Humor in Uniform : OROQ (One Rank One Quota)

Humor in Uniform 

I have a contrarian view about OROP.

I feel that the “One Rank One Pension” (OROP) concept is unfair – since it links Pension to Rank.

Thus – OROP will mainly benefit High Ranking Officers.

I feel that “length of service” should be given more importance than rank while computing pension. 

In fact – pension should be based on years of loyal service rendered to the nation.

Who deserves more pension:– 

A Colonel with 35 years of service – or a Brigadier with 25 years of service…?

After retirement – financial needs are the same for military veterans.

I therefore feel that it is logical, equitable and ethical to give pay and pension based on the years of active service rendered in the armed forces. 

However – I am a nonentity – so I have no choice but to accept this skewed concept of OROP.

If you agree with me that OROP is unjust to lower ranks – let me tell you that the concept of OROQ is even worse and more discriminatory.

The issue of OROP (One Rank One Pension) was raised only recently – but the concept of OROQ (One Rank One Quota) is existing since time immemorial.

(In the acronym “OROQ” –  the “Quota” refers to “Booze” or “Liquor” Quota)

Sometime ago – I saw a prominent notice outside the “Liquor Section” of a Military CSD Canteen.

You must be aware that as a “perk” – Defence, Paramilitary and, maybe, some Central/State Police Personnel – all these “faujis” are entitled to liquor at concessional rates – and probably some “part-time faujis” like Reservists, Territorial Army, NCC Officers, Defence Civilians etc also enjoy this privilege.

Even teetotallers get a liquor quota – which either lapses and gets wasted – or is illegally siphoned off to non-entitled civilians.

It would be a good idea to give non-drinkers Subsidized Milk or Juice in lieu of Liquor.

Coming back to the story – on the notice board – were listed the monthly “Liquor Quotas” for various military ranks, serving and retired. 

You don’t believe me...?

Have a look at the picture below showing monthly liquor quota for various ranks in units (bottles) of liquor. 

Monthly CSD Liquor Quota

When I questioned this bizarre logic of OROQ – someone explained that senior officers need to drink more alcohol to alleviate the stress due to work pressures at high rank (the higher the rank – the higher the stress level – and – the more the quantity of alcohol required to alleviate the stress).

Fine.

But what about after retirement?

Why have different “Rank Based Liquor Quotas” for Military Veterans after Retirement (and for widows/parents)...? 

Crazy logic – isn't it...? 

And – once you reach the top of the ladder – do you require to drink huge quantities of booze (unlimited liquor quota) – even after retirement...? 

If they say that “military intelligence” is an oxymoron – then “military logic” is an even greater oxymoron...!!! LOL 

In the Defence Services – Rank Has its Privileges (RHIP) – yes – in the “military” – everything depends on rank – especially perks and privileges – even after retirement – so even the liquor quota was based on the RHIP Principle – yes – your liquor quota increases in direct proportion to your rank – the higher your rank – the more booze you get – even after retirement.

This was known to me – as I was well aware of the rank conscious “feudal” culture still prevalent in the Defence Services.

But as I read down the list – I was taken aback.

Apparently – even widows were entitled a “Liquor Quota”.

(I was not aware that widows were entitled a liquor quota – both my mother and my mother-in-law are widows of defence officers – but I have never seen them drawing liquor from the CSD Canteen)

What surprised me was that even this widow’s liquor quota was as per the deceased husband’s rank – the higher the deceased husband’s rank – the more bottles of liquor his widow was entitled every month.

As per the “Widows’ Liquor Quota” shown in the picture above – widows of Generals were entitled 7 bottles a month – for widows of other officers it was 5 bottles a month – and was 3 bottles of liquor for the rest. 

I was amazed at the absurdity of this liquor quota for widows.

Firstly – was there any logic in incentivizing widows to drink liquor?

Secondly – do most widows really drink liquor?

Thirdly – do widows of senior officers require to drink more liquor than other military widows? 

I wonder how many widows actually draw their monthly liquor quota – and in case of widows who regularly take their monthly liquor quota from the CSD Canteen – there are no prizes for guessing where the subsidized liquor is going.

