comment: >
  
  Holy hell, YES. I don't drink. I've been drunk once in my life and I fucking hated the way it made me feel physically and emotinoally. Many people in my life have been alcoholics and I see how it destroys them, and I've mentored a young woman who has fetal alcohol effects for a decade. I genuinely hate alcohol and want no part of it. 
  It's SO frustrating how so many social events are built around alcohol and you're regarded as "Weird" or "boring" and bizarrely "suspicious" simply because you don't drink. Like sorry I don't enjoy poisoning my body and brain, and you require it to have fun.
context: Maybe hang out with better people who aren’t so judgy and insecure >
  
  I prefer "Maybe hang out with people that don't suck". >
  
  It's funny I was just saying this to my friend the other day. My husband and I went on a trip to stowe vermont and there was a restaurant with a whole page of mocktails and being pregnant it was great. Despite the username (lol) I am not an avid drinker and used to collect whiskeys and scotches. Now, I'm trying more bougie sodas and making my own little mocktails at home. I'm hopeful that more pubs and places will open with things aside from drinking as the draw like video game bars, board game cafes, pool halls etc. since sober curious and sobriety is becoming more common in younger people. >
  
  My husband and I are headed to Stowe this Tuesday. Good to know! >
  
  Doc Ponds was the name of the place we went and there was lots of mocktails if you find yourself curious >
  
  Great, thank you! We'll have to try it out. >
  
  We had a dry bar in my area and it closed after 5 months due to low business. Pretty sad. >
  
  As a non drinker now, I'll spend $12 on a mocktail but I'm not going to buy 3 or 4 like I would when I was drinking. Same with NA beer. I'll have 1 or 2 at a concert but I'm not going to have 5 or 6 like I would when going out before. You just can't do the volume of sales like with regular bars so you better have some other revenue stream if you're a dry bar. >
  
  Just use my response, problem solved. >
  
  Nice! Might actually use that. >
  
  Question: How old are you and what part of the world are you in? Individual and cultural attitudes towards alcohol can vary greatly by area and probably by age. I'm in my 30s in the northeastern US, and no one ever gives me shit or weird looks if I don't want to drink. >
  
  Mid 30s Norway >
  
  I only drink sometimes and I’ve never heard people say any of that to me when I’m not drinking. Conversations go like this “what drink can I get for you? Beer? Cocktail? Wine?” “No thanks do you have anything nonalcoholic” “sure! Soda? Mocktail? Iced tea?” “I’d love an iced tea thanks!”
  Whenever I have parties I have 6 different pitchers with spouts and 3 are blue and 3 are green and the blue are labeled alcohol and green are labeled non alcoholic (I make my own cocktails/mocktails) and then I have a cooler of beer and wine and a cooler of soda and tea. 
  Maybe get different friends? If people are rude about this they aren’t worth hanging out with. >
  
  Society is so obsessed with alcohol it's not funny. >
  
  I'd hardly say obsessed its just something fun to do sometimes. >
  
  I live in the uk and we are definitely obsessed.  A lot of people I know live for their next drink. >
  
  Ahhh, I see. I guess it would all depend on what you consider excessive as well. Like 1 drink a week probably isn't bad but yeah if you're drinking 2 or 3 nights out of the week that's probably not the best. >
  
  Lol you have no concept for what actual drinking is… >
  
  And how exactly did you divine this from two comments that have no mention of my drinking habits? >
  
  Your first reply shows you are oblivious to how integrated alcohol use is into social norms/customs. 
  The use of “probably” and “maybe” in your follow up reply indicates you don’t have a good sense for what a real drinking problem looks like. 
  I very well could be wrong. But language use can be an indicator of underlying perceptions. >
  
  Dad was an alcoholic druggy who left when I was a kid so I know what alcohol problems look like. For some people drinking any alcohol (one a week, can lead to alcoholism, for some it can be fine thus probably) and drinking two or three nights out of the week absolutely can be a drinking problem. If you are having 8 shots a night 3 times a week at parties that absolutely is unhealthy and is a problem
  ​
  I think you're just looking too far into things. >
  
