If this is true, I should be making a lot more money.

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

WASHINGTON (AFP) - People who consume alcohol earn significantly more at their jobs than non-drinkers, according to a US study that highlighted "social capital" gained from drinking.

The study published in the Journal of Labor Research Thursday concluded that drinkers earn 10 to 14 percent more than teetotalers, and that men who drink socially bring home an additional seven percent in pay.

"Social drinking builds social capital," said Edward Stringham, an economics professor at San Jose State University and co-author of the study with fellow researcher Bethany Peters.

"Social drinkers are out networking, building relationships, and adding contacts to their BlackBerries that result in bigger paychecks."

The authors acknowledged their study, funded by the Reason Foundation, a libertarian think tank, contradicted research released in 2000 by the Harvard School of Public Health.

"We created our hypothesis through casual observation and examination of scholarly accounts," the authors said.

"Drinkers typically tend to be more social than abstainers."

The researchers said their empirical survey backed up the theory, and said the most likely explanation is that drinkers have a wider range of social contacts that help provide better job and business opportunities.

"Drinkers may be able to socialize more with clients and co-workers, giving drinkers an advantage in important relationships," the researchers said.

"Drinking may also provide individuals with opportunities to learn people, business, and social skills."

They also said these conclusions provide arguments against policies aimed at curbing alcohol use on university campuses and public venues.

"Not only do anti-alcohol policies reduce drinkers' fun, but they may also decrease earnings," the study said.

"One of the unintended consequences of alcohol restrictions is that they push drinking into private settings. This occurred during the Alcohol Prohibition of 1920-1933 and is happening on college campuses today. By preventing people from drinking in public, anti-alcohol policies eliminate one of the most important aspects of drinking: increased social capital."

The researchers found some differences in the economic effects of drinking among men and women. They concluded that men who drink earn 10 percent more than abstainers and women drinkers earn 14 percent more than non-drinkers.

However, unlike men, who get a seven percent income boost from drinking in bars, women who frequent bars at least once per month do not show higher earnings than women drinkers who do not visit bars.

"Perhaps women increase social capital apart from drinking in bars," the researchers said in an effort to explain the gender gap.

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 15 September 2006 18:59 (nineteen years ago)

more bullshit for friends to email me with jokey backpatting congratulations cf that drunkest cities list

― and what (ooo), Friday, 15 September 2006 19:04 (nineteen years ago)

lol we like drinking!!!

― and what (ooo), Friday, 15 September 2006 19:04 (nineteen years ago)

hmm, maybe i _should_ go to the friday post-work happy hour thing at the Flinger's-like place that some coworkers hit.

― kingfish prætor (kingfish 2.0), Friday, 15 September 2006 19:06 (nineteen years ago)

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/afp/20060914/capt.sge.nja60.140906140341.photo01.photo.default-512x346.jpg?x=380&y=256&sig=LezeaRAHkEP594ECZxWoIQ--

Japanese businessmen at a beer garden on the rooftop of a Tokyo department store, May 2006. People who consume alcohol earn significantly more at their jobs than non-drinkers, according to a US study that highlighted "social capital" gained from drinking.(AFP/File/Kazuhiro Nogi)

― kingfish prætor (kingfish 2.0), Friday, 15 September 2006 19:08 (nineteen years ago)

What about smoking erb? This is much more important!

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Friday, 15 September 2006 19:09 (nineteen years ago)

However, unlike men, who get a seven percent income boost from drinking in bars, women who frequent bars at least once per month do not show higher earnings than women drinkers who do not visit bars.

Where are they getting this drinker's "social capitol" from if they aren't drinking at bars? Drinking at work? I like to knock back a few before going in to ask my boss for a raise, works every time!

― BrianB (BrianB), Friday, 15 September 2006 19:14 (nineteen years ago)

Wife: (on phone) "Honey, it's midnight! Where the fuck are you?"

Husband: "Building social capital, dear."

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 15 September 2006 19:17 (nineteen years ago)

lol really hes drinking!!

― and what (ooo), Friday, 15 September 2006 19:21 (nineteen years ago)

Thermo,

http://ec3.images-amazon.com/images/P/0872860027.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V64194462_.jpg

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 15 September 2006 19:27 (nineteen years ago)

Once a month is hardly frequent.

― Laurel (Laurel), Friday, 15 September 2006 19:30 (nineteen years ago)

What percentage of people are total abstainers?