I had seen RHIP “rank discrimination” for perks and privileges for military personnel and veterans – but to extend this RHIP concept to widows – and that too for “Widow’s Liquor Quota” – it seemed quite absurd to me – extending RHIP even after death of the “fauji”.  

All these thoughts reminded me of a spoof I had written more than 3 years ago titled THE MORE YOU DRINK THE HIGHER YOU GO

So let me delve into my HUMOR IN UNIFORM archives – and pull out this spoof – and post it once more under a new title BOOZE LOGIC : “OLQ = ALCOHOL TOLERANCE LEVEL” for you to read, enjoy and mull over.

But before you start reading the article – please read the “disclaimer” – and proceed further only if you have a “sense of humor” – which seems to be scarce nowadays.


BOOZE LOGIC
OLQ = ALCOHOL TOLERANCE LEVEL
DOES DRINKING ALCOHOL IMPROVE YOUR OLQ (Officer Like Qualities)?
or conversely
DO SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE NEED TO DRINK MORE ALCOHOL ?
A Spoof
By
VIKRAM KARVE

Disclaimer: 

1. Please read this blog post only if you have a “Sense of Humor”. This is a Spoof – simple lighthearted humor – just for a laugh. So please take it with a “pinch of salt” and have a hearty laugh.

2. Serious humorless mentally straitjacketed “Service-Minded OG Types” are advised not to read this article.

3. This spoof is a work of fiction. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

RHIP and OROP

Here is one of my retirement musings on what I feel is an absurd interpretation and ludicrous implementation of the Rank Has Its Privileges or RHIP Concept. 

I am posting it once more for you to read, enjoy and ponder over. 

As I said, this is a spoof, for fun, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh

Cheers ... !!!

DOES DRINKING ALCOHOL IMPROVE YOUR “OFFICER LIKE QUALITIES” (OLQ) ?

Conventional wisdom says that as you grow older you should reduce your consumption of alcohol and drink less liquor.

However – the Military Canteen Stores Department (CSD) seems to think otherwise.

The more senior you become – the more booze you are supposed to drink.

Yes – your liquor quota increases according to your rank.

I am not aware of the exact liquor quota nowadays, but in our time, junior officers got about 12 bottles of booze a month, the mid-level officers got 14 bottles a month, and senior officers got 16 bottles a month, and flag officers (Admirals) got unlimited liquor. 

I understand that even after retirement – Generals, Admirals and Air Marshals enjoy unlimited liquor entitlement. 

Well – the number of booze bottles in the rank based liquor quotas may have changed – but the logic remains the same:

Your Liquor Quota increases in direct proportion to your Rank

Going by this Topsy-Turvy Logic one may draw the inference that the more senior you become the more liquor you are supposed to drink.

Conversely, as a corollary, one may surmise that promotion is directly proportional to your drinking capacity or alcohol tolerance level. 

The inference that can be drawn is that Drinking Enhances OLQ (Officer Like Qualities). 

In a nutshell, this liquor quota conundrum seems to be like a vicious cycle:

1. SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE NEED TO DRINK MORE ALCOHOL 

(on the premise that high rank increases the appetite for alcohol)

2. TO BE SUCCESSFUL YOU MUST DRINK MORE ALCOHOL 

(on the premise that Drinking Enhances OLQ or Officer Like Qualities)

Yes – the more the booze you can put down the hatch – and the more alcohol you can imbibe – the greater are your chances of promotion to higher ranks. 

Ostensibly – in the Army and Navy – Career Prospects are linked to Drinking Capacity. 

Your promotion depends on your drinking prowess.

It is simple: The more you drink – the higher you go

DOES AN EXCEPTION PROVE THE RULE ?

Let me now digress a bit:

AN EXCEPTION PROVES THE RULE 

By the way – at least in my case – this “promotion is directly proportional to drinking capacity” theory did not hold true. 

For had this premise been foolproof – then “yours truly” would surely have become an Admiral – because in my heyday – I could comfortably polish off more than half a bottle of Rum in a drinking session – yes – I had enormous capacity to hold my drinks – and I could easily drink most of the guys under the table.

Sadly – now I am a teetotaller – but during my early Navy Days I loved to drink – and I was a passionate drinker with great drinking capacity. 

