Zvi says “I think alcohol is best avoided by essentially everyone."[1] Tyler Cowen says "I don’t think we should ban alcohol, I simply think each and every person should stop drinking it, voluntarily. Now." I disagree. I think Zvi, Tyler, and others[2] are failing to see the big upsides of using alcohol.

Alcohol is good because of evolutionary mismatch.[3]

Alcohol helps us adapt to a modern environment in which we benefit from socializing with unfamiliar, non-ingroup people, often in uncomfortable environments. It helps us adapt to our modern environment with regards to dating and sex. It helps us adapt to our modern environment with regards to high stress and weak work/social-play boundaries (this is called “unwinding”).

Socialization

1. Alcohol facilitates socialization with unfamiliar and/or non-ingroup people.

1a. Socializing with people who are unfamiliar is hard.

1b. This makes sense evolutionary. We have a tribe of familiar people, and anyone [...]

---

Outline:

(00:30) Alcohol is good because of evolutionary mismatch.

(00:57) Socialization

(02:06) Dating and Sex

(02:47) Unwinding

(03:39) Why are rationalists confused about alcohol?

The original text contained 4 footnotes which were omitted from this narration.

---

First published:
September 4th, 2025

Source:
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/viRgFav5rZKCjun9x/in-defense-of-alcohol

---

Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.

“In Defense of Alcohol” by Eye You

LessWrong (30+ Karma)