I would begin by saying that the topic, besides being complex, is controversial and thorny, but precisely for this reason—along with the fact that I am personally involved from a generational point of view—I think it is interesting to talk about it.
I often hear contrasting opinions regarding young people and alcohol, since the topic does not concern wine alone, from people of all ages and social backgrounds, and I could almost say that I have involuntarily conducted a sociological research from which I have noticed that there are two clearly defined points of view: that of young people and that of adults.
Anyone thinking that, as in almost all generational disputes, these two points of view are opposed, let me say that they would be very mistaken because, instead, they both reach the same conclusion: for young people, alcohol is only a way to get drunk.
And, unfortunately, I cannot help but confirm it.
During my high school years I often noticed how beer, wine, spirits, etc. are reduced to the generic term “alcohol”, and I watched in dismay the cult of gulping rather than tasting or sampling.
I find it particularly sad to think that, regardless of the quality level, beverages with such a long history are consumed voraciously only for the sake of losing control; but while making this observation, I have also noticed that, for people my age, it is the context that defines what and how to drink: if you go to a nightclub the best option will be a spirit, at the pub it will be beer, while if you go to a more elegant party sparkling wine will dominate—and not so much for cultural reasons, but out of habit.
Because that’s just how it’s done.
In reality, therefore, it is enough to bring young people to the right place to encourage them to discover something new, to define new paradigms of taste as well as behavior and, perhaps, to educate them about quality rather than quantity—an aspect dictated not so much by fashion as by knowledge.
And perhaps it is precisely the lack of knowledge that prevents young people from appreciating quality and pushes them toward quantity and conformity because, let’s be honest, once you discover quality it is hard to abandon it.
So I want to leave you with a question.
Some will read it as a reflection, others as a provocation, but I often wonder why—while we are educated in history, art, science, mathematics and so much else—we are not also educated to develop our own personal taste, even if only on a theoretical level.
What do you think?