If career prospects indeed depended on drinking capacity – I should have certainly gone high up the promotion ladder.

But – maybe – I was an exception to the rule. 

And – of course – there is a saying: “ an exception proves the rule ”

ALCOHOL TOLERANCE and PROMOTION POTENTIAL

Jokes apart – I feel that this absurd logic of a “pecking order” for liquor quotas is a rather bizarre interpretation of the RANK HAS ITS PRIVILEGES (RHIP) concept. 

In fact – it is a rather feudal approach. 

It extends the evil of “rank based discrimination” to absurd limits.

Can you please tell me:

By what logic does an elderly ageing senior officer require to drink more alcohol than his much more younger and youthful junior...?

In fact – if you ask me – it may be more prudent to give more liquor quota to young carefree bachelor officers – and keep them in “high spirits” – rather than facilitate senior married officers to drown their sorrows in alcohol and damage their health – besides ruining their family life. 

This RHIP discrimination continues after retirement too.

This happens despite the fact that once you retire you relinquish your active service rank and become a civilian and are considered equal in status with all others.

So while you are in service, your Promotion Potential is directly linked to your Drinking Capacity (also called Alcohol Tolerance Level in medical parlance). 

If you are a good drinker you will have two advantages in the military:

1. Your drinking prowess will enable you reach high rank while in service.

2. Once you hang up your boots – it will ensure that in view of your high rank you will get a higher liquor quota even after retirement.

And now – someone tells me – even the paramilitary forces want to join the liquor quota bandwagon – and are applying the same bizarre “RHIP Logic” for determining liquor quotas and want to continue the same rank-consciousness after retirement too.

Some uninitiated civilians must be wondering what is this “liquor quota” all about?

Well – maybe some veteran can correct me – but as far as I understand – this Liquor Quota concept seems to be “Relic of the British Raj”. 

MILITARY LIQUOR QUOTA – A RELIC OF THE BRITISH RAJ ?

The genesis of this liquor quota probably goes back to the days of the British Raj when a British Officer serving in India away from home was given a certain amount of liquor at concessional rates. 

After Independence, like most rules and regulations made by the erstwhile British rulers, this concept was continued. 

Yes – in many cases we continue to follow archaic “Royal” traditions in our services, some obsolete customs and traditions which even the British have done away with long ago. 

One wonders whether the British Military still have a Liquor Quota for their Servicemen and Military Veteran Ex-servicemen. 

RUM BUM LASH NAVY – BLACK TOT DAY

As far as the Royal Navy is concerned, I read somewhere that British Royal Navy has discontinued the daily “Rum Rations” given to sailors on board ships which was a centuries-old tradition from the days of the “Rum Bum Lash Navy” 

(or “Rum Sodomy Lash Navy” as Sir Winston Churchill is alleged to have famously quipped). 

This day, 31 July 1970, the last day when Rum Rations were served to sailors, was observed as “Black Tot Day”.

Whether this “perk” of subsidized liquor is good or bad is a debatable issue. 

But it is certainly an incentive to drink alcohol.

I remember that subsidized liquor (or “military rum” in popular parlance) was considered a big perk in the erstwhile days of prohibition – when drinking was not quite prevalent in civilian society – and there was hardly any good quality Indian Liquor available.

But nowadays – post liberalization and globalization – the choicest quality of liquor is freely available all over – and – since most states levy various Taxes and VAT on CSD goods anyway – there is hardly any price differential between the CSD and Civil rates – so gradually – a day will come when this “liquor quota” will become irrelevant.

LIQUOR QUOTA – RANK BIAS but NO GENDER BIAS

It is interesting to note that whereas there is “Rank Bias” in the entitlement of CSD Liquor Quota – there is no “Gender Bias” as far as booze is concerned. 

In the Defence Services – the Liquor Quota is a “Gender Neutral” perk.

Yes – as far as drinking alcohol is concerned – Lady Officers of the Army, Navy and Air Force have equal opportunity to imbibe the same amount of Liquor as their Male Counterparts in the same Rank. 

Women may have less alcohol tolerance levels as compared to men. 

