I don’t drink or drug–or sleep around, anymore–but say, I *love *a swell bash! A chance to put on the dog, wise-crack with pals, meet new people. In my time, I’ve really been places and seen things. Not only that, I’ve seen places and been things!
I just don’t have the oxytocin* to enjoy such a thing, but I definitely can see the appeal. Meeting new people doesn’t normally sound like fun, but add some of the right chemicals…
*: or whatever extrovert brain neurotransmitter
I don’t “party” or attend parties, but I can understand the appeal. I can imagine the giddiness that gets stirred up when the music is just right, the energy is just right, and all you want to do is dance and loose yourself in it.
If I could dance, I think I would be able to tolerate parties better. But because I’m peer-pressured into not dancing–I’m just that embarrassing to look at–I’m always kind of left standing off to the side, trying to make conversation over loud music. Which I just cannot do, no matter how hard I try. So that’s why parties don’t appeal to me. I’d totally be a party animal if I were more physically coordinated (or so I’d like to think!)
You aren’t really trying to connect with people on an intellectual basis, which does require sobriety and good conversation. Partying is all about emotions and energy and letting loose. And if you’re really into it, why would you ever want it to stop? It’s like seeing a contented introvert and asking why they don’t put down that damn book and have some fun, ferchrissake. The book IS their fun, so why would they want to stop?
Short answer is everything’s10 times more fun when you’re drunk 
Me personally, I’m like you. I don’t like partying, and I don’t understand how it can really be any fun for people over, say, 25. I’m an introvert by nature, and I find it all so very, very boring. It doesn’t help that I’m mildly depressive, but even when I wasn’t I found it boring. The music’s too loud to hear what anyone’s saying and it always sucks. You rarely ever get any good stories, and the most the average person remembers about a typical drunken night out is gyrsting atonally to awful cart/dance mysic and laughing like an idiot about nothing. I don’t get it.
I wish I could drink as much as I used to, but with all the meds, not an option. Still, being buzzed is fun. And I LIKE alcohol. I’m one of those weirdos who actually LIKES the taste.
It’s fun to go out and act goofy, that’s why. Besides, I like to dance, and I like loud music, and I like hanging out with my friends and well, just, like I said, acting crazy. It’s not something I get to do as often, but it’s fun.
Maastricht, I totally get where you’re coming from. It might be an introvert/extrovert thing. I’m a pretty strong introvert and I just find the scene too overwhelming. If it’s a quieter locale and I know a lot of the people there I can have a good time. But when I’ve gotten dressed up to go “clubbing” with people, it often feels very forced and artificial. Like we’re all trying way too hard to have fun. I’d rather be at home with a nice cocktail, some good music, and a few friends I can talk to (and HEAR).
Sorry, I don’t get it either. Right now I’m sitting in a club I didn’t expect to go to, having my ears destroyed by music I don’t like 'cos I wasn’t aware I would end up here, and I just want to get the fuck out of here and go home but I can’t because someone else drove.
I figure it’s just something that attractive and outgoing people like to do, so that’s why I don’t get it.
And no, Stelios, drinking isn’t helping. If anything it’s sharpening the anxiety.
In addition to Carnival allowing wild consumption of alcohol and depending on your social group other drugs, there is also a sexual element. Normally dry humping a strange hot guy in the street while drunk is frowned on for women, but not during Carnival! Its almost expected in fact, so its a break from rigid rules and a excuse for drunken young people to have casual sex with people they find hot.
This is to the OP^
Yes, but the upside is more drinks and parties for the rest of us.
Most of times I’m so happy to see my friends for some serious partying… sometimes I have absolutely no desire whatsoever to do any of that. Sometimes I’m so glad that I went and had truly memorable good times that we can all reminisce for years to come… sometimes I wonder why the hell I went at all.
Last time I was in a club the music drove me out. It was so loud that it was physically painful. Forget even a semblance of shouted conversation. And the deejays seemed to be doing their best to make it as horrible as possible by adding distortions and effects.
Whoa… "put on the dog"? What dog? And where does one put it again?
Your language is right out of a 1920’s-Style Urban Dictionary.
Oh, and I see you’re "wise-cracking with pals", too. Well, 23-Skidoo, Killroy! Hope that party at the Malt Shoppe doesn’t go past nine, or you’ll miss A Capella Time! Yessiree, we’re all parking our mugs of Ovaltine on Ol’ Biffy’s grand piano and belting out a few favorites til the wee hours. You have just GOT to hear Guffie’s parody of The School Fight Song. With his raccoon skin coat and that lampshade on his head… It’s the Cat’s Pajamas!
I agree with this. Back in the day I did so enjoy a good party, but it was something I couldn’t do as much as, say, person X or Y. I needed a lot of time to recharge afterward because the stimulation was too much for me to handle unless I got plastered.
Nowadays, I’m pretty sure I couldn’t last more than an hour or two. Adult responsibilities and all that crap 
As a minor part of clarification, when I was living in San Francisco, people would ask me if I party, but the implication was for the use of illegal street drugs, rather than going out with friends to bars or clubs.
A definite no to the drugs, and a “maybe” to the going out and drinking version. When drinks started to get near ten bucks each, I decided there were better ways to spend money. I understand the whole going out and having fun idea, but it can get severely expensive.
I was going to explain that Eve IS our 1920’s -to 1950’s style Urban Girl, but then I thought the better of it, and I will keep silent, in the hope that Eve will make a re-appearance in this thread, tip the ash of her cigarette in its elegant holder, and explain it herself.
About the partying; Obviously, I’m not anymore in it for the flirting or the casual sex.
Can someone explain, how exactly, socializing becomes more fun when drinking? What is the difference? I’m honestly curious, it seems to me that the few times I got drunk, I just get more obnoxious. There are no people I like more when they are drunk, then when sober.
Alcohol lowers inhibitions. Which frees you to be wild and crazy.
Wild and crazy is amusing to only drunk people, though. So if you want to have fun like everyone else, you need to get your drink on as well. It blinds you to what would normally be embarrassing behavior.
That is how it works, as I understand it.
A couple of drinks lowers inhibitions, and can unwind the tightly wound. It sets the mood. I like to party, but I cant remember the last time I was so shit-faced that I made an ass of myself. I guess it all depends on ones idea of a party.
“Malt Shoppe?” My dear, *I *will be at the local opium den, kicking the gong around with the shadiest characters ever seen in Limehouse, before heading on to McGurk’s Suicide Hall on the Bowery for some eye-openers.
“Biffy’s grand piano,” my eye.
replying to myself…
the other thing that irritated me about last night is that the people I was with know that I’m an audio/acoustics engineer and need to be able to hear properly in order to, you know, work. i mean, let me know and I’ll bring earplugs.
You people are no fun.