Sunday, January 28, 2007

Truth in Advertising?

 
What I wouldn't give if real truth in advertising were required!  It might would stay many from ever being a jenny's better half.  But then, there'd still be the masses who think "That's not me."
 
I'm sorry.  Forgot to tell you this is a rant about alcohol.  I'm sick and tired of watching people I know and love swirl down the toilet bowl of life.  I'm worn from seeing them slap each other on the backs as they laugh and slide straight into hell on earth.  And I'm especially sick of their hell bleeding over into my little slice of paradise.
 
The advertisements show beautiful people, smiling, laughing, hooking up; drinking until they just get a blush of gaiety about them.  Then they warn you to drink responsibly and never drive drunk.  They have obviously never met a drunk person.  Albeit some will drink to a drunken state quite on purpose.  Many even.  But there are also many who drink, enjoying themselves and then just sort of find, BAM! - I'm drunk.  And Hollywood has done it's fair share of promoting drunks as cute, funny, adorable critters who quietly fall asleep when given the chance.  They also never met a drunk.
 
Well, I've been married into the work hard, play harder mentality that dominates these woods for soon 23 years.  And I've lived in the heart of them for the past 9 years.  And I'm here to tell you what you'd see if advertising were true.
 
  • You'd see men and women chugging down a half a case or more a piece in one evening. 
  • You'd see best friends, brothers and even sisters come to blows with one another over some perceived (or misconceived rather) wrong they felt was inflicted upon them. 
  • You'd see people who never even thought of hitting the road until after they were inebriated.
  • You'd know that a struggle to keep keys away from one could be just as deadly as allowing one to drive.
  • You'd see ladies puke all over their newest boots and splatter all over their Rocky Mountain jeans.
  • You'd find men that floated away in a sea of their own piss as they slept in their drunken stupor.
  • You'd know that women and children were pulled, pushed or flat out hit for asking a question, not asking a question, being up at that time, not being up at that time.
  • There would be fools tearing up their own possessions in fits of drunken rage.
  • You'd find missed work days so they could recuperate from their most recent self inflicted illness.
  • You'd hear them wonder why their health was failing and their relationships never seemed to last.
  • You see families suffer financially while stiff fines and penalties were paid for the household drunk. 
  • Once the tabs start popping, nothing matters except that there is another can in the cooler and that they realize they are low before the "beer store" closes.
 
These are generalities.  They are taken from real stories and experiences.  Some of which would curl your hair. 
 
Come on Miller Lite, Bud, Coors and the rest!  I dare you.  I double dog dare you to tell the truth!!!!!!  
 
Who wants a beer?


Barbara

18 comments:

  1. Bravo!!!!  I've seen so much of what you speak...........
    hugs
    d

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  2. I've been fortunate to not have had this in my family but I know you speak the truth as I have seen it in other families. It always amazed me when people thought dancing and drinking went hand in hand. I've danced a few in my time and never drank anything but water and had probably more fun then the drinkers. I could hold my head up the next morning. Paula

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  3. I used to drink a lot ... drink till I couldn't drink anymore. Only on weekends ... but anyway, I gave it up for a while and within the past couple years began again.  I could count on my hand how many drinks I have in a week (or 2) so I don't consider it a problem.  I am not getting drunk, not even getting a buzz.  So even though alcohol is a major problem for millions, I would say it all bad. I understand where it is coming from though.

    LORI

    Who I am… underneath it all:  
    http://journals.aol.com/scotthlori/DiscoveringMe

    Precious Metal (A Spiritual Journal)
    http://journals.aol.com/scotthlori/PreciousMetal

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  4. Oh Barbara!  AMEN!!!!  You would also see a car full of teenagers, not yet reaching their prime of life being burned to death in the car they were riding in after crashing head on into another car full of yet, more teenagers.  You'd see families ripped apart because they've lost half their family, both parents or best friends dead because they or the other driver was drunk.  You'd see suicide attempts, and suicide successes, siblings beating on each other, the pain of loved ones throwing their lives away from a few good feelings- that is, if, like you said, puking your guts up into a pail, or in the bushes good feelings.  After all the years of groups like AA, and MADD, you'd think people would wisen up.  I thank Jesus that He helped me get so sick off the stuff- I can't even smell it anymore without wanting to throw up.  Now If the same thing could happen with cigarettes- I'd be in good shape!  God Bless you so much Barbara.  PS- I knew the teenagers, I knew the suicide attempts, the successful suicede, the ones sent to prison, the relatives, friends and loved ones who died- I was the sibling being beat on, and continue to watch other loved ones do stupid things.  All I can do is keep praying, and pray that they Hear God!  Love Carolyn

