Abstract

Claes Törnqvist: Drinking on weekdays. Threat, illusion and possibility

Drawing on an analysis of 42 narrative interviews on the meaning of alcohol to young people during weekdays, the article describes the social strategies of three groups of 20-year-old youths: working youths, students and bohemian ‘black people’.

For the gainfully employed drinking on weekdays is considered as a threat to their self-ideal of being conscientious. At the same time, drinking during weekends is seen as a sign of conscientiousness.

Students live with the illusion that they are independent and can drink on weekdays if they want to. In reality, however, they do not but lead a rather ascetic way of life. This is the strategy they apply to reach their self-ideal of social success.

As for those youths who have a bohemian life-style, drinking on weekdays is thought to offer an opportunity for self-realization. They meet at restaurants every night, drink beer and chat. The atmosphere thus created is necessary for them to believe in themselves as artists and musicians. This way of drinking helps in the transformation from misery to sovereignity, which is their self-ideal.