Voiceless or voices stifled?

Alcohol. There cannot be a better anachronism to describe the vagaries of nature of mankind as well the laws of Nature!

Taboo. So say the Puritanists of society. Their viewpoint is justified forever because intake of alcohol is universally acknowledged as being the prime causative factor for all acts of crime. All criminal jurisprudence supports this truism of life.

Right. A right to liberate oneself with an innocuous exercise of intake of alcohol . So say the ones that enjoy this elixir of life. Undoubtedly so. A harmless past time. As long as one consumes in one’s own hearth or homestead . And, in moderate quantities of a tonic to relax the nerves – as we all are won’t to believe!

Break of harmony – in the home, in a being and all of the neighbourhoods.. Here commences the concern of all right-thinking leaders of world. Be they physicians, social activists, law-makers, makers and marketers of alcoholic beverages of all types,forms,brands …

Policy of any modern government to prohibit the sale of liquor in public places has been found to be ridden with holes, a dime a dozen.

To begin with, a certain State in the south of India has a tradition of offering freebies to poor electorate come election season. It was estimated to cost the exchequer a whopping twenty eight thousand crores of rupees! But, the clever ruler sourced this huge sum from an earning of thirty thousand crores of rupees through sale of alcohol by the State run outlets( including licensing system )! So,at the end of it all, there was still a savings of two thousand crores of rupees in the State kitty!!

Social studies reveal that it is the poor people who resort to alcohol and cheap liquor as a means of battling life’s many challenges. The rich in any case enjoy their wine, liqueurs and consumption of any substance by them does not matter to pundits of economics, sociology or politics.

Having said this, it is pertinent to note that decadence of an individual starts when he turns an addict of alcohol. What was once a means to relaxation or ‘social’ habit soon gives way to the monsters inhabiting the being of the regular consumer. Thoughts gallop as race horses in the course but, all benumbed, bodily form turns as good as a corpse . Nervous wrecks emerge out of a lively being. Sensory organs go for a walk & no command of the brain is translated by an inebriated person! In short, a walking dead emerges from the one enslaved to the habit!

So arises the question: can society or a government police the habitual drunkards?

Yes. Should- to check rise of crime rate. No. It is more a civic sense of both individuals of the community as also the society as a whole which ought to self-regulate this strange addiction which only terminates real life activity. However, a comprehensive look must be had at the whole gamut of the alcoholism , alcohol-abuse , alcohol-driven lifestyle of modern day world around us..

Not fully in jest is it often said that an alcoholic is one who drinks more than his doctor!

Or, that fractures used to heal even when there were no orthopaedic surgeons!

But, hindsight is a perfect science, so to speak.. Hence and therefore, let us analyse the need to banish alcoholism from the lives of youngsters and future generations. For the good of society. And, of each and every human being..

Utopian ?

Yes. But, very essential.

It is not just societal problems that emanate from alcoholism but physical impairment of the consumer is but bound to occur.

What use existence ? – ask the depressed people. They use this as a slogan to indulge in uninhibited, unrestricted, uncontrollable consumption of alcohol. And indeed, they turn deadwood , live corpses and life becomes wasted . A vegetated existence is the beginning of fall of all mankind. Unless there be growth, activity, development of the personality and society cumulatively, an insect’s life appears to have greater purpose, meaning and interest for the Universe!

So, an ecosystem or the lifestyle adopted by each of us in the society of beasts, humans and trees determines the intolerance, acceptance or addiction to alcohol as a style statement of one’s mental, economic & social quotient!

Surrounded by elders, peers and marketing wizards’ bombardment of the fashionable page-3 cocktails circuit which is dubiously dubbed and propagated as ‘ up & flying’ -indication of success, the vulnerable, jobless and curious youngsters become victims of a past generation. The horrendous tales of destruction and degenerated mindsets haunt families, generations, communities – worldwide!

Recovering from downslide is next to impossible. So, beware!

Even those who are addicted and enslaved to alcohol abuse often are heard to dissuade others in the society from falling prey to the ‘ ‘bug of peg’ !