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 15 September 2006 19:31 (nineteen years ago)

>The study published in the Journal of Labor Research Thursday >concluded that drinkers earn 10 to 14 percent more than
>teetotalers

How much of that goes towards buying drinks, paying drunk driving fines and buying a new liver?

― Squirrel_Police (Squirrel_Police), Friday, 15 September 2006 19:52 (nineteen years ago)

3 percent

― Young Fresh Danny D (Dan Perry), Friday, 15 September 2006 19:52 (nineteen years ago)

To whom are you addressing your post, Dan?

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 15 September 2006 19:54 (nineteen years ago)

i think someday i'll quit drinking

― gear (gear), Friday, 15 September 2006 19:55 (nineteen years ago)

(hahaha I didn't even see your post MW)

― Young Fresh Danny D (Dan Perry), Friday, 15 September 2006 19:55 (nineteen years ago)

and at least 12 percent for child support after an especially big night of social capitalizing.

― Squirrel_Police (Squirrel_Police), Friday, 15 September 2006 19:56 (nineteen years ago)

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39027000/jpg/_39027407_abfab-bbc-203index.jpg

― Doctor Casino (Doctor Casino), Friday, 15 September 2006 20:01 (nineteen years ago)

LOCK THREAD

― Young Fresh Danny D (Dan Perry), Friday, 15 September 2006 20:01 (nineteen years ago)

Though I realize drunk driving is VERY VERY rare. And the usually get caught.

― Squirrel_Police (Squirrel_Police), Friday, 15 September 2006 20:09 (nineteen years ago)

dude, don't you live in fucking Idaho??

― gbx (skowly), Friday, 15 September 2006 20:28 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, and I'm a drunk, but at least I maintain a healthy cynicism about it.

― Squirrel_Police (Squirrel_Police), Friday, 15 September 2006 20:48 (nineteen years ago)

I thought the whole point of drinking was to allay cynicism.

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 15 September 2006 21:06 (nineteen years ago)

Uh oh, they used the term "social capital." Thousands of parents are now rushing to sign up their overprogrammed kids for wine and beer courses.

― A-ron Hubbard (Hurting), Friday, 15 September 2006 23:23 (nineteen years ago)

The study seems to have been published in a reputable-sounding journal, but isn't the main funding from the libertarian Re@s0n F0und@ti0n, a group that wants to fight against laws restricting alcoholic beverages or bars?

Nonetheless, I don't find it so amazing that people who socialize, er suck up to the boss as well as colleagues, make a bit more money. But it's not a direct correlation, and so the evidence isn't great support for an argument against restricting or regulating booze.

I'm afraid I'm just biased against the conservative think-tank. They seem more interested in letting corporations make as much money as possible at the expense of public safety and the environment. Kind of reminds me of the attitude a smoker had when she argued that waitstaff actually prefer to work in smoky places because the patrons are happier smoking and will tip more. Urrrgh! As if money were the most important thing in life, more important than health and safety.

― Melinda Mess-injure (Melinda Mess-injure), Saturday, 16 September 2006 01:20 (nineteen years ago)

drunk drivers usually get caught? hahahaha.

― t0dd swiss (immobilisme), Saturday, 16 September 2006 01:34 (nineteen years ago)

i prefer "social lubricant" to "social capital" - cuz y'know, lube

― timmy tannin (pompous), Saturday, 16 September 2006 01:37 (nineteen years ago)

i'm gonna glass the sonofabitch who did this study.

― GOD PUNCH HAS THE XSTRAIGHTXEDGEX (yournullfame), Saturday, 16 September 2006 01:39 (nineteen years ago)

Wouldn't the logic be that people in highpowered jobs tend to drink more because of the job?

― Trayce (trayce), Saturday, 16 September 2006 05:57 (nineteen years ago)

they saw the japanese dudes above and immediately concluded - correctly.

― jhoshea (scoopsnoodle), Saturday, 16 September 2006 06:15 (nineteen years ago)

Moreover, a college party is not a controlled environment. Although I'd acknowledge that a lot of bartenders may not exercise their responsibility to stop supplying someone who's obviously had too many, they're more likely to do so than someone at a party in someone's dorm. Has there ever beena study on daterape in American colleges? I reckon instances must be phenomenally high in number but seerely undereported.

I realise neither of these points are THE point of the piece but still interesting I think.

― uptoeleven (uptoeleven), Saturday, 16 September 2006 10:12 (nineteen years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.