  Fair enough. And good points made. I guess your comment caught my eye bc I used to be a very heavy drinker and now a non-drinker. 
  One thing I feel like I can’t un-see anymore is just how prevalent drinking is in many cultures (American being the one I live in). 
  It’s just always there, being suggested. 
  I can’t drive 2 miles in most places around me (metro-Boston) w out crossing by at least as many liquor stores. Often times more. 
  Restaurants highly promote its consumption. 
  Sports and concerts heavily sponsored by it. 
  A constant in television/movies for characters to have something in their hand/make their character seem cool. 
  Now being served at your local movie theatre…
  It just goes on… >
  
  If social drinking really does decline in younger generations, more sober social activities will spring up. 
  Personally, I just bring some non alcoholic beer to the party and drink those. Or…I bring vodka and soda for the party. Then…just pour soda in a glass and sip on that. As long as you have a drink in your hand, people have no reason to ask you about it. >
  
  I feel like this is very localized. I often decline to drink and no-one I know ever bats an eye. >
  
  I'm not sure how old you are, but those questions drop off as you get into your 30's and 40's. >
  
  I get this, I don’t drink (for other and more sinister reasons than you) but I found that when I order a mocktail or a water - I get questions - mostly from the bartender which is terrible IMO. Resorted to ordering an apple juice in a short glass to “appear” I’m drinking scotch - which absolutely sucks. >
  
  There's big money to be made in addictive substances, it doesn't matter what the consequences are. This is a profit driven nation. 
  A lot of people want to change that but so far no luck. >
  
  Sure. There's big money in it. But why be so hostile to those who don't drink? Because they're not giving you money? If you were a company that made that stuff, I'd understand, but why would regular people stigmatize non-drinkers? >
  
  Because they're conditioned by advertising and bar culture, which again, exist for profit, not for the benefit of their target consumers. >
  
  Is advertising and bar culture actually telling them to shun non-drinkers? As far as I know, they normally just tell them "Drink our product!", not "Shame the non-drinkers!" >
  
  Not explicitly, but the message is there. Ads and media associate fun and youth with alcohol, and as a result, people who don't drink, especially young people, are seen as less social or unusual.
  It's not just ads that contribute to that culture, it's music and television and film. >
  
  Unusual, sure, but as far as I know, not explicitly ordering drinkers to shame the sober.  
  Hell, this makes it worse, as the shaming folk are being assholes of their own volition. But why? >
  
  As Earthling said, they've been conditioned to believe that drinking is not only normal, but expected. They don't need to be explicitly told anything, they've associated fun with alcohol, and thus can't fathom why someone wouldn't drink. >
  
  Drinking is a quick and easy way to deal with a sleuth of problems that just about everyone deals with including stress, anxiety, and physical pain, so this would never happen. >
  
  Alcohol has never numbed anyone of those things for me. >
  
  It does for many other people though, especially when consumed in large quantities. >
  
  The thing is, alcohol being addictive, you can make much more money out of it.
  I work at a bar, the difference between a non-drinker and a drinker is the non-drinker will have one unit or two and make me about 7 euros. The drinker can easily have 7-8 units and spend the whole night there, as well as come back every night.
  The customers who really pay my salary are the high functioning alcoholics who basically live at the bar. >
  
  I'm not much of a drinker and never experienced any of those comments. But some of those things are blatantly stupid so why care or bother giving them the attention. >
  
  None of my friends had anything bad to say when I quit drinking. You need a better group of friends. If they're that upset you won't drink, they're probably having drinking problems themselves and are scared to see you stop so easily, when they know that they can't. >
  
  The saying I know is "you can't trust anyone that can't trust themselves with a drink." >
  
  That makes sense. But i have also heard that people who don't drink when others are are memorizing what others say while drunk to screw them over or something. >
  
  I think that's a somewhat rational concern in some areas of business, but I've personally never met anyone like that. >
  
  I am 3 years sober, and if people ask me a question like that I respond with something like "I'm a recovering meth whore. Drinking would lead me to slip back to that lifestyle"
  Most people though are curious and I explain that I'm a recovering addict. And that's because I'm comfortable with that part of myself.
  But drunk people are very annoying to me. I usually leave once people start getting sloppy. >
  
