Alcohol plays a prominent role in not just American and Italian culture, but human culture as a whole. Alcohol arguably goes hand in hand with food when it comes to bringing people of a culture together, and has deep roots in cultural traditions. It runs deep in both American and Italian cultures, though the role that it plays in each culture is vastly different, and it becomes very interesting when comparing the 2 cultures.
In recent years, Americans consume on average 17 alcoholic drinks per week, while Italians consume on average just 4.4 alcoholic drinks. These are staggering statistics and prove that the stereotype that Americans drink a lot of alcohol is no stereotype at all. Perhaps more interesting though, is that alcohol consumption in Italy has actually fallen in recent years, thanks to an even more surprising fall in wine consumption by the Italians. Surprising statistics all around, though the cultural behaviors and mindsets behind alcohol govern the consumption.
One of the biggest differences in my opinion, that governs how we consume alcohol, is our perspectives on the byproduct of alcohol consumption: intoxication. To put it simply, being intoxicated or drunk in the US is seen as something cool and fun. It is widely accepted, dare I say even expected, to get drunk when at parties or other social gatherings. If you do not have to worry about driving afterward, people will not even bat an eye at you if you drink too much and get wasted drunk. Meanwhile, across the pond in Italy, getting drunk, especially in public, is seen as a sign of immaturity. Italian society frowns upon excessive drinking and drunkenness. The keyword here that governs Italian lifestyle in general is moderation.
Moderation is the keyword when it comes to Italians and their culture. Everything is to be done in moderation, including drinking alcohol. While binge drinking is the norm in America, it is most certainly the opposite in Italy. Italians consume alcoholic beverages for the taste, while Americans tend to drink alcoholic beverages for the alcohol. Drinking in moderation is taught in Italy, while drinking “responsibly” is taught in the United States.
I’m very guilty of doing this while I’m in Italy, but I tend to drink too much wine. Largely because it is such good quality and cheap in comparison to wine back home in the United States. When I’m in Italy, I tend to opt for a quarter or even half a liter of wine, simply because it’s comparable in price to 1-2 glasses of wine. And when the wine is that cheap (and good) why not drink a lot of it and get at least tipsy? My fellow Americans would agree with me, but, Italians don’t view alcohol this way. You typically have a glass of wine or a beer with the aperitivo, and while they do drink wine often with meals, it is usually just a glass. You drink the wine slowly and savor it, enjoy the flavors and how they complement the food that is being served.
Referring back to what I wrote above, Americans are taught to drink responsibly. It is so plastered into our brains for every commercial and advertisement for alcohol in this country. “Please enjoy responsibly” is the slogan or dare I say, disclaimer, that every alcohol manufacturer uses in the United States. It doesn’t matter how blackout drunk you get, as long as you don’t drive afterward! Forget moderation. Enjoy the vice and drink as much as you want, it’s even encouraged. Just don’t drive afterward or put others in danger.
Tying back to what I wrote earlier, public perception plays a large role in alcohol consumption and cultural mentality. There’s a lot of peer pressure to drink in the United States. Furthermore, it is seen as an admirable trait and something to brag about if you can handle your alcohol and drink a lot without getting too sloppy. It can turn into a bit of a contest here, to see who can drink more than the other person. Not a very healthy contest, but it exists nonetheless. However, if you do drink too much and can’t handle your alcohol and turn into a sloppy mess, it’s seen as a funny thing! Definitely not the case in Italy.
