Legal Drinking Age as a Matter of Immense Controversy - Research Paper Example

of the English Literature ic and Modern) of the Teacher 14 November Proposal The legal drinking age is indeed a matter of immense controversy in the nation’s social and political circles. This is an issue that accrues a range of opinions and sentiments. This paper intends to support the assertion that legal drinking age should be lowered to eighteen in the light of the existing pragmatic evidence and the ground realities. The paper will rely for support and material on the latest academic textual sources, besides resorting to an ample usage of simple logic and common sense. Outline I. Introduction II. Eighteen is the age of adulthood A. Law extends many of the adult rights to an 18 year old B. Can marry, sign contacts, smoke, join army, etc C. An 18 year old is an adult and can act in a responsible manner III. Social influences A. Society moulds a person B. High legal drinking age deprives an individual of benign social influences C. Thereby it should be lowered to 18 to allow exposure to positive social Influence IV. Opposite views A. Misguided and emotive B. Unrealistic C. High legal age makes drinking a “forbidden fruit” V. Conclusion Rough Draft The Legal Drinking Age should be lowered to eighteen The legal drinking age is an issue that has raked in much controversy with contrary proposals being extended by warring sides, those arguing to raise the legal drinking age and those supporting a lowering of the drinking to 18. The thing that needs to be considered is that when it comes to fixing the legal drinking age, the attitude of the state and the law seems to have been guided more by the assertions and feelings of the masses, rather than being in consonance with the ground realities and a need for pragmatism. The legal drinking age should be lowered to eighteen as this measure will not only be in tandem with the existent practical realities, but will also go a long way in shaping the attitude of the young people towards drinking to be more realistic, responsible and sensible. The thing that needs to be kept in mind is that eighteen happens to be the age of adulthood in the United States of America. As per the law an individual who has reached the age of eighteen is considered to be an adult for all intents and purposes. Now if the law thinks that an 18 year old has the emotional capacity and the reason to be able to decide on important issues as to who should govern the nation, or whether one should get married or to whom one should get married, or should one join the military, considering the risk that it involves, it is totally irrational and illogical to believe that an 18 year old cannot handle oneself while drinking. Thereby, the legal drinking age should be lowered to 18 as an adult person should have the right to make decisions about alcohol consumption in consonance with one’s beliefs and understanding. The other thing is that society is the potent and governing institution that helps the individuals and especially the adults to adapt and mould their behavior in tandem with the legal requirements and the dominant social expectations. Like many liberal and democratic societies, a responsible and recreational consumption of alcohol is an undeniable part of the American society. Thereby, by fixing the minimum legal drinking age at twenty one, the law deprives a large section of the adult population of the opportunity to adapt and mould their drinking behavior as per the legal requirements and social expectations. Lowering the legal drinking age to 18 will allow the young people to consume alcohol in the supervised and regulated environment of the bars, pubs and other licensed drinking locations, thereby allowing them to be responsible and tamed with their drinking behavior and attitudes. Not allowing this age group to consume alcohol in safe, supervised and regulated social locations makes them consume alcohol at places that are unsupervised and unregulated, thereby increasing their chances of engaging in risky behavior like binge drinking, antisocial or illegal behavior and drunk driving. There are segments of the society and legal opinion makers who believe that minimum drinking age should not be lowered or rather it should be raised. For instance some people believe that setting the legal drinking age at 21 reduces the consumption of alcohol in the society and prevents the young people from engaging in unwanted or antisocial behavior after getting drunk. Yet, the fact is that nothing could be far from the truth. Though the minimum drinking age is set at 21, the practical reality is that a large number of young people below this age do consume alcohol and many of them do so in an irresponsible manner. Hence, lowering the drinking age to 21 will divest the element of thrill associated with alcohol and will make the young people more realistic and saner in their approach towards alcohol. Setting the legal drinking age at twenty one is totally absurd and non-sensical. Besides, the setting of the minimum drinking age at 21 is totally contrary to the existent realities and the high expectations the nation associates with its young adults. The high drinking age in fact brings in an element of thrill and adventure in the act of alcohol consumption. Thereby, the legal drinking age should be lowered to eighteen as it will give the young people a chance to consume alcohol in a responsible and legal manner amidst a supervised and regulated social environment. Final Draft The Legal Drinking Age should be lowered to eighteen It is a fact that almost all 50 of the states in the United States of America have affixed the legal drinking age at 21, though exceptions do exist from one state to other as to allowing consumption of alcohol to those not reaching the legal age under adult supervision, at home or such other situations (Mittleman 179). The legal drinking age is an issue that has raked in much controversy with contrary proposals being extended by warring sides, those arguing to raise the legal drinking age and those supporting a lowering of the drinking to 18. The thing that needs to be considered is that when it comes to fixing the legal drinking age, the attitude of the state and the law seems to have been guided more by the assertions and feelings of the masses, rather