  I’ve always had the feeling that people that don’t drink don’t trust themselves to not lose control. I’ve always been able to hold my liquor to an insane degree since I was young, but some people go apeshit when they drink. That’s why Trump doesn’t drink. He probably becomes a fucking monster you’d have to call the cops on. >
  
  One of the many things that infuriated me during the Trump admin was people pointing out he didn't drink and didn't have a pet. Like, can you please focus on the things the dude actually does wrong? Don't associate sobriety and not liking pets with that asshole, thank you. I don't want people to look at me and think of Trump. >
  
  I don't drink alcohol either.  I used to but I gave it up because it just didn't agree with me anymore and I had two people in my life who were raging alcoholics.  It's really not much of an issue now that I'm a bit older.  But previously I would just tell people it was because of medication. >
  
  Cater to? Why? >
  
  Well we are as a society trying to encourage people to lead healthier lifestyles, if nothing else to ease the burden in our collapsing healthcare systems. If we enoucrage people eating healthy and exercising, why not sobriety? >
  
  That's not catering to them. That's encouraging it but no need to cater to them. >
  
  I have not had a drink in 37 years, and very few people ask me why.  The answer that works best and shuts the line of questioning off is:
  "Whenever I drink, I break out in handcuffs." People just don't seem to want to expand on that, especially with someone who gets put in handcuffs whenever they drink.  
  It's a little sarcastic but carries a lot of truth. >
  
  Just hold a drink and pretend to take sips >
  
  You get weird comments because “I don’t like it” literally doesn’t make sense.
  In a good drink, you either can’t taste the liquor or it pairs so well that it tastes good.  And there are literally thousands upon thousands of ways to mix soda or juice or whatever to make a good tasting drink.
  Saying “I don’t like it” is essentially saying “I’m assuming every taste ever is bad.  I hate all potential flavours.”
  If you don’t like the effect it has on you, that’s a whole other thing.  If you don’t like the cost, that makes sense.  If you don’t like the calories, I’m there with you.  But “I don’t like it” literally doesn’t make sense as an answer.
  Just say you don’t drink, leave it at that, and let folks assume whatever. >
  
  Usually whenever people note I'm not drinking the only option is beer and i hate beer. I do enjoy wine VERY rarely. >
  
  Alternatively you can find new hobbies/friends. Your perception of the world is through your lived experiences which pertain to alcohol in some way. >
  
  I like that mocktails are becoming more popular. >
  
  As someone who was formerly the “I don’t drink 😎” guy before I got over myself, I can assure you that nobody cares about you preferences as much as you do. Just don’t bring it up and it will typically not get brought up. It becomes the center of attention because non-drinkers often make a point of their abstinence. 
  The classic answer that will shut most people up is “alcoholism runs in my family.” >
  
  Yeah that's attitude typical of alcoholics. Really messed up lot >
  
  This isn't a society thing this is get friends who aren't drunks.thing. >
  
  You need to find some like minded friends.  Or just better friends in general.  I think some
  of the people who drink maybe feel bad about them selves that they drink, so they are quick to accuse the non drinker of being the person with the problem. >
  
  "you'll like it when you're older". 
  No, i won't. >
  
  Question: How old are you and what part of the world are you in? Individual and cultural attitudes towards alcohol can vary greatly by area and probably by age. I'm in my 30s in the northeastern US, and no one ever gives me shit or weird looks if I don't want to drink. >
  
  This is so true about attitudes varying by age and location. I keep seeing these posts about social pressures to drink, and it seems so alien to me. I'm in my 40s in the northwest US, and have never heard any response other than "okay" when I decline a drink. >
  
  It seems the PNW is particularly accommodating. At least of the people I’ve met and places I’ve been to and what not. I drink but go places with people who don’t. >
  
  Im in Portland. It's 50/50.
  "Bruh.... You dont like our IPA's?? That's so odd! Go touch grass!" >
  
  if you're hanging out with people who say bruh that's probably part of it. in my experience younger people are more critical of people not drinking. >
  
