Presence

Jewboy writes:

I think that the stigma the frum community puts on drinking can have its negative effects. While teens should be discouraged from drinking, I believe that they should also be educated that alcohol is not inherently evil but a pleasure that must be controlled. As evidenced by my actions, I think alcohol can be enjoyed by the right person at the right time, and in the right amount. The problem with much of the Orthodox slamming of drinking is that it teaches kids that all drinking is bad, and therefore if they do drink they think of themselves as bums.

I agree 100%. As I commented over on Jewboy's post, it's similar to the argument over gun control. Anyone who grew up around guns knows that you learn from a very young age the protocols of using firearms. Along the way you learn to respect the gun, and internalize how to use it properly and responsibly. The same goes for drinking, and ideally Purim should be a time when kids see adults drinking for pleasure in a responsible fashion and learn to respect and appreciate both the positive and negative sides of imbibing alcohol. It could be, however, that we as a community and society are too far past the point where this possible.

A related point which Jewboy makes is the increasing amounts of stigmatization in the Orthodox community. Taking a potentially benign act and making it a black and white issue changes the act's societal significance, making the act an outlet for rebellious behavior, or reinforces a negative self-image. This is occurring in all sorts of areas in the Orthodox community, from things like television and movies, to modes of dress, to educational curriculums; the examples are very many and very common. What results is kids who think they aren't up to par because they don't do something insignificant, like dress a certain way. From there, they progress into violations of halacha, or even worse, into self-destructive behavior such as drug or alcohol abuse. As Jewboy says, the focus should be on creating a happy medium and teaching our kids how to approach life responsibly.

By the way, Jewboy wins my award for best Purim costume. Very nice!

Posted by Greg at March 8, 2007 9:49 AM in Culture, Jewish Education, Jews | TrackBack