why do smart kids grow up to be heavier drinkers?

[Amby 490]

Don't worry, all that excessive drinking is just a sign of your intelligence. According to two long-term studies one American, one British there's a correlation between smarts and a thirst for alcohol. The "more intelligent children in both studies grew up to drink alcohol more frequently and in greater quantities than less intelligent children," says Liz Day at Discover. Why might this be the case?

It's all about evolution: Drinking alcohol was "unintentional, accidental, and haphazard until about 10,000 years ago," says Satoshi Kanazawaat at Psychology Today. Smart people are generally early adopters and, in the context of human history, "the substance [alcohol] and the method of consumption are both evolutionarily novel."

"Why intelligent people drink more alcohol"

Alcohol makes up for boring early years: "I'm surprised" by the findings, says Joanne Hinkel at The Frisky, so "here's my pop-psychology theory" to explain it: "All that studying in childhood repressed kids so much that they're still trying to compensate well into adulthood for all that fun they missed." Granted, that's just a theory.

Drinking is the only way to deal with morons: Smart people "booze so we can tolerate everyone else," says Greg at Food & Wine Blog. When sober, we tend to "take people's responses at literal face value." But after a few drinks, "we can relax a bit, stop being so ####### with semantics and let comments slide a bit."

http://theweek.com/a...eavier-drinkers

Edited November 4, 2010 by Amby

[belinda63 3,047]

Certainly helps me deal with all the morons in the world. Oh but wait, I don't drink, so does that mean I am one of the morons?

[Amby 490]

Certainly helps me deal with all the morons in the world. Oh but wait, I don't drink, so does that mean I am one of the morons?

I like people more when I drink. Without booze there's no way I could tolerate people.

[TBoneTX 46,261]

Don't these investigators have anything better to do than to research this stuff?

[Amby 490]

Someone must think its important if two separate studies in two different countries received funding for the research.

[slim 1,533]

I get really friendly with the ladies when I've been drinking.

[Jenn! 918]

Reminds me of an episode of House where this genius guy was perma-Robotripping just to be able to tolerate his hot, but dull girlfriend.

[Amby 490]

Reminds me of an episode of House where this genius guy was perma-Robotripping just to be able to tolerate his hot, but dull girlfriend.

I House

[Ban Hammer 13,619]

Reminds me of an episode of House where this genius guy was perma-Robotripping just to be able to tolerate his hot, but dull girlfriend.

i'm sure that doesn't just happen on house.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

The only reason the results are so skewed (yes it's my belief this is bullshit) is the unintelligent people don't read... or can't. Or don't know where to find the info to participate in such studies. The intelligent people probably told all their friends how to make a quick buck confusing the study.

Absolutely ridiculous.

Edited November 9, 2010 by Vanessa&Tony

[Nagishkaw 510]

The only reason the results are so skewed (yes it's my belief this is bullshit) is the unintelligent people don't read... or can't. Or don't know where to find the info to participate in such studies. The intelligent people probably told all their friends how to make a quick buck confusing the study.

Absolutely ridiculous.

[SuperDuper! 230]

I get really friendly with the ladies when I've been drinking.

Does your wife know about this?