# Ever read/hear a story about a trend among Americans and find yourself just the opposite? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 18, 2017, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-read-hear-a-story-about-a-trend-among-americans-and-find-yourself-just-the-opposite/786969 "2017-05-18T23:59:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-read-hear-a-story-about-a-trend-among-americans-and-find-yourself-just-the-opposite/786969/21 "2017-05-19T13:25:14Z")
If something becomes “popular”, it is usually because somebody with influence had an economic interest in popularizing it. Or, it’s converse: Nothing happens unless there is money to be made by making it happen. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-read-hear-a-story-about-a-trend-among-americans-and-find-yourself-just-the-opposite/786969/22 "2017-05-19T13:46:08Z")
I don’t think I’ve drank a single glass of milk since I was a kid. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-read-hear-a-story-about-a-trend-among-americans-and-find-yourself-just-the-opposite/786969/23 "2017-05-19T13:59:11Z")
I drink a gallon of milk, by myself, every week. Unless we’re having chili, buffalo chicken dip or pizza (when I have a beer) I have at least one, usually two, glasses of milk every day with my dinner. Suffice it to say I’m not going to be on NPRs study 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-read-hear-a-story-about-a-trend-among-americans-and-find-yourself-just-the-opposite/786969/24 "2017-05-19T14:11:18Z")
I stopped drinking milk 33 years ago. I’ll put it in my tea or coffee, but that’s about it. BTW the thread title is too vague when the original post is about national milk drinking habits. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-read-hear-a-story-about-a-trend-among-americans-and-find-yourself-just-the-opposite/786969/25 "2017-05-19T14:22:49Z")
As a family of 5, we go through maybe 4-5 litres of 1% per day. (just over a gallon) and maybe 7-8 gallons a week. I probably drink 1-2 gallons a week depending on what we’re eating. I use it in cereal, I might have some with lunch (if at home), and I always have at least one tall glass with dinner and maybe a little more with dessert. My kids have a small glass of milk with every meal and the school has a milk program as well. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-read-hear-a-story-about-a-trend-among-americans-and-find-yourself-just-the-opposite/786969/26 "2017-05-19T15:06:17Z")
It’s been at least 40 years since I’ve had milk as a stand-alone beverage. As to the OP’s question: \*\* Ever read/hear a story about a trend among Americans and find yourself just the opposite?\*\* All the time. The most unfathomable is when I hear that _Dancing with the Stars_ if popular. I’m not saying I’m better than other Americans, but I constantly am reminded I’m different. (Okay, I am better than those who watch Dancing with the Stars) (kidding) ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-read-hear-a-story-about-a-trend-among-americans-and-find-yourself-just-the-opposite/786969/27 "2017-05-19T15:22:10Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > So are you one of those people who leaves the milk in the bowl after you eat the cereal? The dogs wait for it. They wait for lots they don’t always get. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-read-hear-a-story-about-a-trend-among-americans-and-find-yourself-just-the-opposite/786969/28 "2017-05-19T15:29:11Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > \*\ \*The most unfathomable is when I hear that _Dancing with the Stars_ if popular. I’m not saying I’m better than other Americans, but I constantly am reminded I’m different. (Okay, I am better than those who watch Dancing with the Stars) (kidding) I think the same thing when it comes to the proliferation of comic book superhero movies. And zombie stuff. I would have expected such things to have a fairly small niche audience. The wide-spread popularity is perplexing to me. Probably a good thing I didn’t seek a career in predicting trends. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-read-hear-a-story-about-a-trend-among-americans-and-find-yourself-just-the-opposite/786969/29 "2017-05-19T15:44:33Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Camel milk does not need to be pasteurized > [@](#): > > The consumption of raw or undercooked animal products, including milk and meat, carries a high risk of infection from a variety of organisms that might cause disease in humans. Animal products that are processed appropriately through cooking or pasteurization are safe for consumption, but should also be handled with care to avoid cross contamination with uncooked foods. Camel meat and camel milk are nutritious products that can continue to be consumed after pasteurization, cooking, or other heat treatments. > > Until more is understood about MERS-CoV, people with diabetes, renal failure, chronic lung disease, and immunocompromised persons are considered to be at high risk of severe disease from MERS-CoV infection. These people should avoid contact with camels, drinking raw camel milk or camel urine, or eating meat that has not been properly cooked. > **[Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)](https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/middle-east-respiratory-syndrome-coronavirus-(mers-cov))** > > MERS-CoV is a zoonotic virus, which means it is a virus that is transmitted between animals and people. Make sure to boil your camel urine. > [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](#): > > BTW the thread title is too vague when the original post is about national milk drinking habits. The original post was the OP’s contribution regarding the thread title. I don’t think The OP was looking for a discussion about milk. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-read-hear-a-story-about-a-trend-among-americans-and-find-yourself-just-the-opposite/786969/30 "2017-05-19T16:28:10Z")
I’d be interested in knowing the milk drinking habits of people who live in cities/use public transportation versus those who do their grocery shopping using their own vehicle. I feel like if NPR did their interviews further out in to suburbia, they might get different answers than they got in downtown DC. I mean, no doubt there are plenty of people who get their groceries via their own vehicle who still don’t drink milk (I’m assuming a bunch of non-milk-drinkers who already replied here take their cars to buy groceries) but it also seems like the inconvenience of getting milk from the store could be a deciding factor for people living in the city. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-read-hear-a-story-about-a-trend-among-americans-and-find-yourself-just-the-opposite/786969/31 "2017-05-19T16:42:50Z")