Women Officers may enjoy various “Gender Privileges” like relaxed physical standards and soft non-combat appointments.

But – as far as Liquor Quota is concerned – women officers enjoy the same liquor quota entitlement as their male “brother officers”.

Liquor Quota is “gender neutral”. 

In the matter of booze – your gender does not matter – it is only your rank that matters.

Cheers for gender equality. 

In fact – there is gender privilege in case a woman officer outranks her male colleague. 

A senior female officer will get more liquor quota than a junior male officer.

And – if a female officer gets married to a fellow male officer (marriage in uniform) – then with both getting liquor quotas – it is “cheers” all the way – yes – a marriage full of “cheers”!

That calls for a drink!

DOES DRINKING ALCOHOL IMPROVE YOUR OLQ (Officer Like Qualities)?

But coming back to the moot point, I still have two sets of unanswered questions in my mind:

1. Are you supposed to drink more alcohol as you get senior...? 

Is there a correlation between Rank and the amount of alcohol you need to imbibe? 

Do successful people need to drink more alcohol...?

Do senior officers need to drink more than their juniors ?

2. Is drinking capacity the key to career success...? 

Is promotion to senior ranks dependent on your drinking prowess...? 

Do you need to drink more alcohol to be successful? 

Is there truth in the premise:

“The More You Drink The Higher You Go” 

Well – I know that you become “high” when you drink – but the “high” refers to spirits – not rank.

Do you go higher in your military career if you drink more...?

For a Defence Services Officer – everything depends on your OLQ (Officer Like Qualities).

So – to put everything we have discussed in a nutshell – the Moot Question is: 

Does drinking alcohol improve your OLQ...?

Will some “veteran” be so good as to enlighten us by answering this question.

Till then – “Cheers” – enjoy your “quota” – and have a drink ... !!!

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

1. This is a spoof, satire, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh.

2. All Stories in this Blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

This is a Revised Version of my article THE MORE YOU DRINK THE HIGHER YOU GO written by me Vikram Karve around 4 years ago in the year 2012 and posted online in my various blogs including at 8/18/2012 11:24:00 PM  in my Academic and Creative Writing Journal at urls: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2012/08/the-more-you-drink-higher-you-go-rank.html  and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/06/humor-in-uniform-drinking-prowess-and.html  and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2015/03/humor-in-uniform-olq-alcohol-tolerance.html  and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2015/11/humor-in-uniform-booze-logic-one-rank.html etc 

Morning “Routine”

MORNING “ROUTINE”

Slice of Life Story

By

VIKRAM KARVE

This morning – at around 7 AM – I was on my morning walk – when – I saw an elderly man standing on the side of the road.

The old man was wearing spotless white Kurta-Pyjama and a clean freshly starched white “Gandhi Topi” Cap (which is common local attire) 

The elderly man was carrying a walking stick.

The way he was tapping the walking stick – it seemed that he was having difficulty crossing the road.

I decided to help the man cross the road.

When I went closer – I noticed than the man was wearing thick spectacles – and it appeared that he could hardly see anything – maybe – he was visually impaired . 

I helped the man cross the road.

I asked the old man where he was going – as I wanted to escort the old man to his destination – but the man politely declined my assistance.

The old man said to me that he was going nearby – and that he knew the way to his destination – since he walked on this route every morning.

However – I followed him – since I was apprehensive of his safety (since he was near-blind) – and – I was also curious to know where this elderly man was going so early in the morning.

Believe it or not – his “destination” was the “Country Liquor Bar”.

Yes – the elderly man in spotlessly white clothes and cap walked down the road – straight to the “Country Liquor Booze Shop”.

(I have noticed that Country Liquor Shops/Bars open early in the morning and close past midnight – and there are “patrons” flocking these bars for booze at all times of the day and night – from the “crack of dawn” to the “wee hours past midnight”)

I watched the old man effortlessly negotiate his way into the Country Liquor Bar.

Remember – he had told me – this was his route and destination every morning – and he seemed to be familiar with the place.

I smiled to myself at the “morning routine” of the elderly man.

