# I'm not a "sad/angry/mean" drunk, I'm a "profound" drunk. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 2, 2012, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-a-sad-angry-mean-drunk-im-a-profound-drunk/620665 "2012-05-02T17:49:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-a-sad-angry-mean-drunk-im-a-profound-drunk/620665/1 "2012-05-02T17:49:39Z")
some people get sad or angry when they get drunk. I get overwhelmed with the profundity of otherwise mundane things, so much so that I sometimes am moved to tears. It’s annoying, because outwardly it often seems like an entirely inappropriate reaction to whatever subject is under discussion. FWIW, “drunk” is an exaggeration: two beers is enough to put me into this vulnerable state. Last night it was baseball. I’m not even a big baseball fan, but it happened to be on TV while we were eating dinner at this restaurant. We watched a runner steal second base, and it suddenly occurred to me how cool it was that MLB had nailed the exact distance between bases that would make this _interesting._ Stealing second isn’t at all a sure thing (which is why it’s interesting), but it would be if the distance were longer or shorter. Somehow that struck me as profoundly cool, and I got all choked up as I was explaining it to my wife. Last week a friend was relating his experiences over the previous few years practicing medicine in west Africa, and I was struggling not to melt down in amazement at the things he was telling me: happy people (despite the utter lack of internet, TV, iPads, or cars), and children with no fear of total strangers (all gently vying with each other to hold the doctor’s hands as he walked through the marketplace). My wife thinks I’m a sad drunk because this happened a couple of times when I was explaining Pink Floyd lyrics to her (I had previously told her that I listened to PF 15 years ago when I was depressed). It wasn’t that I was sad though (when I was ‘splaining it), just amazed at the poetic quality of Roger Waters’ lyrics. It sometimes happens sober, but that’s much more rare. Last time I was really overwhelmed was at Fort McHenry last fall. The visitor center has a short movie that vividly portrays the battle of Fort McHenry (and the encompassing [Battle of Baltimore](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Baltimore)); the movie concludes with a really stunning choral rendition of the national anthem (which of course famously came out of that battle). The anthem was absolutley beautiful and left me not just teary-eyed, but openly crying at what a profoundly cool story they had just told - no beer required. Sitting in a small theatre full of strangers whose reaction to the movie was more along the lines of “meh,” I was acutely embarrassed, but powerless to stop it from happening. I never used to be like this. Is this just something that happens to men as they age (I’m 42)? Am I going to get weepy-eyed at pictures of kittens by the time I’m 60, even if I swear off of beer altogether? ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-a-sad-angry-mean-drunk-im-a-profound-drunk/620665/2 "2012-05-02T18:02:28Z")
Every once in a while I happen to be around people that later I will say, “they really shouldn’t drink”. ---
**Author:** ![Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunzio_Tavulari)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-a-sad-angry-mean-drunk-im-a-profound-drunk/620665/3 "2012-05-02T18:07:28Z")
Men mellow as they age and their testosterone count goes down. In your case, alcohol seems to intensify this condition in you. By the time you’re 45 you’ll be wearing a sweater and khakis and declaring that you don’t watch football any more because it’s too violent. By the time you’re 50, you’ll want to get a cat because dogs need too much attention, and you’ll enjoy Meryl Streep movies. The roller coaster of life has crested the peak and you’re going downhill screaming like a schoolgirl. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-a-sad-angry-mean-drunk-im-a-profound-drunk/620665/4 "2012-05-02T18:29:41Z")
I am not sitting by you. But I will plug some money into the juke box and tip the bartender to turn it up. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-a-sad-angry-mean-drunk-im-a-profound-drunk/620665/5 "2012-05-02T18:34:23Z")
Dude, that’s not “profound,” it’s maudlin, and lots of people get maudlin when they drink. Total buzzkill. Switch to [crack](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=650198). ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-a-sad-angry-mean-drunk-im-a-profound-drunk/620665/6 "2012-05-02T18:34:31Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Last week a friend was relating his experiences over the previous few years practicing medicine in west Africa, and I was struggling not to melt down in amazement at the things he was telling me: happy people (despite the utter lack of internet, TV, iPads, or cars), and children with no fear of total strangers (all gently vying with each other to hold the doctor’s hands as he walked through the marketplace). We have much to learn from them. ---
**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 2, 2012, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-a-sad-angry-mean-drunk-im-a-profound-drunk/620665/7 "2012-05-02T20:21:17Z")
THen you definitely don’t want to watch this video of comedian Tim Minchin after a few beers. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/fCNvZqpa-7Q/hqdefault.jpg "White Wine In The Sun by Tim Minchin") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q) For some amazing reason each time I watch it after a few some bit of dirt or a bug gets in my eyes. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-a-sad-angry-mean-drunk-im-a-profound-drunk/620665/8 "2012-05-02T20:33:48Z")
I too can be a maudlin drunk. It’s okay. Own it. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-a-sad-angry-mean-drunk-im-a-profound-drunk/620665/9 "2012-05-02T20:36:01Z")
And this would be the reason that Patron Silver is never to be served to my husband again. ---
**Author:** ![Imago](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/85e7bf/32.png) [@Imago](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imago)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-a-sad-angry-mean-drunk-im-a-profound-drunk/620665/10 "2012-05-02T20:47:06Z")
This is quite possibly the _only_ kind of drunk I ever am. Ditto for most of the men and half the women who drink in my family. Maybe it’s a matter of personality, maybe it’s biological, who cares- the point is, it’s not too bad a kind of drunk to be. Get comfortable with it! ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-a-sad-angry-mean-drunk-im-a-profound-drunk/620665/11 "2012-05-02T21:03:00Z")
> [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](#): > > and you’ll enjoy Meryl Streep movies. Uh-oh. Julie and Julia was pretty good, and I sort of liked The Devil Wears Prada. Looking forward to Iron Lady… :eek: > [@Drunky Smurf](#): > > THen you definitely don’t want to watch this video of comedian Tim Minchin after a few beers. Aw, for fuck’s sake, I’m still at work! (That was beautiful; hadn’t heard of Minchin or seen that clip, thanks for sharing.) ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-a-sad-angry-mean-drunk-im-a-profound-drunk/620665/12 "2012-05-02T21:49:01Z")
Back when I drank hard I was mostly a happy drunk. Alas, now I’m just a sleepy drunk… ---
**Author:** ![Pops1963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9de053/32.png) [@Pops1963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pops1963)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-a-sad-angry-mean-drunk-im-a-profound-drunk/620665/13 "2012-05-03T00:02:18Z")
I too can achieve that condition if not very careful. Watching Goodfellas on Blu-ray can usually fix it though. Just keep me away from Schindlers List. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-not-a-sad-angry-mean-drunk-im-a-profound-drunk/620665/14 "2012-05-03T01:55:36Z")
Oh, god, I LOVE that Tim Minchin song. (Er, it is exactly the kind of maudlin drunk I get.)