Sisyphus (and this is true) was sentenced by the gods to roll a huge rock up a steep hill for eternity. Each time he would bring the boulder just about to the summit, and then something would cause the blasted stone to roll right down to the bottom again. The ancient Sisyphus was punished for his cleverness, but we modern Sisypheans are condemned by our stupidity to have the same debate about how to alter the behaviour of our fellows, over and over and over again.
The issue might be a health scare, an environmental scare, a crime scare or a combination of all of these. Whatever - the inevitable rubric is as follows.
One: dreadful case or cases, headlines, news stories, moral panic, bishops (optional), MPs, voluntary organisations, something must be done.
Two: government consultation, strong words, determination, much already done - much remaining to be done.
Three: proposals involving tougher sentencing, banning of something in public, strengthening police powers.
Four: proposals involving education, a publicity campaign, special lessons in schools.
Five: vested interests (brewers, head teachers, lawyers) on why measures are impractical or reek of the nanny state; Opposition on why measures are impractical and don't go far enough.
Six: Institute of Ideas or similar contrarians on why murder or smoking or devil dogs were never a problem in the first place.
Seven: fail to evaluate last set of measures, begin again with something else.
Yesterday it was, once more, drink. Or, rather, kids and drink, which is a quadrupled panic. This concern arises partly out of the endless recent publicity about binge drinking and antisocial behaviour, and partly because of worries about the health of individuals. Kids being involved meant that the main minister in the frame was Ed Balls, the Children's Secretary. So we got ideas for extending ASBOs to persistent public drinkers, greater police powers to disperse youthful drinkers, a two-strikes policy for retailers flogging booze to the unbearded and - on the soft side - an education campaign for parents on what drink advice to give to their progeny (other than “drunk for a penny, dead drunk for twopence”). And we had the Shadow Secretary, Michael Gove, on how this was no good, though no one quite got round to asking him why. Expect the Institute of Ideas (actually alcohol liberates young minds) later in the week.
But in the midst of his hyperactivity Mr Balls said this: “We need a culture change about drinking, with everyone from parents, the alcohol industry and young people all taking more responsibility.” In other words the measures were of little use without the culture change. People who currently think that getting blasted, wasted, rat-arsed, hammered, legless, mellow, jolly or wrecked is a good thing need to begin to believe that it is a very bad thing. Radio presenters need to stop joking with victorious sportsmen that there'll be “sore heads” in the morning. Sometimes, in social situations, I am astonished at just how much glug otherwise sensible folk can get down their necks in an evening. So cultural change is right. Without it, everything else is just more laws.
But can governments effect cultural change? This last weekend I read a piece in a left-leaning newspaper complaining about advertising for a strip club, and suggesting that both the poster - depicting partly undressed young women apparently writhing - and pole and lap dancing were somehow attributable to new Labour. And I thought to myself that Cleggian Lib Dem and Cameronian Tory lap-dancing posters would probably be much the same, except with younger models. In other words, society marched on regardless doing what it wanted to do regardless of what party was in power.
The ranks of those who moan loudest about their loss of freedoms are swelled by nostalgics for the days of Merrie England - before CCTV, when post offices could be found in every hamlet and foreigners wore pointy beards and limited themselves to the royal court. But even popular monarchs could be very proscriptive. Consider the announcement in 1574 by Elizabeth I of her Statutes of Apparel, telling free-born Englishpersons what they could not wear. The statutes laid down limitations on the fineries to be donned by subjects, and were - or so Her Majesty claimed - motivated by a concern that now sounds wholly modern. Viz, “the wasting and undoing of a great number of young gentlemen and others seeking by show of apparel to be esteemed as gentlemen, who, allured by the vain show of those things... run into such debts and shifts as they cannot live out of danger of laws without attempting unlawful acts”.
