Alcohol Facts From an Historical Perspective
In spite of the fact that alcohol has been used in a variety of different ways throughout much of recorded human history that can be called "useful," it is essential to call attention to the fact that thousands of years ago some perceptive and discerning individuals also discussed some of the destructive and unhealthy outcomes of excessive drinking and alcohol abuse. For instance, a recently discovered Chinese document written approximately 650 B.C. not only articulated how difficult it was for people at that time to do without beer but it also gave warnings about the "abuse" of beer. Plato and Aristotle: Critical of Public Drunkenness
Traveling even further back in history, two remarkable Greek philosophers, namely Plato and Aristotle, openly denounced public displays of drunkenness. It is, therefore, with a certain sense of irony to note that despite the fact that fundamental information concerning the negative consequences of abusing alcohol has been known for centuries, alcohol addiction, "problem drinking," and alcohol abuse continue to destroy human lives in our "enlightened" and "aware" society.