Soon – like many other “patrons” of the Country Liquor Bar – he would probably pass out “dead drunk” in the lane next to the Booze Shop – and – then – a few hours later – he would wake up and walk home – or maybe – go into the Country Liquor Bar once again for another “Quarter”… 

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

1. This story is a spoof, satire, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh. 

2. All Stories in this Blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)

BOOZE WISDOM – ARE YOU A BORN ALCOHOLIC ?

BOOZE WISDOM – Part 1

ARE YOU A BORN ALCOHOLIC ?

I had never touched alcohol before I joined the Navy – and I may have remained a non-drinker (a teetotaller) had I not joined the navy.

In the 1970’s, when I joined the Navy, Naval social life revolved around drinking alcohol.

In the Navy, alcohol was the social lubricant which fostered friendship and camaraderie.

Every occasion called for a drink, and any event, or party, official, social or personal, was celebrated by drinking copious amounts of alcohol.

For a rough and tough sailor, drinking was considered “macho” – a sign of manliness – and non-drinkers were mocked and ridiculed as effeminate weaklings.

In the Navy, and other arms of the military, if you were a robust drinker who could hold his liquor well, you were considered a good officer, and that you had good OLQ (Officer Like Qualities).

Good Officers were those who had great capacities for drinking, and a good naval officer was not supposed to get drunk even after imbibing large quantities of alcohol.

There was a saying: “Officers never get drunk, they only feel nice”.

On the other hand, a teetotaller was considered a sissy.

In a nutshell, the naval social environment encouraged and eulogized drinking, and, as I said earlier, drinking was the mainstay of naval social life (and I am sure the same was true of army life as well).

It was the navy that introduced me to the delights of alcohol and it is in the navy that I acquired my drinking wisdom, or “booze wisdom”, as I call it.

So, dear reader, let me share some of my “booze wisdom” with you.

Cheers !!!

BOOZE WISDOM – Part 1

ALCOHOLICS ARE BORN, NOT MADE

An Alcoholic is Born, Not Made

Incoherent Ramblings of an Retired Alcoholic

By

VIKRAM KARVE

Disclaimer:

These are my personal views based on my own experience. They may or may not be applicable in your circumstances. This experiential “wisdom” may not have any scientific basis. You may please do your own due diligence before you pick up a drink of alcohol.

I AM AN ALCOHOLIC WHO DOES NOT DRINK ALCOHOL

ONCE AN ALCOHOLIC – ALWAYS AN ALCOHOLIC

I am an alcoholic.

I am an alcoholic who does not drink alcohol.

Yes, at present, I am a “teetotaller”.

I am an alcoholic.

And I am a teetotaller.

So I guess you call me an “alcoholic teetotaller”.

You think I am crazy?

Let me explain.

You must have heard a saying:

“All those who drink alcohol do not become alcoholics. But all alcoholics drink alcohol”.

I agree with the first part of the saying.

Yes: “all those who drink alcohol do not become alcoholics”.

But I do not agree with the second part of the saying which says that: “all alcoholics drink alcohol”.

This is not entirely true.

There are many “alcoholics” who do not drink alcohol.

For example, there is me.

I am an alcoholic who does not drink alcohol.

Of course, there was a time when I drank plenty of alcohol.

Let me tell you of the stages of my life as far as alcohol is concerned.

MY LIFE STAGES AS AN ALCOHOLIC

My life can be divided into 3 phases:

1. ABSTINENCE 

From Birth to Adulthood (0 – 21 years) – my student days when I did not touch alcohol.

2. DRINKING DAYS

The Prime Years of my Life (21 – 46 years) – my drinking days when I drank plenty of alcohol.

3. TEMPERANCE

My Acme Years (46 years onwards) – my temperance years of teetotalism after I quit drinking alcohol at the age of 46.

GENETIC PREDISPOSITION and ENVIRONMENTAL PROVOCATION

You may ask me: “How can you be an alcoholic if you could quit drinking alcohol?”

Or in other words: “How can you remain an alcoholic even after you have quit drinking alcohol?”

The answers is YES.

You can remain and alcoholic even after you quit drinking alcohol.

Let me elucidate.