Elizabeth had the advantage that she could imprison anyone so much as questioning these laws, let alone breaking them. But not long afterwards we discover various proto-Mailites suggesting that antisocial dressiness had broken out again. Stephen Gosson lamented that hardly had Good Queen Bess “set downe the limits of apparel to euery degree: and how soone againe hath the pride of our harts over-flowen the chanel?” Huge ruffs bothered Philip Stubbes, who, in his The Anatomie of Abuses considered that: “If Aeolus with his blasts, or Neptune with his stormes chaunce to hit uppon the crafie bark of their brused ruffes, then they goe flip flap in the winde, like rags flying abroad, and lye upon their shoulders like the dishcloute of a slut.”
Fashion, popular culture, whatever you call it, found a way round authority, because it didn't depend upon authority, or even upon establishment approval. For a century women insisted on wearing the hoop petticoat, despite being mocked in poem, novel and periodical. Fielding considered that the huge garment “serves as a sort of a Fortification, a woman being it as it were intrenched and an Assailer kept at a distance...” Isn't that true of the infamous Chelsea tractor?
At the end of the 8th century Bishop Alcuin of York complained to the young Anglo-Saxon beaux aping Viking fashion. “Look at your hairstyle, how you have wished to resemble the pagans in your beards and your hair. Are you not terrified of those whose hairstyle you wished to have?” he demanded. Anyone for gangsta? Authority sends its message, and gets one straight back.
Underachievement is a huge problem, but what can governments do about the anti-learning culture in our schools and on our screens, where “swots” are to be pitied and the playing of football is the sole reliable virtue? It's in the culture. Like racism or smoking, it takes decades to shift. It isn't Balls; it's us.
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Given the pace of cultural change, it seems a bit unimaginative to suggest that it can not be controlled.
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I would only be concerned with the parts of culture that promote violence and other uncivil behaviour.
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avraam jack, alexandria,vaginia, usa
Read your history. Chronic drunkenness as a social problem in Brits pre-dates smoking and definitely pre-dates Good Queen Bess. It's centuries old and never goes away despite the taxman, preacher or prohibitionist. And I don't have an answer either.
KR, Stockport,
Did you say CULTURE! It is easy to destroy a countr'y than it is to build one.The last time we had gin alleys and booze was so cheap it took more than a few soothing words or a 'strong' goverement to change it.If the descent of the youth of today is the culture then we may soon have gangerine.
G Blezard, London, Uk
The author is correct to some degree, people in this country drink get and smashed because it is socially acceptable, much like smoking was 30 years ago. Until we can re-educate ourselves that it isn't, we haven't got a hope in hell of stoping our young people falling about all over the pavement.
Brian Roberts , Plymouth, Devon
Teenage children are isolated from responsible drinking because they cant go to the pub with their parents.
Let the family go out together to a drinking environment where a degree of control may be exercised and they may grow up in a more responsible manner wothout bothering people on the streets!
Adrian, Swansea, UK
Smoking has not been curtailed; only the social lives of angry smokers. Smoking is back on the increase in Ireland. Smuggling, both of tobacco and alcohol is on the increase. Even our dim youth will eventually discover home-brew.
Jon, manchester, uk
Of course governments can change culture, unfortunately most of the time it's in ways that they hadn't expected.
Simon Carter, London,
RE: Flannery
Isn't alcohol price inelastic? Raising prices wouldn't affect quantity of alcohol consumed by much, it'd just increase tax revenue (yay!)
I'm not sure though, that's just what the economics text book said though (several years ago)
Diana, Euston, England
no governemnt in their right mind is going to massively increase the price of booze. Its electoral suicide. The answer is long-term. we need to have a more continental drinking culture. This means pubs staying open longer (and no happy hours etc.). change will take a generation - not overnight
Andy, cumbernauld,
the Canadian government´s attempts to make Canadians more fit worked very well in the 80´s with the participaction programme.
Michele, munich, germany
It is the way the government is destroying the country and its inhabitants that cause people to drink to excess in the first place. There aren't many other ways left to try and escape their incomintence.