  Maybe hang out with better people who aren’t so judgy and insecure >
  
  I prefer "Maybe hang out with people that don't suck". >
  
  This is like as reddit as it gets. 
  *friends casually make a joke
  reddit: You need to cut all of them off. Why are you friends with literal devils? Your "friends" are this, your "friends" are that...
  Just no. This is not even in the slightest an indication of good or bad friends. It's like friends are supposed to be perfect, robot like human beings to be worthy called friends. Dude just get a dog or something if you need a friend that makes no jokes and behaves like you want em to.
  Friends just make fun of eachother from time to time and there surely is a border. Like if your friend makes fun of your recently died mother or something, of course that's another story but one making a joke about you because you don't drink, holy shit grow up man. If i cut off every friend making fun of me for not drinking at a party, i literally had no friends at all. Just counter with a joke yourself and everyone's good >
  
  Don't you think you're taking this comment a bit too seriously? >
  
  I don't think so. I see a huge problem in this mentality of cutting everyone off for the tiniest things. My gf was cut off by her former best friend for something she supposedly did (never said what it was and no one still has a clue what it could be). My gf cried for weeks because of it and was an emotional wreck, since they were best friends for over 15 years. So yeah maybe i'm biased because i know what cutting someone off for no good reason can do to someone and you just see that "advice" under every post of this kind and it's really depressing thinking about people really living by that standard >
  
  I mean, if someone needed to cut your girlfriend off after 15 years, it sounds like the other person was hurt pretty bad. I wouldn't say that's a problem with this "new mindset" and probably a problem with how your gf behaves.
  Regardless, the original comment merely suggested changing social circles - I don't feel that's even the same as what you're complaining about which is action directed at cutting off contact with a specific person. >
  
  "I mean, if someone needed to cut your girlfriend off after 15 years, it sounds like the other person was hurt pretty bad" See that's what i mean. You have absolutely no clue what's going on. You don't know anything about my gf and you don't know anything about the girl that cut her off (who i will call Laura from now on to make it clear about who i talk) and still you're here, being all smart and telling me that Laura was likely in the right here.
  That's like exactly what i meant. You get one tiny little piece of information and form a whole oppinion about a person you never meat, you never saw and you never heard something of. Do you also act like that in reallife or is it just your reddit identity?
  Also what's the difference in cutting off one person or a group of people? You know i'm not absolutely anti cutting off someone. There are good reasons for doing that but i ensure you if you cut people off the way reddit would advise you too, you'll end up alone within a year. >
  
  Why mention it if you're going to throw such a mard about it when someone challenges you on it? Sure, I'm making assumptions but my overarching point is this: your gf knew her for 15 years so she either knew what this person was like already or she's not lost anything of value (assuming the situation is as you describe). 
  I'm also going off the fact that your story is extremely one sided and I refuse to believe your side is completely innocent. I am drawing no conclusions but am simply stating that there's no way the situation is as clear-cut as you're making it out to be - therefore the whole rant becomes a bit flakey.
  edit: because if you leave a social circle, they still have each other. It isn't the same as cutting off one particular person. >
  
  "Why mention it if you're going to throw such a mard about it when someone challenges you on it?"
  pretty simple: Because you asked if i take this too serious and as it turns out it wasn't a bad idea since you like to make assumptions about everything so you at least know a bit more about why i just hate that mindset. 
  "your gf knew her for 15 years so she either knew what this person was like already" Well...no. You know people are capable of changing? I think i should go back a bit in time before the final cut off. My gf and Laura used to play videogames together during the beginning of covid since meeting one in person wasn't a good option. Whilst playing they met another person online that joined the party often. The three got along together pretty well  so it was a win win win(Laura also talked a lot to the internet guy and generally was getting along with him really well). Out of a sudden Laura stopped talking to my gf. The only thing she heard from Laura was something along the lines like "I know what you've done and that's why i cut you off". My gf asked many times what she did wrong, asked the internet guy but no answer. About half a year later Laura suddenly reached out to my gf, crying and begging for forgiveness. She told her that internet guy was trashtalking the whole time about my gf (he was into Laura and my gf seemed to be "in the way"), made up storys what she did, etc. My gf forgave her after a deeper talk where Laura promised to never do "something that stupid"(Lauras words) again. It really was a relief since my gf had sleepless nights from thinking about what she might have done wrong. Internet guy wasn't a thing for about 2 weeks before Laura had contact with him again. A week into the contact and my gf was cut off again, this time finally (which is the part of the story we were). Same reasoning (so none we know). Since then we never heard something personally from her. The ironic part tough is that internet guy messaged my gf a few weeks ago if she has a clue why Laura isn't answering him for a few days. So yeah that's the short story. Think about it however you want. I'm very sorry i can't provide more of Lauras view, as she wouldn't let anyone know about it so that's what you have to live with here. And no, Laura wasn't known for cutting people off randomly. But you could say from the start of covid until now she lost about 80% of her friends and cut off her parents. I don't know what role covid played, i don't know what role internet guy played. I just know that something really fucked things up the past 3 years >
  