You must have heard a saying:

LEADERS ARE BORN, NOT MADE

In a similar vein, I would like to say:

ALCOHOLICS ARE BORN, NOT MADE

Yes, an alcoholic is born, not made

I was a born alcoholic.

However, I did not get a chance to drink alcohol till the age of 21.

So, I remained a “latent alcoholic” (or you may say a “potential alcoholic”).

At 21, after I had joined the navy, I had my first drink of alcohol.

This first drink activated the “alcoholism switch” in my brain.

I realized how much I loved drinking alcohol.

I enjoyed drinking – and alcohol became an important part of my life.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROVOCATION

In the Navy, the environment was conducive to drinking alcohol 

In fact, the Naval Social Environment “provoked” you to drink alcohol

(Maybe it is the same in the army and some other professions too where drinking alcohol is a part of life and you have to resist if you want to remain a teetotaller)

I realized that, if you are an “alcoholic”, the Navy is probably the best place to be in.

Naval life revolved around drinking alcohol.

In the Navy, alcohol was the social lubricant which fostered friendship and camaraderie.

Sitting in the bar drinking together, on-board and ashore, strangers become friends as they drank together.

Those glorious drinking scenes of bonhomie established enduring bonds of comradeship and friendship which have lasted even till today.

Yes, alcohol was the golden bond of fellowship.

My best friends were my navy drinking buddies, cutting across rank, seniority and age.

In the Navy, every occasion calls for a drink.

Any event, official, social or personal, was celebrated by drinking copious amounts of alcohol.

“Make and mend” days or “stripe wetting” ceremonies were celebrated by “elbow bending” PLDs (Pre Lunch Drinks) where beer was guzzled by the gallon.

Though you did not drink when sailing, whenever you were in harbour, or posted in a shore billet, you drank almost every evening – there were cocktail parties, mess nights, or informal “booze-up” get-togethers of friends, or you just went across to the wardroom, officers mess or club for a drink.

The best of duty-free foreign liquor was available on ships, and ashore too, the bars and canteens were well stocked with the best Indian brands of booze.

In a nutshell, the naval social environment encouraged and eulogized drinking.

If you were a robust drinker who could hold his liquor well, you were considered a good officer, and that you had good OLQ (Officer Like Qualities).

On the other hand, a teetotaller was considered a sissy.

Drinking was considered “macho” – a sign of manliness – and non-drinkers were mocked and ridiculed as effeminate weaklings.

In fact, I sometimes wondered why these non-drinkers had joined the navy, since alcohol was the main attraction of naval life.

Almost every naval officer drank alcohol, and there were hardly any teetollalers.

Drinking was the mainstay of naval social life.

As I told you earlier, PLDs, Cocktail Parties, Formal Mess Nights, Formal Social Calls and informal drinking binges were a regular feature and I felt pity watching the few teetotallers as they suffered a torturous time holding a soft drink for hours while all of us enjoyed our booze during those glorious naval parties.

This alcohol-conducive environment which enthused and provoked drinking was ideal for a “latent alcoholic” like me to turn into a “full blown alcoholic”.

Since I was a “born alcoholic”, I already had a genetic predisposition to alcoholism (alcoholism is in my DNA).

However, till I joined the navy, because I did not drink alcohol, I remained a “latent alcoholic”.

The various reasons due to which I did not drink alcohol as a young student can be summed up as: “in my younger days my environment was not conducive to drinking alcohol”.

So, I remained a “latent alcoholic”.

The moment I joined the navy, the environment became very conducive for drinking alcohol, and this “environmental provocation” was the trigger, impetus and catalyst which transformed my “latent alcoholism” into “full blown alcoholism”.

Thus, “Alcoholism” is a combination of “genetic predisposition” and “environmental provocation”

ALCOHOLISM = GENETIC PREDISPOSITION + ENVIRONMENTAL PROVOCATION

“Alcoholism” is a combination of “genetic predisposition” and “environmental provocation”

We can express this as a mathematical formula:

Alcoholism = genetic predisposition + environmental provocation

I had the genetic predisposition or propensity for alcoholism.

But, in my younger student days, there was an absence of environmental provocation – so I remained a “latent alcoholic”.

The moment I joined the navy, the conducive environmental provocation triggered my genetic predisposition.