Mike, Bournemouth,
is this the New Lab of joined up government,who liberalised the licensing laws?
No new laws are needed,just enforce the existing ones,such as serving underage and d&d. When I started in the trade in 68 on Saturdays the ploice checked the pubs frequented by the young and prosecuted landlords.
R G James, Brasschaat, Belgium
The more things change, the more they stay the same...
John F, London,
People know the risks of drinking. If they choose to drink a lot that's up to them, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else. Once they become drunk and disorderly, they should be punished (on the spot £500 fine or a week's community service) and billed for cost of ambulance/ hospital care.
Hannah, London, UK
Why not just have 24/7 drinking in pubs??? ...yeah great idea...
look.... just increase the age to 21 as in the likes of Canada & the States, bring back sensible drinking hours in pubs, so people are not rolling out legally at God Knows what time..will be a good start!...its not rocket science!!
Pete, Bridgend, Wales
The present drinking/stabbing culture didn't come from nowhere. If those who drove it, i.e. media, fashion moguls and other greats from the big money world hadn't seen fit to promote it we wouldn't have it now . So there's no reason to suppose that change can't work both ways.
Francis Tuttle, Madrid,
Organisational cutlures can be bent, but not so national cultures. That said, culture is about beliefs, values and behaviours. This really isn't anything to do with that. It's about being weak and stupid - and occassionally choosing to be so.
Shocker, Cambridge,
Surely this is just another scheme that the government can u turn and say it was because they were 'listening'!
I was brought up with a glass of wine at dinner, and think I have better control than to habitually binge drink.This is NOT a cue for all my friends to write in and prove me wrong!
Bill Glanvill, Horsham, England
could not ed balls' pronouncements be summed up as 'so what'?
david c, purbeck, uk
Drinking is surely a matter of personal choice unless it causes harm or distress to others, i love a few beers after a hard days graft. I dont drink and drive nor do I verbally or physically assault others..
The point being punish those who step out of line and leave the rest us of alone.
J Whiteside, Lytham, Lancashire, England
The first thing to do in order to make some progress is...CHANGE THE GOVERNMENT.
Getting rid of a venal dishonest government that only knows dereliction of duty,is the first step to any change for the better.
ps The new government should be paid the minimum wage.
Hugh E Torrance, London, England
How did the French curb their drinking habits? Tax bars to the hilt. Wife: "You're not going there to pay three francs for a demi. I can buy bottles of beer for a franc each. Wine is 4 francs a litre. So drink at home! Prior to 1954 bars were open all ngiht . Mendes France changed that.
[pete, London, london, england
The recent government debates demonstrate how political debate is out of touch with public opinion. . The responsible drinkers are unfairly penalised and it’s about time that we were given a chance to have our voice heard. www.responsibledrinkersalliance.co.uk is a great website
Lucy, Islington,
What sense does it make blaming the Govt. It's all about us, the People's attitude within the society. What of the neighbour who heard an arguement between an older man, Shouting.. and a young girl? A little bit of effort could have saved the girl's life. Police could have arrived on time..
Tunde, London,
I'll drink to that!
Peter K Day, Doncaster, UK
Is there anything in this country that someone doesn't want banned? I can think of a huge list myself - starting with bloody garlic. Why do I have to live in a land that stinks of burning rubber?
Ken Leyland, Liverpool, U.K.
I think the problems are lack of British culture. Its been undermined to the point where anything can be a replacement for it. Whether its celebrity culture, drinking culture... Part of the problem is unchecked immigration and political correctness, part is consumerism and breakdown of families.
Matthew, Enfield, England
It is surprising that no one here is asking whether it is the Government's job to change culture?
I was under the impression that actions had consequences and people had a right to go about their business providing they don't harm others. Maybe I'm mistaken in this day and age.....
Matt, Cardiff, UK
Sisyphus: "By God, I could do with a drink!"
Kevin Straw, Leicester,
It's not the drink that's the problem, all that does is fuel an already present attitude.