  100% just a shit friend rather than anything to do with some new culture shift of cutting people off >
  
  I feel like this is very localized. I often decline to drink and no-one I know ever bats an eye. >
  
  The thing is, alcohol being addictive, you can make much more money out of it.
  I work at a bar, the difference between a non-drinker and a drinker is the non-drinker will have one unit or two and make me about 7 euros. The drinker can easily have 7-8 units and spend the whole night there, as well as come back every night.
  The customers who really pay my salary are the high functioning alcoholics who basically live at the bar. >
  
  Barback here and omg it’s wild seeing the same people every shift. >
  
  It's crazy. I have a customer who comes in twice every day. He gets off work, comes in for a beer or two, goes home to have dinner with his wife and comes back again for 1-2 hours or more. He does this every single day. I literally get sick when I see him. >
  
  Yea, I live in a city with a lot of punk/live music so the bar scene is huge. So many people work in the kitchen, get off, drink there or a handful of other bars, and then go to sleep and repeat. >
  
  Hahaha I used to do that too, it was wrecking my life. I don't drink anymore now >
  
  Yea, took a long break last year and starting 23 off with DRy January. Tryna get my money/life right myself. >
  
  You don't drink for the health benefits >
  
  As others have pointed out, it sounds like the problem is not society at large, but the people you hang out with.
  I don't drink either, I'm 40+ lived in several countries and went to plenty of events etc, and never really had that problem.
  Even in high school when I was hanging out with all the drinking and cannabis smoking buddies, all they had to say is 'good for you man' when I said I don't drink or smoke. 
  There's always that one half drunk guy who maybe says something stupid, but it's just that... A drunk talking stupid.
  Surround yourself with people that better reflect the world you want to live in. >
  
  I only drink sometimes and I’ve never heard people say any of that to me when I’m not drinking. Conversations go like this “what drink can I get for you? Beer? Cocktail? Wine?” “No thanks do you have anything nonalcoholic” “sure! Soda? Mocktail? Iced tea?” “I’d love an iced tea thanks!”
  Whenever I have parties I have 6 different pitchers with spouts and 3 are blue and 3 are green and the blue are labeled alcohol and green are labeled non alcoholic (I make my own cocktails/mocktails) and then I have a cooler of beer and wine and a cooler of soda and tea. 
  Maybe get different friends? If people are rude about this they aren’t worth hanging out with. >
  
  Society is so obsessed with alcohol it's not funny. >
  
  The alcohol obsession doesn't bother me, it's more so the excessive amount of it. I drink mostly liquors but I've never been drunk and don't intend to. Being the kind of person I am, I could never understand why you'd ever want to be drunk. >
  
  "you'll like it when you're older". 
  No, i won't. >
  
  As someone who was formerly the “I don’t drink 😎” guy before I got over myself, I can assure you that nobody cares about you preferences as much as you do. Just don’t bring it up and it will typically not get brought up. It becomes the center of attention because non-drinkers often make a point of their abstinence. 
  The classic answer that will shut most people up is “alcoholism runs in my family.” >
  
  To which you slap your belly and say "Nobody runs in my family!" >
  
  Just use my response, problem solved. >
  
  Nice! Might actually use that. >
  
  I'm not much of a drinker and never experienced any of those comments. But some of those things are blatantly stupid so why care or bother giving them the attention. >
  
  We had a dry bar in my area and it closed after 5 months due to low business. Pretty sad. >
  
