Alcohol as a social technology to check the trustworthiness of others (2014)

Re:Alcohol as a social technology to check the trustworthine... by PeterisP on Saturday August 08, 2020 @08:04AM (#24090980)

There are markets where a B2B sales representative who does not drink would be utterly ineffective as many potential customers won't even listen to their pitches without an alcohol-filled setting, and would not take them seriously if they would organize such a setting but don't participate themselves. The same applies for existing customers, they would refuse meetings/pitches/deals if they don't "have contact" with the assigned representative, so being a non-drinker makes someone unemployable in such roles.

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Re:Alcohol as a social technology to check the trustworthine... by Nullabillity on Saturday August 08, 2020 @09:27AM (#24091476)

If people need to be on drugs to consider your product, maybe it's time to take a long hard look at what it is you're selling?

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Re:Alcohol as a social technology to check the trustworthine... by PeterisP on Saturday August 08, 2020 @12:43PM (#24093014)

It's not about markets for some niche products, it's about geographical markets where you can't negotiate a wholesale distribution deal for a line of shampoo or a refrigerator brand if you're not willing to drink with your partners.

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Re:Alcohol as a social technology to check the trustworthine... by austincheney on Sunday August 09, 2020 @10:23AM (#24099823)

> it's about geographical markets

In most states in the US business transactions negotiated in the presence of alcohol (any alcohol) renders a contract void due to legally provable diminished capacity. It sounds like you are taking unnecessary risks without approval from your corporate legal advisors.

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Re:Alcohol as a social technology to check the trustworthine... by P4wl0w on Sunday August 09, 2020 @04:24AM (#24098211)

I do not need a sales department because my services and products speak for themselves and people want to have them. They come because of reputation and part of this is being sober, punctual, efficient and professional.

I am sad for you when you need to do this and I am happy for myself not to be in this position where one would force me to take drugs to do my job.

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Re:Alcohol as a social technology to check the trustworthine... by Olreich on Sunday August 09, 2020 @06:37AM (#24098657)

Caffeine and sugar are drugs with similar strength to alcohol in different mental state directions. You come off as judgmental and full of yourself with that kind of rhetoric. If this is how you talk to partners and customers, you must have really amazing products and services.

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Re:Alcohol as a social technology to check the trustworthine... by austincheney on Sunday August 09, 2020 @10:18AM (#24099792)

While its true that sugar is more addictive than cocaine neither sugar nor caffeine induce people to commit sexual assault or impair the ability to operate machines. Could you produce a single instance where somebody was arrested for DUI where the intoxicant was sugar or caffeine?

Perhaps I am judgemental too, but your argument is hilariously absurd and decidedly without evidence.

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