It's the no fear of punishment or concequence that is not stopping these people from thinking before they act.
Mags, Nr Oxford, uk
Is it coincidence that letters supporting drunkenness or at least lambasting those trying to do something about it come from our great university towns. Don't expect the rest of us to readily support any treatment for self inflicted illness or have sympathy for inability to work through alcoholism.
mike gee, bournemouth, uk
Even Shakespeare refers to the amount of alcohol drunk by the English in Hamlet. - this is not a new problem; the licensing laws were introduced in WW1 to stop ammunitions workers from drinking too much. Not sure this is something Ed Balls can 'fix' with yet another raft of initiatives.
julia, Oxford,
"Like racism or smoking, it takes decades to shift." Quite right. And what happens if no-one makes an effort to shift things? Not very much. The whole point of the article seemed to be to mock those taking action because there was no point in taking such action. But there is; as finally acknowledged
HKA, London,
Who doesn't drink to excess? It seems MPs with their subsidised bars certainly do. I think that the tax on drink, particularly on alcopops (are they really aimed at adults?) should be punitive.
The problem with drinking has got worse since the appearance of alcohol fuelled soft drinks.
Terry Murphy, Watford, UK
Firstly, cultural change is driven by innovation, not by prescription. Secondly, to deter youngsters from drinking they need viable, accessible distractions. Having sold playing fields, closed swimming pools and privatised leisure centres, I'm surprised they have the nerve to admit there's a problem
Burbage, London,
There is a drinking culture in England and I am a proud and habitually tipsy member of it. We celebrate booze in all its forms and long may this last!! The issue is a lack of moral and social responsibility and care for others across the country. People can be sloshed and behave, some choose not to
James Cullup, Oxford,
I'll take no lectures from the drunken, rutting, expenses-fiddling, sots in the HoP. Let them shut their own bars, smoking parlours and end their adulterous liaisons. When they've cleaned up their own act, then they can talk to decent folk. Let them look to their own culture first.
V Samuel, Cambridge,
Why aren't the citizens of Czechoslovakia and Germany for example, harangued on a daily basis about how many units they consume? They drink more per capita than we do, as do the citizens of many more countries.
Make the so-called recommended limit low enough and everyone is a binge-drinker.
Alan Palmer, Hull,
The authorities in this country successfully made drink-driving socially unacceptable many years ago.
In Greece, hashish used to be widely used, but the authorities managed to stamp it out (admittedly, this was through harsh punitive measures, i believe).
It's quite possible to change culture.
Ed W, London,
As long as being sensible is associated with being boring - yep you don't get the highs but not the lows either - we'll get nowhere. We've wrecked the environment because of lack of restraint - the Alphas have put in place a lack of laws & regs to put themselves above everything eg via hedge funds
Esther Phillips, Leatherhead,
Let's just think this one through!
If consuption of alcohol is to be banned on the streets and on public transport why are there so many bars in the House of commons?
Surely our leaders could set a good example by banning the consumption of alcohol in the House of Parliament..
hirry ewal, exeter, england
Forty years ago living in Portsmouth the only drunks were sailors on shore leave. The rest of the populace didnt drink to excess because they couldnt afford it and it certainly wasnt considered the done thing. Attitude and affordability are the twin prongs needed to attack this national blight.
mike gee, bournemouth, uk
The UK is a country with a strong drink culture i.e. it is the main source of entertainment for many people. This is not the fault of Labour or Tory parties it is an ingrained part of UK life and socialising. Yes its incredible that we can drink until ill and think it funny. Actually its rather sad!
steve, edinburgh, edinburgh
On hearing the latest initiative I, for once, smiled with Mr Aaronovitch
One thing, and one thing only will reduce this "culture" and that is fashion.How one promotes such a fashion is for someone cleverer than me but it will not be by government
As with smoking work in primary schools is worthwhile
robert everitt, wolverhampton,
Its not a question of whether we could change culture, more of whether we should. It is certainly not the Government's place to change culture. I firmly believe that the 'drinking problem' is stirred up by the Government as a convenient skapegoat for more serrious issues that are harder to solve
David, Bradford, England
If the government is serious about this, and truely believe that it is harming national welfare, they must increase the price of alchohol. Anything less is just political expediency.
