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The Paradox Of Power And Powerlessness

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College men’s alcohol use is related to both power and powerlessness.
Many men choose to drink in order to be sociable and fit into a place of perceived social power within their friend groups (p. 307). Based on Capraro’s research, college men’s alcohol use is also influenced by the fact that heavy drinking can make them feel more strong and assertive (p. 310). This once again shows their motives to conform to traditional masculinity and achieve the social power within the ranks of college groups (p. 310). Yet at the same time, many men drink as a form of “escapism or to get drunk,” showing their desire to become powerless through alcohol use (p. 308). Even if a man is drinking to appear masculine and become socially empowered in the eyes of other people, they individually feel powerless and numb the stress of conforming to college masculine culture (p. 310). Thus, we have the paradox of power and powerlessness. …show more content…
312). While many positively changed their behavior, almost all of the male students who were reported to binge drink and be unruly towards authority continued their habits without any repercussions (p. 312). Also, when the drinking age turned from 18 to 21, colleges started creating programs to warn students about drinking, but focus on “responsible drinking and management” rather than eliminating it altogether (p. 312). By framing it in this matter, they implicitly condone drinking. A final way that colleges condone drinking but appear to oppose it is the way that programs and presentations always seem to talk more about the consequences and fines associated with drinking, rather than discussing how we can prevent drinking behavior in the first place (p.

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