Do people really need a "social lubricant"?

Ah well ..yes people I am talking about social drinking.. I don't fall in the category of "social drinking" ( I do drink lots of water though :)),however I do have friends who drink at parties or make excuses and situations to drink and label it as social drinking.
Various situations that come to my mind( This situation can be also the other way round you know where she is the drinker and he non drinker )

Situation 1:

He: I am meeting a friend from school ? Haven't seen him in ages?
She : Where you guys meeting ?
He: At the bar? You know lots of catching up to do.
She : Sighs Ok ..Have fun and be safe

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Situation 2:

He : Hey my manager called me for a drink, I didn't want to go but had to say yes . You know what if he feels bad and he thought of calling me so I had to oblige.
She: Hmmm ok . You don't really have to drink if you don't want to but you can still give him company...
He: Ya but, thats not how it is ..
She : Ok .. Take care
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Situation 3

She: Why do people think its important to drink at official parties or why do people think they need to have few shots to have fun at a party?

He: Well firstly at official parties when people drink it kinda breaks the ice between people and it becomes easier to connect and talk about things they couldn't otherwise. And when people take drinks at parties the mood lightens and ya....

She: Are you telling me that you cannot connect with a person or people at a normal dinner or lunch where they are sober and in their senses. Are you telling me that guys and gals need to have few shots to dance at a party? I thought good music and friends were sufficient. Besides what is fun when you cannot rememeber or recall what you said or did or the way you moved or who you danced with.. Beats me ..

He : Its not like that? Are you telling me that drinking is a sin ?

She : No its not a sin .Its not the drinking part thats bothering me . Its the attitude and reasons behind drinking that bothers me. If you want to have few drinks go ahead and drink. Don't make it seem like a necessary 'social lubricant'.
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Situation 4

She: Hey man!! Saw a pic of yours the other day on FB ? I didn't know you smoke ?
He: Am not a smoker but I smoke when I drink.
She: Ah! I see ...

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I meet lots of new people everyday at work and I have also attended few parties where drinks were served so I had this chance to see what really happens at this official social drinking party ..Really nothing happened they had drinks and parted ways :)... Ya I had cola with the bunch of people who drink cola and ya we also talked things and parted ways.
I am not trying to judge drinkers and non drinkers but really one cannot say that social drinking is a must to be part of corporate life and I also feel social drinking is a choice. So if you have made a choice to drink accept it and don't give reasons for why one should drink.
I don't drink and I am not socially handicapped and so are many other people who do drink.

There are situations where people tend to over drink and end up hurting family and friends or how about irresponsible driving after drinking. These are not cases of responsible drinking but how can you know when the thin line to alcoholism is crossed ?. Sometimes innocent people lose life because one person chose to have fun. If you plan on drinking get someone who is not drinking to drive you home. Isn't that a more responsible behavior than hurting people around?.
This can go on and on forever ...And I am not able to type further

So Cheers :) and be safe ......


Here are few links of positive and negative sides to social drinking

http://vaden.stanford.edu/library/alcoholSocialDrinking.html

http://www.memorialhospital.org/Library/general/general-SOCIAL.html

http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=435

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/alcohol/Pages/Socialdrinking.aspx