[P. Burke]

Is there any truth to the idea that the Irish are more likely to become alcoholic than people of other ethnic backgrounds?

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Name : P. Burke, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 55, City : Anaheim, State : CA, Country : United States, Occupation : Retired, Education level : Technical School, Social class : Middle class, 

[Tara27418]

Alcoholism has a genetic component, so the children of an alcoholic are more likely to inherit this gene and pass it along to their children, and so on. Because the Catholic religion (and the large families that go with it) is so prevalent in Ireland, there is more of a chance for this alcoholism gene to spread around. It’s like the royal families of Russia and England, and their tendency toward genetically inherited diseases such as hemophilia.

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Name : Tara27418, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Religion : Catholic, City : Nashville, State : TN, Country : United States, Occupation : Graphic designer, 

[Carter]

Well, I have a standing offer to my friends that I’ll buy any one of them a beer if they can find me an actual Irish joke that does not eith take place in a bar or involve drinking in some way – There seems to be two camps on the alcohol thing, the one that looks at it as a form of social gathering, the ‘lubricant’ if you will, and the one that suggests that alcoholic populations have gotten that way due to depression caused by oppression. You will often hear proof of how bad the American Indian situation is by the escalating rates of alcoholism found on the reservations. And of course, it was whites who brought alcohol to them in the first place. I think many northern climate people tend to drink more, it might be just because you’re indoors more, or the lack of sunlight causes depression. Why the Irish have gotten such a reputation when other groups who drink as well such as the French & Germans is probably due to some sort of original smearing of their character by the established gentry in America, but that’s just my guess.

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Name : Carter, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : I believe in God, Age : 29, City : Chicago, State : IL, Country : United States, Occupation : Administrative Assistant, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Christina32067]

I’ve known people of Irish descent who drink a lot, and those who dont at all, myself being an example. It’s like any other stereotype, you’ll find a couple people who do fill it out, but many more who don’t.

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Name : Christina32067, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 22, City : Long Beach, State : CA, Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Exton]

This is possible. I am of mostly irish descent myself, and I have alcoholics on both sides of my family. I believe, though, that the tendency towards alcohol addiction isn’t related to being Irish; its more of a genetic predisposition. Some irish people just happen to have it; there are plenty of people of other races with the same disposition.

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Name : Exton, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : nontheist, Age : 18, City : Medway, State : MA, Country : United States, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

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