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alcohol and society

Line graph of beer consumption in Canada and the US
GZERO North

The Graphic Truth: Canadians are cutting back, eh?

If “beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy,” then public health officials in Canada have strayed from the path of righteousness.

Does alcohol help bring the world together?
GZERO World Clips

Does alcohol help bring the world together?

On GZERO World, Ian Bremmer takes a look at the yin and the yang of alcohol's role in high-level diplomacy and society at large. Alcohol can bring people together just as easily as it can tear them apart. From a 1995 Clinton/Yeltsin Summit where a drunk Yeltsin almost derailed Bosnian peace talks, to Obama's Beer Summit and the recent G7 Summit, booze plays a part in how world leaders interact.

Does alcohol help or harm society?
GZERO World Clips

Does alcohol help or harm society?

University of British Colombia professor Edward Slingerland says drinking makes us feel good and has historically encouraged socializing. But there are negative implications, as well: pandemic drinking and the "bro culture" associated with alcohol can exclude and even be dangerous for women.

The (political) power of alcohol
GZERO World with Ian Bremmer

The (political) power of alcohol

Alcohol. It's a dangerous drug that has ruined countless lives and derailed many a global summit. But it's also humanity's oldest social lubricant, a magical elixir that can fuel diplomatic breakthroughs, well into the wee hours of the night. As Winston Churchill once quipped, "I've taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me." On GZERO World, we take a deep dive down the bottle and examine the role alcohol has played in society, politics, and global summitry—from the earliest hunter-gatherer days to that memorable Obama Beer Summit in 2009. Joining Ian Bremmer is philosopher Edward Slingerland, whose new book Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way Into Civilization makes a compelling, if nuanced, case for alcohol's place in the world.

Two beer bottles: Podcast: Alcohol’s role in the world, explained by Edward Slingerland
GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast

Podcast: Alcohol, diplomacy & society, from Edward Slingerland's perspective

Listen: A deep dive down the bottle to examine the role alcohol has played in society, politics, and global summitry—from the earliest hunter-gatherer days to that memorable Obama Beer Summit in 2009. Joining Ian Bremmer on the GZERO World podcast is philosopher Edward Slingerland, whose new book Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way Into Civilization makes a compelling, if nuanced, case for alcohol's place in the world.