The “alcoholism switch” was activated in my brain – and my penchant for alcohol was allowed to manifest and flourish.

Before I realized it, I was on the road to alcohol dependence and full blown alcoholism.

But a time did come when I did realize that I if continued drinking alcohol I would eventually slip into the abyss of alcoholism to the point of no return.

I had seen this happening to a few of my seniors, who had become alcohol dependent, and some had turned into full blown alcoholics.

I have seen this happening in the civilian world too.

Many say that alcoholism is on the rise.

In the strict sense, alcoholism always existed - only is was not visible.

In the past too, there were always many “latent alcoholics” with “genetic predisposition” to alcoholism.

However, due to various cultural taboos and non-availability of alcohol due to prohibition policies, these “latent alcoholics” did not get a chance to become “full blown alcoholics” (due to absence of “environmental provocation”).

This aspect is particularly evident in women.

Earlier, owing to cultural taboos women did not drink alcohol, so many women “latent alcoholics” who may have had a “genetic predisposition” to alcohol did not get a chance to become “full blown alcoholics” since there was absolutely no “environmental provocation”.

Now, drinking taboos are being slowly removed, especially in modern urban society.

The urban social environment becoming more and more conducive for women to drink alcohol.

This gives an opportunity for women who are “latent alcoholics” to become “full blown alcoholics”. 

WAKE UP CALL

The first “wake up call” I got was at a cocktail party around 12 years ago.

I drank 11 large pegs of whisky (almost a full bottle).

However, there was no effect on me.

Neither I, or anyone else, could discern that I had consumed such an enormous amount of alcohol.

In fact, a friend told me next morning about the enormous amount of whisky I had drunk and that he was surprised to see me behaving absolutely soberly.

He wondered as to how I could be normal after consuming 11 large pegs of whisky, when just 6 pegs of whisky made him drunk.

This meant that my alcohol tolerance level had increased enormously – and this was the first danger signal of impending trouble if I continued drinking alcohol.

I decided to stop drinking alcohol.

I had no choice.

I had a “genetic predisposition” to alcoholism.

Alcoholism was in my DNA and there was nothing I could do about it.

So the only option was to tackle “environmental provocation”.

I drastically changed my lifestyle and tried to be in a “non-alcoholic environment”.

Even now, more than 12 years since I quit drinking, I try to avoid “environmental provocation” to drink alcohol.

This has certainly affected my social life.

I avoid occasions and places where alcohol is served.

I don’t keep alcohol at home.

And ever since I stopped keeping booze at home a lot of my friends have stopped visiting me.

You may feel that these may seem extreme steps, and you may laugh at me – but then you are not a “born alcoholic”.

Whether I like it or not, I am a “born alcoholic” – and that is why I have to be careful.

ARE YOU A “BORN ALCOHOLIC” ?

How do you discover if you are a “born alcoholic”?

If you never drink, you will never come to know and that is the best thing.

But the moment you have your first drink, and the “alcoholism switch” triggers in your brain, you will come to know that you are a “born alcoholic” – you will start loving alcohol more than anything else.

And then you know what to do.

If you are a “born alcoholic”, then you have to control the “environmental provocation” so that it does not impel you towards drinking.

Otherwise, the deadly combination of “genetic predisposition” and “environmental provocation” can make you “alcohol dependent” and gradually turn you into a “full blown alcoholic”.

Remember: An alcoholic is born, not made.

Yes: “Alcoholics are Born, Not Made”.

Tell me one thing.

What should you do once you discover that you are a “born alcoholic”?

Is it wise to live in denial and ultimately become a full-blown alcoholic?

Or is it better to be frank like me and candidly say:

“I am an alcoholic and that is why I do not drink alcohol”

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
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Disclaimer:

1. These are my personal views based on my own experience. They may or may not be applicable in your circumstances. This experiential “wisdom” may not have any scientific basis. You may please do your own due diligence before you pick up a drink of alcohol.

2. All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the story are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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This is an updated version and repost of my article : ALCOHOLICS ARE BORN NOT MADE posted on this blog on 19 Oct 2013 at url: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/10/alcoholics-are-born-not-made.html