A singular measure which can be taken by all of society and the whole of the world is to ban prominent adverts with promiscuous looking images goading upon all to squander their wealth and often hard earned little money on alcoholic beverages. For, after all none can stop you from taking the plunge into an evening or day of drinking splurge if you chose to.. not to make a special mention of the drunken brawls that are often end-result of such uninhibited sessions . Daily bouts are but bound to result in criminal behaviour or premature death due to liver cirrhosis and similar terminal conditions of health…

Such a regulation must be prescribed by every local government and one cannot await nor expect a ‘western’ world health organisation to dictate the good advice to the comity of nations across the globe.

Even more importantly, the State must impose heavy taxation on all activities related to alcohol. Not just consumption.

This will act as a double-edged weapon : on the one hand, it will fetch greater revenue for public welfare activities. On the other hand, this shall but help reduce the number of wanton consumers of this tantalising substance.

Reams and reams of paper have been utilised to drive better sense among populations of the country and in other parts of the world – both about the perils of drinking alcohol as a habit and the multiple jeopardy to which every consumer is facing . Many others have cried hoarse about spurious liquor and adulteration becoming an industry whenever prohibition policy takes shape.

And, there are little vociferous brigades who cite mythological names as Bacchus, Shiva & the wine dispensed as ‘prasadam’ in Catholic Churches after mass prayers!

Little do the dangers evaporate with such arguments of support to one’s habits.

Hard core alcoholics soon convert into dipsomaniacs. Their existence revolves around the bottle, literally speaking. Medicinal effects vanish. Side effects adversely affect the bodily form. Firmness of grip and solidity of thought process diminished, the person soon turns into a deformed puppet of the drops!

Violence soon forms a part of the psyche – both to the one deprived of alcohol and the ones who drown & drench themselves in their waking hours into alcohol.. This permeates and only bedlam results even in drawing rooms, bedrooms not to speak of streets. All is hell . Life becomes hell. Not just for the victim of this habit but to all those near & dear ones- be it parents, spouse, children, relatives, neighbouring people and total strangers!

Banal . Cannot ban it . Abandon it.

A perennial solution can only come from one’s strength of character. This often is moulded by one’s religion, faith and upbringing.

Prescription and restrictions imposed by religious orders are seldom followed religiously even by the self-professed devout . So, is it destiny, karmic causes or is it absolutely a matter of one’s decision to keep the tryst with destiny?

This is the signature tune of this universal document. Must one fall prey to an age-old habit ? Or, should one stand strong ,be confident and turn a Nelson’s eye to this endangering if enticingly ‘cool’ habit ?

The choice and answer determines your autobiography…

There are cultures where best of business moguls and preachers enjoy their drinks upon sunset but are up and fresh by sunrise to address a new fresh day’s tasks in full senses . These are far & few – the people who enforce discipline even in such a cultivated or inherited habit.

And, then there are many more saner ones who indulge in buttermilk, curds and fresh fruit juices or simply water to thank the night for relieving them of a day’s burden . They are otherwise as free thinking in mind and agile in bodily actions,day in & day out..

Sad is the case of those who fall prey and seek to indoctrinate rest of world into their Dracula like mission. They fall soon as dried leaves do , off a treetop!

It would not be out of place to present the fragile argument of those new breed of young Turks in business & profession who wail that unless social drinking is indulged in, they would lose out . To these folks, I say,’ No, not at all. For, I have worked long hours and won largest of cases even of royal dynasties who forsake their cup of joy whenever an appointment with this lawyer was in place. You set the style of your work space . Do not succumb!’ ..

The long and short of it all, dear readers, is that alcoholism is a key determinant of your life : will you like to help it cut short your productive life or counter the itch & bug to clink glasses , for a happy, peaceful, long lifespan?

To not to fall prey would enhance both the quality and term of one’s lifetime…

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Pamarty Venkataramana

Pamarty Venkataramana (PVR) is a distinguished and eminent international Jurist, Poet, Author, Speaker and Thinker based in India. His many books are published.

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