> [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](#): > > BTW the thread title is too vague when the original post is about national milk drinking habits. Or the OP is just an example of the subject of the title. I am not into the trend of posting all of my personal business on social media or the internet in general. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-read-hear-a-story-about-a-trend-among-americans-and-find-yourself-just-the-opposite/786969/32 "2017-05-19T16:43:24Z")
Well, if you went just by my household, the most popular drink of all would be lemonade. I literally drink it by the case (about every six weeks, I order 12 cases to be delivered). I use milk daily on my cereal and in my tea, but never drink a glass. I also don’t drink alcoholic beverages, carbonated beverages, or coffee. So in the beverage category, pretty much every trend passes right by me. **ZipperJJ** - I live in the city and use public transportation. Milk is one thing that’s available in almost every corner store. About once a week I stop at the liquor store on my way home to pick some up, and I know about a dozen stores within a few blocks of my house that have it for sale. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-read-hear-a-story-about-a-trend-among-americans-and-find-yourself-just-the-opposite/786969/33 "2017-05-19T16:48:27Z")
I am a Millennial and I have yet to use Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, etc. Politically, I am the opposite of what my demographic is increasingly voting. ---
**Author:** ![greenmario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/97f17d/32.png) [@greenmario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenmario)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-read-hear-a-story-about-a-trend-among-americans-and-find-yourself-just-the-opposite/786969/34 "2017-05-19T16:52:10Z")
They must have been interviewing people walking out of Whole Foods. I switched to soy due to being slightly intolerant of dairy, but I would guess about 90% of the friends whos refrigerators I’ve seen has had at least a gallon in it. Most “trends” applied to millennials are either head-slappingly dumb or vague enough to apply to literally any generation. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-read-hear-a-story-about-a-trend-among-americans-and-find-yourself-just-the-opposite/786969/35 "2017-05-19T17:10:23Z")
Milk has too many carbs for me, but I keep the largest size of heavy cream that I can find. In the broader spirit of the OP, though, I usually find that, yes, I’m the opposite of most trends that are reported. Except ketosis, I guess, which is reported as a trendy, fad diet, except I literally know no other people (not on Reddit or the SDMB) that actually use Keto, so I’m not certain I’d even consider that a trend. Even considering my scant sample size, I don’t really believe that things can even be trends until I start seeing them out in the world, unless presented in a journal, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-read-hear-a-story-about-a-trend-among-americans-and-find-yourself-just-the-opposite/786969/36 "2017-05-19T18:15:50Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > **ZipperJJ** - I live in the city and use public transportation. Milk is one thing that’s available in almost every corner store. About once a week I stop at the liquor store on my way home to pick some up, and I know about a dozen stores within a few blocks of my house that have it for sale. :smack: You’re right. One doesn’t necessarily need to buy one’s milk at the grocery store along with groceries. I don’t even have to do that, in the suburbs! I just seem to only remember to buy it when I’m at the supermarket. Duh me. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-read-hear-a-story-about-a-trend-among-americans-and-find-yourself-just-the-opposite/786969/37 "2017-05-19T18:21:16Z")
> [@greenmario](#): > > They must have been interviewing people walking out of Whole Foods. I switched to soy due to being slightly intolerant of dairy, but I would guess about 90% of the friends whos refrigerators I’ve seen has had at least a gallon in it. That’s really not in conflict with most of the statements in that interview. I can’t remember the last time I drank a glass of milk, but I usually do have at least a quart of it in my fridge. OK, I have kids, but even before having kids, there was usually a quart around for other uses. Same with my folks. I’ve never in my life, literally, seen either of my parents drink a glass of milk, but there was always a gallon in the fridge growing up and there still is a gallon in their fridge. There’s cereal, coffee, tea, cooking, etc. that they use it in. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-read-hear-a-story-about-a-trend-among-americans-and-find-yourself-just-the-opposite/786969/38 "2017-05-19T18:29:23Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > [Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)](http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/mers-cov/en/) > > Make sure to boil your camel urine. > > . Modern American diary herds are inspected so closely and rigorously, there would be negligible risk that anyone would suffer any illness from drinking unpasteurized milk. Just as you don’t need to well-cook supermarket pork anymore, there is no risk of trichinosis exposure in a modern pork farm. Furthermore, the number of people in the USA who are lactose intolerant is probably (but I don’t know) much larger than the number who would test positive for MERS-Cov reaction. Mostg lactose-itolerant people (about 75% of African and Mexican Amricans) can safely drink camel milk. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-read-hear-a-story-about-a-trend-among-americans-and-find-yourself-just-the-opposite/786969/39 "2017-05-19T18:37:28Z")
I’m not advocating for a camel milk industry. I just said camel milk was he last milk I drank, it ws delicious, and for me, harmless, even unpasteurized. And so did everybody else in the country where I happened to be. A country where over 90% of the population is lactose intolerant as adults. No doubt the huge dairy lobby sees to it that there is plenty of negative pop-media reports against camel milk. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-read-hear-a-story-about-a-trend-among-americans-and-find-yourself-just-the-opposite/786969/40 "2017-05-19T18:37:37Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Modern American diary herds are inspected so closely and rigorously, there would be negligible risk that anyone would suffer any illness from drinking unpasteurized milk. Are you strictly talking about camel milk here? > [@](#): > > Furthermore, the number of people in the USA who are lactose intolerant is probably (but I don’t know) much larger than the number who would test positive for MERS-Cov reaction. Not getting your point. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-read-hear-a-story-about-a-trend-among-americans-and-find-yourself-just-the-opposite/786969.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-read-hear-a-story-about-a-trend-among-americans-and-find-yourself-just-the-opposite/786969.md?page=3)