A world without alcohol

In this alternative history alcoholic beverages do not exist. While we remain on the same technological-level existing alcohol is uses solely for industrial and scientific purposes. Would the world be a better or worse place? What would people consume instead of alcohol? And what sort of society would we live in?

I agree in spirit. No pun intended and would immediately revolt and begin bootleg operations once I had stolen the formula from science.

So beer led to bread not visa versa, interesting.

There is also a legend that the reason the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth was to make beer.

Spoken like a true Scotsman

I beg to differ, I never drink and I'm almost never stressed-out. But yeah, apply to every person on this planet and I guess you might be right. But what do you think would then be the most favourite 'chill-out' drink? Tea, coffee or maybe even opium tea? 

Originally posted by Nick1986 In this alternative history alcoholic beverages do not exist. While we remain on the same technological-level existing alcohol is uses solely for industrial and scientific purposes. Would the world be a better or worse place? What would people consume instead of alcohol? And what sort of society would we live in?

Baccus will punish you for your words

In that world, people use more drugs than this one.

Originally posted by Baal Melqart I beg to differ, I never drink and I'm almost never stressed-out. But yeah, apply to every person on this planet and I guess you might be right. But what do you think would then be the most favourite 'chill-out' drink? Tea, coffee or maybe even opium tea?

A glass of moloko-plus before a night of the old ultraviolence? It's real horrorshow brother

Life is too painful, and people need painkiller from time to time so they numb themselves so they don't they blow their brains off; hence different ways for numbing had been invented. If there was no alcohol, there would be more drugs. Otherwise I have a personal grudge against alcohol, because my father and step-father were both alcoholics, and I know how painful is to watch someone you love so killing themselves slowly day by day until they turn into something very different from the original person. No matter how strong my grudge though, I understand that people need anastethic from time to time.

As for the vine and so weak alcohol, I agree with the Dragon - drinking water was not safe in most places before like 20 the century, and wine and beer were used as drink more that water; also vinegar was added to water in Rome at least, in order to disinfect water, and one cannot get vinegar without wine. Hildergard Von Bingen, a saint as she was, in her medicinal works mentions that water makes one weak, so one is to avoid it an imbibe more wine. Also distilled alcohol is heavily used in medicine, so humanity cannot do without it.

I resurrect this thread since I feel that the late great AlaniDragon. as well as the DON, hit it on the head with their responses.

Indeed, alcohol made it possible to drink copious amounts of water with the need to first boil it. One must remember that many accounts of war mention the need to poison or destroy the fresh water supplies of ones enemy.

Beer and wine offered a very safe alternative to water that might well be deadly.

As regards Tea, it requires water to be boiled. Sorry Nick 1986.

Regards to all.
Ron