  Coffee shops do well though >
  
  Yeah, but it was a nightlife/bar atmosphere and it just didn't take. >
  
  It's funny I was just saying this to my friend the other day. My husband and I went on a trip to stowe vermont and there was a restaurant with a whole page of mocktails and being pregnant it was great. Despite the username (lol) I am not an avid drinker and used to collect whiskeys and scotches. Now, I'm trying more bougie sodas and making my own little mocktails at home. I'm hopeful that more pubs and places will open with things aside from drinking as the draw like video game bars, board game cafes, pool halls etc. since sober curious and sobriety is becoming more common in younger people. >
  
  My husband and I are headed to Stowe this Tuesday. Good to know! >
  
  Doc Ponds was the name of the place we went and there was lots of mocktails if you find yourself curious >
  
  Great, thank you! We'll have to try it out. >
  
  After my friends ordered alcoholic drinks, the server pretended to gag when I asked for water... >
  
  There's big money to be made in addictive substances, it doesn't matter what the consequences are. This is a profit driven nation. 
  A lot of people want to change that but so far no luck. >
  
  Sure. There's big money in it. But why be so hostile to those who don't drink? Because they're not giving you money? If you were a company that made that stuff, I'd understand, but why would regular people stigmatize non-drinkers? >
  
  Because they're conditioned by advertising and bar culture, which again, exist for profit, not for the benefit of their target consumers. >
  
  Is advertising and bar culture actually telling them to shun non-drinkers? As far as I know, they normally just tell them "Drink our product!", not "Shame the non-drinkers!" >
  
  Not explicitly, but the message is there. Ads and media associate fun and youth with alcohol, and as a result, people who don't drink, especially young people, are seen as less social or unusual.
  It's not just ads that contribute to that culture, it's music and television and film. >
  
  Unusual, sure, but as far as I know, not explicitly ordering drinkers to shame the sober.  
  Hell, this makes it worse, as the shaming folk are being assholes of their own volition. But why? >
  
  As Earthling said, they've been conditioned to believe that drinking is not only normal, but expected. They don't need to be explicitly told anything, they've associated fun with alcohol, and thus can't fathom why someone wouldn't drink. >
  
  Guess that makes them shitty people, then. I associate fun with video games, but I don't shame people that don't play them. >
  
  This isn't a society thing this is get friends who aren't drunks.thing. >
  
  I'm not sure how old you are, but those questions drop off as you get into your 30's and 40's. >
  
  I get this, I don’t drink (for other and more sinister reasons than you) but I found that when I order a mocktail or a water - I get questions - mostly from the bartender which is terrible IMO. Resorted to ordering an apple juice in a short glass to “appear” I’m drinking scotch - which absolutely sucks. >
  
  To all of you who don't think this happens, try mentioning a dry wedding on Reddit, and you will see the non-drinker insults start to ooze out of the woodwork. >
  
  i get people trying to get me drunk all the fucking time and get pissy when i tell them i’m not drinking. 
  I get furious when people only invite me to be the DD or the “security”
  I drink a beer maybe once a month, maybe less honestly. The last time i was ever close to drunk was maybe 4 years ago. If anything, this is something people should look up to. Seeing a guy who really doesn’t need any substance to have fun and enjoy the time he’s having. 
  Instead im scolded because i’m not taking shots. >
  
  Not an unpopular opinion, just seems like basic human decency not to shame people for that. I don't drink either, and I don't intend to. And I haven't put myself in situations where drinking alcohol is expected yet, thankfully. But Im guessing that's coming. >
  
  Drinking is a quick and easy way to deal with a sleuth of problems that just about everyone deals with including stress, anxiety, and physical pain, so this would never happen. >
  
  I wouldn't say it's dealing with those problems. It's just putting them off and often times with an accruing debt. It's a temporary hack at best. >
  
  Nonetheless; it does the job required of it for most users. >
  
  If social drinking really does decline in younger generations, more sober social activities will spring up. 
  Personally, I just bring some non alcoholic beer to the party and drink those. Or…I bring vodka and soda for the party. Then…just pour soda in a glass and sip on that. As long as you have a drink in your hand, people have no reason to ask you about it. >
  
