Gandhi and alcohol
March 17, 2023
Today is St. Patrick’s Day, and countless people will “celebrate” by getting drunk. In all fairness, I’ve spent many, many years doing the same, but no longer. Having put down the bottle in 2016, I can say without a doubt that it’s made my life better.
Gandhi spoke out against alcohol all of his life, calling out the British in 1891 for their practice importing it into his country, where “the enemy of mankind… has spread throught the length and breadth of India, in spite of the religious prohibition.” If you’re going to have prohibition, this is the best kind. Abstaining from intoxicants is part of the moral code of many religions, and an essental part of the 30-day Gandhi challenge. Individuals opt-in to temperance; it is not compulsary under the law.
On St. Patrick’s Day in 1921, Gandhi gave a speech in the small village of Arvi, India. The holiday was certainly coincidental, but I appreciated that he gave a summary of this position: “We should give up drinking and persuade others who drink to give up the habit. We cannot compel those who refuse to hear us or who do not stop drinking. We should persuade people with love, falling at their feet to win them over and even if they do not listen, should entreat them again and again without any resentment.”
I think this also speaks to the unquenchable optomism in Gandhi’s philosphy. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. For more than five decades, he was a tireless advocate for giving up drinking. A few years ago, I collected a number of his quotes on the topic and paired them with scenes from the Simpsons, unrolling them in a long Twitter thread, and I’d like to share a few of my favorites today.
One of the reasons that the American Union promotes sober living as part of upgrading our social contract is to address the harms that alcohol inflicts on all of us. According to studies, 40% of violent crime and a majority of sexual assults are alcohol related.
The costs to public health are high as well. Alcohol is literally poison - if you've ever thrown up after heavy drinking, that's your body trying to save your life. Alcohol is also a Group 1 carcinogen, like cigarettes and asbestos, and drinking even a few drinks increases the risk of prostate, breast, and other cancers. In hindsight, I wish I would have recognized sooner that truth was hiding in plain sight as the root word of inTOXICated.
Whatever your relationship with alcohol or other drugs, there’s always an oppertunity for self-improvement. The next 30-day Gandhi challenge begins April 1 — one month of sobriety paired with two 24-hour fasts and other optional challenges. Particiaption is free; you can sign up at this link to be a part of the group. Successful completion also qualifies members of the American Union to take on other roles like organizer. Leading by example is important, as Gandhi demonstrated.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day; I’m wearing green but skipping the drinks.