than being in consonance with the ground realities and a need for pragmatism. The legal drinking age should be lowered to eighteen as this measure will not only be in tandem with the existent practical realities, but will also go a long way in shaping the attitude of the young people towards drinking to be more realistic, responsible and sensible. The thing that needs to be kept in mind is that eighteen happens to be the age of adulthood in the United States of America (Irvine 138). As per the law an individual who has reached the age of eighteen is considered to be an adult for all intents and purposes. It is a fact that a person reaching the age of 18 in the United States of America is practically extended all the rights and privileges by the law that befits an adult individual like the right to vote, the right to get married, the right to sign legal documents and contracts, the right to serve on juries and the right to smoke cigarettes (Irvine 255). So much so that an 18 year old is also extended the right to join the armed forces. Now if the law thinks that an 18 year old has the emotional capacity and the reason to be able to decide on important issues as to who should govern the nation, or whether one should get married or to whom one should get married, or should one join the military, considering the risk that it involves, it is totally irrational and illogical to believe that an 18 year old cannot handle oneself while drinking. Thereby, the legal drinking age should be lowered to 18 as an adult person should have the right to make decisions about alcohol consumption in consonance with one’s beliefs and understanding. The lowering of drinking age to 18 will certainly imbue the minds of the young people in the society with a sense of responsibility and concern when it comes to alcohol consumption. This will make them act in a more mature and adult manner while dinking. The other thing is that society is the potent and governing institution that helps the individuals and especially the adults to adapt and mould their behavior in tandem with the legal requirements and the dominant social expectations (France 148). Like many liberal and democratic societies, a responsible and recreational consumption of alcohol is an undeniable part of the American society. People in America do have the right to consume and enjoy alcohol and the good thing is that a majority of the people enjoying alcohol do tend to mould their drinking behavior and manners in consonance with the imminent legal requirements and the predominant social expectations. Thereby, by fixing the minimum legal drinking age at twenty one, the law deprives a large section of the adult population of the opportunity to adapt and mould their drinking behavior as per the legal requirements and social expectations (Barrie 65). Lowering the legal drinking age to 18 will allow the young people to consume alcohol in the supervised and regulated environment of the bars, pubs and other licensed drinking locations, thereby allowing them to be responsible and tamed with their drinking behavior and attitudes. Not allowing this age group to consume alcohol in safe, supervised and regulated social locations makes them consume alcohol at places that are unsupervised and unregulated, thereby increasing their chances of engaging in risky behavior like binge drinking, antisocial or illegal behavior and drunk driving. Besides, the lowering of the minimum legal drinking age to 18 will to a large extent dilutes and deplete the thrill associated with getting a drink by breaking the law and going against social norms. This will make alcohol consumption less of a taboo for the people of this age group and will help them develop moderate and realistic attitudes towards alcohol. There are segments of the society and legal opinion makers who believe that minimum drinking age should not be lowered or rather it should be raised. However, the intentions of such people and experts happen to be more affiliated to ideological and philosophical leanings or are emotive in their scope and appeal, rather than being guided and motivated by the way things actually exist. For instance some people believe that setting the legal drinking age at 21 reduces the consumption of alcohol in the society and prevents the young people from engaging in unwanted or antisocial behavior after getting drunk. Yet, the fact is that nothing could be far from the truth. Though the minimum drinking age is set at 21, the practical reality is that a large number of young people below this age do consume alcohol and many of them do so in an irresponsible manner. In fact the minimum drinking age adds an element of curiosity and thrill to the task of procuring and consuming alcohol (Cavendish 137). Thereby, setting the drinking age at 21 has made alcohol the proverbial “forbidden fruit” for the young people below the age of 21. Hence, lowering the drinking age to 21 will divest the element of thrill associated with alcohol and will make the young people more realistic and saner in their approach towards alcohol. Setting the legal drinking age at twenty one is totally absurd and non-sensical. It is not that young people below the age of twenty one are more likely to act in an irresponsible manner, when it comes to alcohol. There is no set age for engaging in folly and an adult person could chose to act irresponsible at any time irrespective of one’s age. Besides, the setting of the minimum drinking age at 21 is totally contrary to the existent realities and the high expectations the nation associates with its young adults. The high drinking age in fact brings in an element of thrill and adventure in the act of alcohol consumption. Thereby, the legal drinking age should be lowered to eighteen as it will give the young people a chance to consume alcohol in a responsible and legal manner amidst a supervised and regulated social environment. Works Cited Barrie, Ken. Alcohol. Edinburgh: Dunedin Academic, 2011. Print. Cavendish, Marshall. Drugs and Society. New York: Marshall Cavendish Reference, 2008. Print. France, Alan. Understanding Youth in Late Modernity. London: Open University Press, 2007. Print. Irvine, William B. The Politics of Parenting. St.Paul, MN: Paragon House, 2008. Print. Mittleman, Amy. Brewing Battles. New York: Algora, 2008. Print. Read More