I grew up in a family where grog was a serious problem. A very serious problem! And in those days, there were no bottle shops, let alone supermarkets selling the stuff. In fact, there were also 6 pm closing times at the pub and yet in our family and in many others, grog was a major problem leading to all sorts of issues like family violence. Trust me, I was often a very scared little boy in my household on some nights before Mum (and I) left the old man just before I turned ten. So it was not supermarket alcohol selling that could be blamed for what was a bad period in Australia in relation to the mix of alcohol and violence.
Not exactly the track I was going down....
My late Mum would tell you that what solved those grog problems amongst men in an earlier time (1950's) was the introduction of television in the sixties. Men would come home from the pubs to watch TV rather than getting immersed in the public bar big shouting round culture.
Ya see, it's not like that anymore, the hubbies and wives are at the pub,( and they take the kids and they are amused in the " kids zone " until dinner is ready ) the male " hunter , gatherer " mentality has gone ( somewhat ) and pubs are not pubs like they used to be in our time. Maybe some country pubs are.
Kids in grog affected families will still see Dad wheeling out cases of grog these days 'cos if they are going to buy bulk grog, it is unlikely that they are intent on doing the family food shopping at the same time. Nonetheless, they can fill a shopping trolley at any shopping centre bottle shop and wheel it past the kids as much as they like now.
Yes, but kids will associate food shopping with grog shopping and make it a " norm ".
As for women half filling the trolley with grog and not groceries, you must sure live in a bad street, Phil, if that behaviour is what you see as the norm.
I never said I see it, just saying as above....
So tell me where the problems with grog emerge?
Problems with grog....... where do I start ? First stop and with no hesitation is PARENTS......... simple. Too many times I hear or see a Parent give a kid ( some quite young, like 5 - 8 ) a taste / sip of beer etc....... well %$#@ that, that is completely wrong IMO and bad parenting, plain and simple. Then there are the parenst that let their 15 / 16 year old, have a stubbie, glass of wine or bottle of an addictive ( not like ciggies ) substance and can lead to major social , financial and health issues and to that end WHY would you place something like that on the supermarket shelves in plain view of kids..... ?
Yes, ciggies too, sending wrong messages everyday of the week
IMHO, it is when grog and male testosterone get mixed together. Like in a public bar. How many times have I heard the dull thud of someone's head hitting the ground because of alcohol mixed with a "who are you lookin' at?" primeval stag fighting episode emerging in a crowd of men where public pride/shame dynamics win over logic? Yup - in my youth, I spent a lot of time in public bars across Queensland and I saw a lot of examples of too much "beer and bad manners" as the cops would describe it.
True and again, in times past. I too have drank and worked in public bars from Brisvegas to Townsville, but by far the issues are Nightclubs and not public bars. Yep, I agree, to turn a man into a pig, just add grog......
Indeed, drinking habits have changed so much since then that I doubt if most young men even know what it means when someone places a beer glass upside down on a bar these days.
Yep, agree....... and now days they glass you instead of shaping up to you... todays youth..... cowards
It would be much better for Mum to buy a couple of bottles of grog for Dad whilst she is out shopping so that he can have a beer at home where there is no testosterone fueled competition emotion and where there can be a limit on the amount of grog available.
Not all drinkers dose up on testosterone while having a tipple
Maybe, if that is what the free market wants so what is wrong with that? Are we to be communists?
The free market... yes....... if only the majority had their way instead of minorities
Did you complain when you were able to buy cigarettes in the grocery aisles?
Absolutely and directly to the supermarket chains........
Did you complain when you could buy a shot gun and cartridges at KMart, and not that long ago?
Shotgun cartridges...... alcohol....... mmmm guessing there is a comparison ???
Did you complain when poker machines started invading local sporting clubs, complete with contiguous ATMs and plenty of grog to start the fire?
No........... in fact I saw the introduction in Qld as a good thing, because I for one, used to travel over the border to tug at the One Armed Bandits, get cheap food and entertainment and saw first hand, how the clubs from NSW enjoyed the financial rewards at the expense of Qld clubs and Qlder's. The ATM issue is a bad one and i agree that there should be limits on withdrawls, but again, do we legislate for the minority ????????? I think not.
Do you complain when you see those poor miserable wretches sitting in boxer shorts and rubber thongs all day on a Saturday at their local TAB watching horse races and within closer reach to a betting window than what they would have at a race track? Are you indeed lobbying against online gambling and the promotion of such on TV at at sporting events by sweet looking girls and well dressed men?
NO............ absolute minorities and I have no time for them
What? You have not campaigned against any of those human entertainment choices? So why do you want to stop the average person buying a bottle of plonk conveniently at a supermarket?
Assumption......... see above comments
Sounds like conflicting standards to me.
Indeed, you could say that, but you would be wrong........
.