Drinking Makes You Richer. No, Seriously.

I have always argued that drinking alcohol makes you more awesome, cooler, more fun, a better person, etc. What I didn't know is that hitting the bottle is a good way to pad your wallet. Or so says a study by the Reason Foundation, a libertarian leaning think tank of people who have apparently never gone bar-hopping in LA and paid $8 for an MGD.

But seriously, they had some scientific findings and stuff.
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."
Sounds good so far, but that's not all. This study also contained some pretty awesome policy recommendations as well.
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."
Now, I don't really know what "social capital" is. And I don't care. Anything that helps enable my alcoholism and drunken college keg parties is just fine by me. Of course, the educational establishment is always there to harsh my mellow.
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.
Psh. Fuck Harvard. Let's hit the sauce.

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