In the spirit of Oktoberfest, this episode of the Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different is a look back into our conversation with Professor Edward Slingerland, a distinguished scholar and author of Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way into Civilization.

They delve into the cultural and historical significance of alcohol consumption, examining its role in human civilization. Professor Slingerland argues that alcohol has been pivotal in social bonding, creativity, and even the development of agriculture. They discuss how different cultures approach drinking, highlighting the benefits of moderation and the potential harms of excessive consumption. The episode offers a nuanced perspective on alcohol’s impact on society.

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Professor Slingerland begins by addressing a fundamental question: why do humans enjoy getting drunk? The simple answer is that it feels good. However, this leads to a deeper inquiry: why has evolution allowed us to enjoy getting drunk? The prevailing narrative suggests that our attraction to intoxication is an evolutionary mistake. Substances like alcohol are often seen as hijacking our brain’s reward circuits, providing pleasure without any evolutionary purpose.

Contrary to this view, Professor Slingerland argues that alcohol has played a significant role in human evolution. Unlike other pleasurable activities that evolution tolerates because they are not overly costly, alcohol consumption can cause real harm.

But despite its potential dangers, humans have been focused on making and consuming alcohol for thousands of years. Archaeological evidence shows that humans were brewing beer around 13,000 years ago, well before the advent of agriculture. This suggests that our desire to get intoxicated may have driven the development of agricultural societies.

One of the key arguments in Professor Slingerland’s book is that the first plants domesticated by humans were often those with psychoactive properties, not necessarily those that were nutritionally beneficial. For instance, the ancestor of maize was cultivated for its potential to make beer rather than for food. This desire for intoxication may have been a primary motivator for settling down and forming agricultural societies.

Once humans transitioned to agricultural societies, they faced new challenges. Life in these communities was often stressful and monotonous compared to the more egalitarian and diverse lifestyles of hunter-gatherers. Alcohol provided a means to cope with these stresses, enhancing mood and reducing anxiety. This is still true today; many people enjoy a drink after work to mark the transition from a stressful day to a more relaxed evening.

Alcohol has a long history of being used to enhance creativity. Humans rely heavily on creativity for survival, especially in adapting to changing environments and competing with other groups. However, there’s a tension in our brains between the need to innovate and the need to focus. Alcohol can help loosen inhibitions and foster creativity by temporarily downregulating the prefrontal cortex (PFC), which is responsible for executive functions like focus, impulse control, and decision-making.

The famous saying “write drunk, edit sober” encapsulates this dynamic. Different psychoactive substances can enhance different cognitive functions. Alcohol can help loosen inhibitions and foster creativity, while stimulants like caffeine can improve focus and task management. This balance between creativity and focus is crucial for innovation and problem-solving.

To hear more from Professor Edward Slingerland and the culture of drinking through the ages, download and listen to this episode.

Professor Edward Slingerland is a Distinguished University Scholar at the University of British Columbia, specializing in early Chinese thought, cognitive science, and digital humanities.

Educated at Princeton, Stanford, and UC Berkeley, he has authored major works, including Trying Not to Try and Drunk, exploring the intersections of ancient philosophy and modern science.

He directs the Database of Religious History and has received over $11 million in grants for interdisciplinary projects. Slingerland is also a dual citizen, avid ocean kayaker, and educator through his popular MOOCs on Chinese thought and religion.

Website | UBC Profile | Twitter | Drunk

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