The cultural and behavioural change that is talked about is indeed very price-elastic.
P Flannery, Glasgow,
Make alcohol a Class A drug and treat it as such. It is time to stop fooling ourselves that as a society we can accommodate this destructive and vicious drug and its consequences: ruined lives, and social disruption.
Steve, Plymouth,
Boris is on the right path, but the public ban on drinking should to be much broader. Allied to that, a raise in the drinking age plus increased penalties for serving/selling alcohol to minors or to anyone who is clearly inebriated. The majority of the population wants and deserves a civil society
Jarmo, Washington DC,
Part of the hostility to Labour lies in its belief that all issues in society can be determined/resolved by State intervention. It resulted in a tidal wave of legislation, regulation, quangos, jobs for sociology graduates and expenditure. It didn't change anything - and made a lot of things worse.
mark, Berkhamsted,
What we really need is a darn good war.
It's only in the absence of a proper vile foe we have had football hooliganism, racism, alcoholism amongst the young, disrespect etc etc.
"humans will always seek intoxication" is a profound and accurate phrase, but less so when you're about to be invaded.
David, St Albans, UK
In Sweden, a huge number of people make their own alcohol - strong and illegal - or buy their drink from abroad. Don't fool yourself that just because alcohol is expensive to buy at the pub or taxes are high people are happy to drink lemon squash.
Helena Karlsson, Barnstaple, UK
20 years ago, nowhere in the UK was safe from smoking; the public's view of smoking has changed so much I wouldn't have believed it possible. If that heavily entrenched habit could be curtailed, protected as it was by the powerful tobacco lobby, then surely we can regain control of alcohol.
GPJ, Holmfirth, UK
Can I suggest a bit of research would not go amiss? Alcuin was Abbot of Saint Martin's, Tours, although had probably not attained that post when he wrote about pagan hairstyles. He was (despite being educated there) never (arch)bishop of York!
Allan McKinley, Birmingham,
Perhaps ramp up the tax on alcohol with a corresponding reduction on fuel duty..
malcolm, ely, cambs
Having just returned from a short holiday in Sweden, I can tell you that it's very easy to change one's drinking habits. Beer there is twice as much there, and as a consequence I drank much less than half what I'd normally drink. Alcohol consumption is very price- sensitive.
William McIlhagga, Ilkley,
It is behaviour, not culture. Changing behaviour is relatively easy, culture is complex and takes generations to change.
Governments can legislate to control behaviour, but not culture.
John Bowman, Sarlat, France
Visitors to France in the '50s would see posters everywhere picturing a distressed child saying, "Papa, ne buvez pas." France had a terrible drink problem. They set out to change it and they succeeded. In what way can it not be done?
Robin Sillitoe, Filey, UK
To change culture, you have to tackle what shapes it. Today, the main culprit is TV which glorifies celebrities and characters who drink to excess, take drugs, poo poo education, bed-hop, thieve, cant hold down a decent job etc, in fact anyone who holds two fingers up to anything that is decent.
SK, East Sussex, England
To say that you can not change a culture is also naive, and not even to try would be gutless. Many times through history people have turned and sailed into the wind and by force of character presided over change. England needs a change, but I'm afraid gutless socialist and liberals will not do.
duncan, Wokingham,
I think you're missing the point, Mr. Aaronovitch. The main point of all these nannyish advertising campaigns is surely to burn money, so as to further inflate the NHS budget ?
Richard Briscoe, Amersham, England
Frankly I ignore anything and everything that Ed Balls says. The man is a buffoon whose distain for the 'little people' outside Westminster is only exceeded by our distain for him.
Now where's my glass...
John, Bournemouth,