When to Drink?

Mostly as Americans we save drinking for weekends not weeknights. However, I found this to be different in English culture. In English culture beer has played a significant role where in earlier centuries, beer was their primary drink. The water in Britain was very unsanitary leaving beer, which was heated to high temperatures which sanitized it, as the only possible beverage. As a result, children as well as adults drank beer and might attribute to the fact that Britain has such a young drinking age. Additionally, it might be why drinking is thought of as a common practice since they have always drank beer. Walking the streets of London, no matter what time of day, you could find someone having a pint. Drinking at lunch and dinner is not at all unusual for Londoners. Drinking at breakfast might also been seen on some occasions, but is less likely. The English find drinking to be a leisurely pastime. The fact that drinking is thought of as a normal and natural event by Englanders permits them to partake in drinking and not feel as if they are participating in some sort of unruly action as we Americans frequently do. Sure, the occasional glass of wine is thought of a sophisticated, but drinking beer and hard liquor comes with a negative stereotype. The reason behind our differing views lies in our culture and after visiting England I have a better understanding of how culture can shape the actions and perceptions of its own society and their perceptions toward other societies different from their own.