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  5. A HUGE AMEN! I grew up in an alcoholic family, struggled with it myself, for many years, have two sons struggling with it now, and lost my father at age 15, because of a drunk driver. ALcohol steals a life. It is one of Satan's favorite tools. The others, among thousands, are: sex, money, fame, drugs, and especially DISCOURAGEMENT. Think about it. Discouragement draws people to drugs and alcohol quickly, and to other things as well. Once a person gets discouraged, if he, or she, doesn't pull themselves up, with God's help, they sink into beds of self-pity, and that of course, leads right back to the alcohol, sex, and drugs. I'm tired of it too, But if we are tired of it, imagine how GOD feels about it.
    Love you,
    Barb- http://journals.aol.com/barbpinion/HEYLETSTALK

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  6. In my family there is proof that alcholol will kill you...kill your marriage...break down the family structure....and yet...the tv's keep telling the story of beer, wine, whiskey...and the true value it is to a person who wants to party or otherwise....only when people themselves realize what is happening will it all change....the industry will never change....as long as the money keeps rolling in....devestating isn't it????  sad sad sad....and like you we are all sick and tired of what it is doing to our country.....Hugs to ya...Ora of KY

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  7. Barbara,
    Advertising for tobacco was outlawed in Europe a long time ago. I'm waiting for booze to go down the same route :-\

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  8. You have said it as far as the drinking of alcohol goes especially when people are in the prime of life and able to do a good job of getting drunk on a regular basis.  That is when they can really do a lot of damage because they have got kids, a marriage, a job or business, and can violate just about every one of them.  But come and visit my blog as I tell you about coping with an old drunk, trying to live life in a corner of his, all that is left after the daily alcohol consumption has taken its toll. He grew up in a world where extreme moderation was the rule with drinking, so it took him years to become a full blown alcoholic, what my dad probably achieved when he was still a child.  Those cowboys did not fool around.  They got drunk to pass out, or at least he did.  I had never run into a sipper before.  But I am also in the middle of an obesity epidemic that has hit this complex as hard as the alcohol has.  Mostly women putting on a hundred pounds in a year, hardly able to walk, wheelchairs and scooters galore, the buses practically coming to a halt from loading and unloading the gargantuans.  And my dad died of his heavy smoking not his drinking, and so did my boyfriend who had every vice known to man.  I am overweight, what can I say?  
    But you wrote well  here.   Gerry (75)
    http://journals.aol.com/gehi6/daughters-of-the-shadow-men/

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  9. I had a cousin whose wife was in the bed drunk, he and his brother-in-law, both drunk, got into an arguement and the BIL shot my cousin. The small son ran for help, my cousin called an operator who happened to be my neice and bled to death because she couldn't understand what he needed. This was before 911. Such a waste. Cousin dead, his brother-in-law in prison, kids hurt for life and wife filled with guilt.

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  10. a dangerous plauge. thanks for bringing this to us.

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  11. We have had a few alcoholics in my hubby's family.  Why do the young ones feel you cannot enjoy yourself without getting legless as quick as you can?  Er, what is a jenny's better half?
    Jenny <><
    http://journals.aol.co.uk/jennyp51/stop-the-clock-times-moving-too-/

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  12. barbara gosh this one was tough to read because i too know the realities of the life not advertising.
    thank you for shairing this
    emily

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  13. Your entry really hit home, while I do not drink or smoke and never have, I grew up around it and unfortunately ended up in some relationships which abounded in alcoholism.  It is something I dont quite understand, yet it is a very significant disease in this world.  I agree the beer companies need to advertise the very real dangers that come from starting to drink even one beer.  Thank you for a great entry.

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  14. That would be the most fantastic thing I can think of.  If the media could or would  change the image of drinking.  Everything you said hits the mark.  Every morning the drinker tells him/her self that I just went a little overboard...next time will be different.  Sometimes I think they are just trying to reach the joy, happiness, acceptance and all the rest that are pictured in the advertisements.  WE NEED TO FACE REALITY.   http://journals.aol.com/magran42/FazeDaze/

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  15. We will never see it, not from them anyway.

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  16. I totally agree with you!
    Lori

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  17. It really has nothing to do with advertising - sure it is designed to make it look sexy, or cool but we have choices.  It's about choices and that is a very deep subject, but I don't believe that any advertisement made someone drink that didn't want to drink.  We have all tried it at one time or another, some, for whatever reason, get hooked, enjoy the high, but they still have a choice.  It's about lifestyle.  It's about who you hang around with.  It's about daddy, or grand dad, someone in your life who you idolized and sort of patterned your life after and with some it's about addiction and it's about not wanting to be responsible for your  own life or decisions.  There is so much involved but I don't feel we can blame it totally on advertising.  But that's just my thoughts today, who knows, tomorrow they might change for whatever reason.

    Blessings to you,

    Marlene-A Poet's Point Of View
    http://journals.aol.com/mkolasa101/PurelyPoetry

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  18. Those who can't control it, who have the disease of alcoholism, that's the saddest problem.......   showing reality, showing how someone can drink responsibly but that it can also be a daggone curse, that fun and confidence and wittiness can be had without drinking alcohol.........
    You seem to have hit a few souls with this entry -- Robin

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So glad you stopped by! Come 'round any time. ~ Barbara

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