  Or people will just be less social. >
  
  I am 3 years sober, and if people ask me a question like that I respond with something like "I'm a recovering meth whore. Drinking would lead me to slip back to that lifestyle"
  Most people though are curious and I explain that I'm a recovering addict. And that's because I'm comfortable with that part of myself.
  But drunk people are very annoying to me. I usually leave once people start getting sloppy. >
  
  I don't drink alcohol either.  I used to but I gave it up because it just didn't agree with me anymore and I had two people in my life who were raging alcoholics.  It's really not much of an issue now that I'm a bit older.  But previously I would just tell people it was because of medication. >
  
  Alternatively you can find new hobbies/friends. Your perception of the world is through your lived experiences which pertain to alcohol in some way. >
  
  I like that mocktails are becoming more popular. >
  
  You need to find some like minded friends.  Or just better friends in general.  I think some
  of the people who drink maybe feel bad about them selves that they drink, so they are quick to accuse the non drinker of being the person with the problem. >
  
  You need better friends. All my friends drink like fish and smoke weed, while I neither drink nor do any drugs. We go out all the time and nobody bats an eye, either within my friend group or outside it. >
  
  Definitely. The sole time I usually have a drink is on a boat after finishing scuba dives. Some people I'm with drink, some don't. Ditto for cigarettes. I don't care about whether someone is drinking/smoking or not. >
  
  I don't drink, and I've gotten weird reactions too. Like, "Not even beer?" Never been made to feel bad that I don't drink though. >
  
  I have to agree. I don't really drink if at all. its hard to meet people when your 30 outside of bars. I honestly sometimes feel like I'm one of the few people that doesn't drink. >
  
  im so tired of ppl that make not drinking their entire personality >
  
  The saying I know is "you can't trust anyone that can't trust themselves with a drink." >
  
  That makes sense. But i have also heard that people who don't drink when others are are memorizing what others say while drunk to screw them over or something. >
  
  japanese salarymen are notorious drinkers after a work day but whatever bad thing you said to your boss while drunk is magically "forgotten" the next day and everyone carries on as if nothing happened from what i've read. >
  
  Not drinking is fine.
  However, poeple that don't drink typically aren't adding anything of value to 'the party.'  If you don't want to drink, for whatever reason, the onus is on your to add value to wherever it is that you are.
  I go to the bar 2-3x a week.  I am a drinker, but I know plenty of people at the bars I go to that don't drink.  I add value by spending $50 and tipping the bartender another $10+.  The people that don't drink often add value in their own way - some of the regulars that don't drink are the life of the party - they know everyone, and are great with 'babysitting' the rest of us and facilitating our evenings.  However, there are also people that how up, grab a table for 2 hours, watch the show and don't spend a dime and add nothing of value.  THOSE are the problem people.
  No one cares that you don't drink... what they care about is that you aren't being fun.  When they are asking why you aren't drinking, what they are really asking is, "Why are you being boring."  You might be having an okay time standing in the corner watching drunk people, but you yourself aren't adding anything.
  Bars are there to make money.  People throw parties because they are looking for a good time.  If you aren't adding value, then you are a problem - sober or not. >
  
  Cater to? Why? >
  
  Well we are as a society trying to encourage people to lead healthier lifestyles, if nothing else to ease the burden in our collapsing healthcare systems. If we enoucrage people eating healthy and exercising, why not sobriety? >
  
  That's not catering to them. That's encouraging it but no need to cater to them. >
  
  It's a legal drug. Many people are addicted and don't realise.
  I feel sorry for those people. >
  
  I’ve always had the feeling that people that don’t drink don’t trust themselves to not lose control. I’ve always been able to hold my liquor to an insane degree since I was young, but some people go apeshit when they drink. That’s why Trump doesn’t drink. He probably becomes a fucking monster you’d have to call the cops on. >
  
  I mean, some people don't like the taste.  Some people don't like the feeling of not being in control (and not in a violent way).  Some people don't like the effects.  I could go on. >
  
  Please don’t. >
  
  Yep. Also alcohol and cigarettes should be treated like any other drug, which they are. >
  
  Have you ever heard of Liquid Death? It's water in a can and it looks pretty much like a beer or any other canned alcohol. Just take that with you to a party and cover the label or something and just hold it and nobody should (in theory) care.