less per head than France or the OECD average, and almost exactly the same (2% in it) as Switzerland.
tfaced down a Club Zeus once a week. However the Norway figure is probably skewed by the fact that many brew and sometimes distill their own alcohol, this is drunk before going to the pub at weekends, this is called voerspiel (which translates as foreplay
) and after the pub which is nachspiel, so consumption will not match sales.Many supermarkets even sell whisky/gin/vodka/rum essence for people to put in their home made hooch.
Get a hobby that isn't getting smashed every Friday night.
That way you will have things to talk about with likeminded people. You may go out with them and go drinking once in a while, but I suspect it wouldn't be the painful and dull experience you seem to find it now as you're with friends.
You're on Pistonheads so are presumably a petrol head, there are a hundred car related subcultures that you might fit into.
If you're still bothered about being the isolated bloke at work then work somewhere else.
That way you will have things to talk about with likeminded people. You may go out with them and go drinking once in a while, but I suspect it wouldn't be the painful and dull experience you seem to find it now as you're with friends.
You're on Pistonheads so are presumably a petrol head, there are a hundred car related subcultures that you might fit into.
If you're still bothered about being the isolated bloke at work then work somewhere else.
So I discovered that a stat where my country, Italy, isn't placed in the bottom actually exists...
As others pointed out I met a lot of people not addicted to drinking every weekend, but probably overall there is a pub culture that is certainly more widespread than in countries like Italy. In Italy in a pub you will find just young people, 16-20, and some lone drinker. You will find much more people in a winery, but they rarely get drunk there.
As others pointed out I met a lot of people not addicted to drinking every weekend, but probably overall there is a pub culture that is certainly more widespread than in countries like Italy. In Italy in a pub you will find just young people, 16-20, and some lone drinker. You will find much more people in a winery, but they rarely get drunk there.
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