Getting to The lost Art election special

Yes it's 'lection day, la la 'lection day. Given the result, I thought I would make a blog promoting the idea of drinking and communicating. Let me tell you a story. Since I started drinking at the age of eleven, I've found alcohol to be an extremely good social lubricant. From my first swing of diamond white cider, and the conversations that followed in the street, alcohol has been a steady friend helping me to 'say what I really mean' rather than just being another stuffy brit wearing a top hat, sporting a monocle and shuffling around with a cane.

From the first empty bottle of K's cider smashed on a neighbours garage door, I knew I had discovered a way to communicate with people, heart to heart. Over the years, I have made many friends simply by consuming various quantities of alcohol in various different locations, both home and indeed, abroad. These experiences, while heart-warming and often extremely safe, did leave me with after effects, such as hangovers and, rarely, pre marital sex. Looking for a way to combat this, I looked to a more refined version of alcohol. Something I could still use to get over my crippling social anxiety while maintaining a level head and also 'tickling my tastebuds'.

Enter whisky.

What a wonderful drink. High in alcohol so it burns you if you drink too fast or too much, rich in taste and flavour and sometimes, quite rare, which is exciting. I love whisky, I always have a few bottles open (I'm currently drinking two whiskies bottled exclusively for the Dutch market, a Benriach and a Glen Scotia) and I've found it a subject that I'm able to talk about, sometimes, without embarrassing myself, on occasions.

So then, where is this talk going, Robert? Well my friends, it's about first getting to a place where we can actually get whisky, or alcohol of any type really, and talk. And there are barriers to this, and that's what I want to talk about. Because talking is something that I love to do, and talking is something I really love to do when I am drinking whisky. There is also a band called Talk Talk, which I like, that just so happens to have that name and has nothing to do with this blog.

A major part of this whole thing is the internet of course, which has the potential to be either the greatest invention ever in terms of communication, or the worst. I've met people from 'the internet' and it's always been great, but I know that this network of wires, satellites and computers can often not contain nuance, and that we behave certainly differently offline than we do on it.

This blog was partly inspired by a video I watched of a debate between two bastards, Richard Dawkins and Jordan Peterson. In this video, which I do not recommend you watch but you can just by clicking the image, I saw what I thought to be a debate ruined by a lack of whisky. Rather than taking moments to reflect on what they might be drinking, discussing that, and then perhaps going onto whether just how much of the bible should be taken literally, these animals just dove in, clawing and scratching at each other. Peterson in particular becoming visibly distressed to the point of raising his voice and introducing ludicrous concepts designed to confuse and distract. This environment, with cameras and a mediator, was obviously not a safe space for either of them. It's my opinion that it would have been with a glass of Glenfarclas 15 (is it any good anymore? I used to love it)

Have we lost the art of talking to each other? No, my experience has been the opposite, a lot of people are more informed about things, and conversations face to face are a great way to be introduced to new ideas. Then include nuance, tones and inflections and yes, even smells. You can't get that on the internet, and especially in a blog like this! Perhaps a whisky festival is the place you should be? If so, I have some tips.

Basically, what I am saying is, the next time you find yourself in an online debate or perhaps in any kind of conversation that looks to be going 'sideways' stop, and drink whisky. Now, more than ever. You should drink whisky. Have you ever thought about drinking whisky? Do you have any whisky? What time is it? Can you reasonably drink whisky now? I'm saying it's OK to drink whisky on days like this, in the morning, perhaps even outside a bowl of porridge.

These are important questions you must answer, with whisky.

Please drink responsibly