Alcohol Stops Social Awkwardness?

 

 

Introduction: The following article was written in the Atlanta Journal Constitution in the Opinion Blog section by Thomas Szigethy on October 31, 2011. It addresses the topic of college students and the drinking habits they develop during their first year of college. In the blog, Szigethy states the opinion that college students put themselves at risk by drinking to avoid their fears of a being socially awkward during their first year.

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/students-drink-to-avoid-1213627.html

Premise One: The epidemic of high-risk drinking across our nation is due in part to our lacking of listening to what students fear.

Premise Two: During the fall semester, many first-year students get introduced into heavy drinking.

Premise Three: With Fall Break, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s in close succession, there are many opportunities to get together with friends for parties – and for bad decisions to be made.

Premise Four: Many students think pre-gaming helps them to be less socially awkward at the main event.

Premise Five: But students do not drink with the intention of being reckless.

Premise Six: Ben drank so that he could feel comfortable in a room full of relative strangers.

Conclusion: As adults, we have overcome many fears but may not have spoken about these experiences to our children. Students benefit from seeing that adults didn’t always make good choices in college.





Analysis: I believe that this argument has some truth to it, but their is not enough evidence that supports Mr. Szigethy's opinion and view on this matter. He can't form the assumption that "Many students think that pre-gaming helps them be less socially awkward at the main event." When in actuality nobody but those student can say what led them to begin drinking before they attend the main event. What if the student's intention was to stay at home and drink on their own and then decided later to attend an event. Although Ben's case is one that supports this assumption, this assumption or opinion can not be applied to every student. 


"The epidemic of high-risk drinking across our nation is due in part to our lacking of listening to what students fear."  That quote can not be directly applied unless there was an accurate study done on each and every student in the United States pertaining to drinking and the fears that they have and try to cover up with drinking. Another quote states, "I listen to students who struggle with being lonely and isolated and feeling as if they are on the outskirts of campus life, but when they drink they are loud, accepted, included, known, and popular." That merely states that those students that he comes in direct contact with feel that way, but that could only be on student, Ben. 


The fallacy that I see within this argument is the fallacy of hasty generalization, because Mr. Szigethy strictly based his argument and opinion on the evidence of one student, Ben. I believe that if Mr. Szigethy had more examples of students who do drinking to suppress their fears, i.e. being socially awkward, than this article would be able to be proven valid.