Bear with me while I vent…this post follows in the tradition of Mike’s “I’ve been randomly annoyed” posts.
On the drive to work today I tuned into a radio station based out of Detroit. I listened as the DJ’s hailed St. Patrick’s day as “the best holiday all year ’cause we can drink beer for breakfast!!!!” They were on sight at some pub–I didn’t catch the name–and were putting down green brewskis at 7:30 in the morning. One of the DJ’s walked around the “pub” (it was one of these pubs) asking guys and gals alike to share there greatest sexual fantasy publicly. Keep in mind this is being broadcast to millions of listeners in Detroit, Northwestern Ohio, and Windsor Canada. Are you serious!?!? Were the historical St. Patrick to visit us from his eternal resting place today, he would weep at how his name and work is being honored!
I was disheartened, and quickly tuned the dial to talk radio.
Anyone who reads this blogs knows that I never discourage intelligent beer consumption, but today’s holiday removes the “intelligent” from beer consumption. What kills me is the historical disregard concerning St.Patrick’s day…a day set aside to honor an upright and moral man who spent his entire life doing good works. Even if you are one who is not-so-spiritually minded, you must admit; this holiday has grown into an excuse for licentiousness.
On St.Patrick’s day do you consider the origins of the holiday: Good works, the love of your brother, God, forgiveness (St.Patrick sought to save past his oppressors) or do you wake up with nothing but green beer on your mind? The point is, why are we so obsessed, as a culture, with belligerent partying?
Odds are I’ll enjoy a brew tonight. But odds are I will also tell my kids the real story of St. Patrick, which can be found here.
I totally agree that we use any holiday we can as a chance for excess. Who has eaten to much on Thanksgiving? Who has had too much on the Forth of July? Who has had a hang-over from St. Patrick’s Day?
I do worry a little about our disregard for the meaning of holidays and our sense of historylessness (I guess I just made that word up). I think that is why I strive to talk about the history of beers, styles, and other historical issues. Maybe your post on St. Patrick’s day is a timely warning about the dangers of excess and ignorance to meaning.
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tisk tisk! Who would imagine that people who have no clue about the historicity of a holiday (and don’t care for that matter) would use it as an excuse to drink? The whole point of most holidays is to celebrate something. For thousands of years people have been excessive on holidays. The only difference in our modern age is that food, alcohol, etc. is much more available on a daily basis so it seems that much more excessive. Whatever, I plan on drinking!
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Hmmmm….I hope you have a wicked hangover today.
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My plan was to imbibe on a single 22oz bottle of homebrewed “Wild Rover Red Ale”, but alas, I was extraordinarily tired and under the weather, so no brewski for me last night.
I do share your sentiments about this and other holidays as an excuse to over-indulge. We (meaning my wife) took the kids to Mass, took in a performance by Irish dancers afterwards, and ate corned beef to celebrate the day. The kids also watched a couple videos about dear St. Patrick.
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“Wild Rover Red Ale” is a great name. I never tire of hearing new names placed on homebrew.
Your evening sounds fantastic. About as Irish as i did get was telling the tale of St. Patrick to the kiddos, although corned beef sounds fantastic.
The whole idea of celebrating a Saint with raucous behavior is like celebrating the life of a great architect by burning the buildings he designed!
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i got super hydrated this saint patricks day…
i even was edgy enough to add lemons to my water.
i agree with what your saying. i was reading some history of this guy, and you just have to stop and ponder over, where did this idealizing getting drunk on this day come about?!
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Thanks Max. It is strange how things like this change. Were obviously not prudes about having a beer or two, but I know several people who got drunk and paid for it today.
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Wow! talk about the definition of precocious. You forget i Know y’all too well. As a matter of fact, i didn’t have a “wicked hangover”. Did not anyone read my words. Historically, celebratory times are times of excess (not to say that that makes it excusable). Nothing wrong with people being light of heart with friends during the holidays. It’s the pattern that gets you into trouble.
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I accept your apology, Andrew….
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hope you have wrenching abdominal pains today
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not a chance…my liver is as bright and tender as a newborns…
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good post!
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Thanks JR!
Hope to see you again!
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im not a beer drinker…anymore. i abused it as a youngin. but brent….ooo – he loves him a good dark beer.
we’re in southern oregon…the land of microbrews! but brent has never been drunk a day in his life. even with his nightly scotch
to be drunk and partying is to escape ones reality for the moment. its a number. i was one of those people years ago.
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Hey Tam,
I forgot you guys were from Oregon. Have you heard of the proposed 1900% beer tax??? It would drive the cost of a barrel of beer from $2.60 to $52.21. That could decimate Oregon’s rich beer culture. Here is a link:
http://www.realbeer.com/blog/?p=968
Good to hear from you!
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