The Guardian: A toast to smaller wine glasses – but our best ideas have been inspired by alcohol
“According to Edward Slingerland, the fermentation of beer 13,000 years ago enabled us to switch off the self-interested focus of our prefrontal cortex, and in our temporarily altered state we could build trust and communal innovation.”
Andrew Anthony, “A toast to smaller wine glasses - but our best ideas have been inspired by alcohol,” The Guardian, January 20, 2024
The Globe and Mail: A call for Damp January - or why connected people are happy people
“In virtually all cases, Dr. Slingerland notes, humans have mitigated alcohol’s risks through culture, translating collective wisdom into shared values, rituals and taboos.”
Benjamin Leszcz, “A call for damp January - or why connected people are happy people,” The Globe and Mail, December 29, 2023
Metrópoles: Cerveja é a forma mais segura de consumir álcool, diz pesquisador
““Apesar de o consumo desenfreado de álcool estar relacionado a diversas doenças, como a gordura no fígado, aterosclerose, arritmia e insônia, o pesquisador Edward Slingerland, da Universidade da Colúmbia Britânica, no Canadá, defende que um porre de vez em quando faz bem.””
João Vítor Reis, “Cerveja é a forma mais segura de consumir álcool, diz pesquisador,” Metrópoles, August 31, 2023
SVT: Alkoholexperimenten
“När förfäder till människoaporna kunde bryta ner alkohol i jäst frukt, blev det en vinstlott i evolutionen. Berusning ledde till att människan kunde utveckla den moderna civilisationen, hävdar forskare. Alkohol gör oss trevligare och barnsligare.”
“Alkoholexperimenten,” SVT, August 20, 2023
The Hub: To drink or not to drink - Arguments against alcohol forget that pleasure is an essential part of life
“One of the reasons Slingerland posits for our boozy ways is conviviality. Slingerland points out that it’s not just fun to have a glass of wine with our friends, it’s a particular kind of bonding. When we agree to have a low-dose neurotoxin together, we’re letting our guard down and sharing an intimacy of vulnerability.”
Malcolm Jolley, “To drink or not to drink: Arguments against alcohol forget that pleasure is an essential part of life,” The Hub, July 28, 2023
Time: The Joyful Return to Social drinking
“As pandemic lockdowns ease and we return to ordinary life rhythms, the revival of social drinking should be embraced with euphoric gusto. The shared experience of music, happy chatter, effortlessly synchronized conversation, rising endorphin levels, and reduced inhibitions catalyzed by a few glasses of ethanol has been impossible to replace with Zoom chats, and it is something we’ve been desperately missing. Let us look forward to once again celebrating the ancient, distinctly human joy of sharing a pint or two among friends.”
Edward Slingerland, “The Pandemic Changed How We Drink. It's Time to Go Back to the Joy of Social Drinking,” Time, December 30, 2021
Blinkist: 22 Hidden Gems
“Drunk is an inquiry into the reasons why humans started getting drunk. Drunk examines how inebriation helped our ancestors evolve into creative, communal, cultural beings and considers whether or not alcohol is an appropriate tool for the modern age. In the audio version of this explainer, you enjoy an excerpt from a certain famous classical composition. No spoilers though, you will have to listen for yourself!”
Rob Gillham, “22 Hidden Gems – Fantastic Nonfiction for 2022 That Deserve to be on Your Radar,” Blinkist Magazine, December 20, 2021
Zocalo: Announcing the Zócalo 2022 Book Prize Shortlist
“What is racism costing all of us? How are communities across America battling the opioid crisis? Who are the people drilling in the Bakken oil fields of North Dakota? And just how essential was drunkenness to the creation of civilization as we know it?
These are the questions that animate the four books shortlisted for the 2022 Zócalo Public Square Book Prize.”
“Announcing the Zócalo 2022 Book Prize Shortlist,” Zócalo, December, 9 2021
shondaland: How to Be Irresponsible Responsibly
“We spend so much of our lives striving to be responsible and to do the right thing that we often forget there are many benefits to doing something a little naughty every once in a while. The excitement that comes with tapping into that childlike mischievousness is freeing because it thrusts you into the present moment. So, being a tad reckless, spontaneous, and risking getting into trouble has the power to open a door to surprising moments of joy and fulfillment.”
Ally Hirschlag, “How to Be Irresponsible Responsibly,” Shondaland, July 19, 2021
Smithsonian: immensely readable exploration of drunkenness
“Blending history, anthropology, neuroscience, genetics, archaeology and a range of other disciplines, Drunk outlines the manifold merits of intoxication, from fostering creativity to relieving stress to building social bonds.”
Meilan Solly, “The Fight to Legalize Gay Marriage, the Woman Who Couldn’t Be Silenced and Other New Books to Read,” Smithsonian, June 1, 2021