Dutch Courage Explained And Debunked

Dutch Courage Explained And Debunked

There is a really easy response to this question ... No! Alcohol really gives you stupidity, and there is a big difference between the two.

People believe that they feel more self-assured and confident when they have had a drink. There is even common parlance for it 'Dutch Courage'.

It's one of those expressions we use without giving much thought to where it came from. In numerous ways, the Dutch used to be Britain's trusted neighbors.

From the growth of the United Provinces all throughout the dominance of Queen Elizabeth I and up until the obliteration of the Netherlands as a world power in the Napoleonic frictions.

Does Dutch courage start with war?

They were frequently adversaries but more typically co-religionist allies, vital trading affiliates, and irregular rural opponents. Even more than that a Dutchman, William, even went on to become king of England in 1689.

These links in between both nations have compelled the word 'Dutch' to show up frequently in the English dialect. Jargon vocabularies have lots of expressions including 'going Dutch', 'Dutch auction', 'Dutch uncle' and needless to say 'Dutch Courage'.

'Dutch courage' has a set of viable beginnings. The first stems from the belittling concept that Johnny Foreigner is a weak chap that the strong and tough Englishman. Regardless if this cad was traveling up the Medway or opposing the residents in the East Indies, he called for a number of alcoholic beverages just before a fight.

The 2nd notion links more immediately to making use of a particular alcoholic beverage 'gin' to reinforce one's 'self-confidence or fearlessness' in war.

Alcohol and bravery or alcohol and stupidity?

Alcohol was commonplace back in this period of history. The wine was safer than drinking the water. Meanwhile, Gin in its present-day form was reputedly created by the Dutch doctor Franz de le Boë in the 17th century. English soldiers battling Louis XIV along with their allies in the Low Regions valued the soothing sways of Dutch gin just before going into conflict.

Whether it particularly talking about gin, 'Dutch courage' as a British informality had the tendency to mean using spirits, not just lager, to strengthen self-belief.

This all sounds very imaginative and charming but the genuine account is less so. Frontline soldiers in these sorts of battles were really nothing more than cannon fodder. They were considered the affordable and expendable casualties of war.

They were the poor sods that would charge into the first and most gruesome line of defense while the opulent generals sat at a safe distance on handsome stallions looking on.

Cannon fodder

However, willingly charging toward your own gruesome dismemberment and eventual death doesn't so much need bravery or confidence.

What's needed is a good dose of stupidity and poor decision-making. It just so happens that alcohol is perfect for inducing both these mental states in a person. Booze was the ultimate tool to manipulate men to die for their country.

Here's the hard reality. One of the reasons why alcohol is so good at what it does (successfully killing someone every minute or every day). Is because they very first thing the drug does is disable the section of the brain responsible for making sound decisions.

This is why people find it so hard to have just one drink and then stop.

While sober you have the seemingly unbreakable determination to just have one little drink. However, as soon as the drug plays its opening hand you become as weak and vulnerable as a newborn baby.

This effect on the logic areas of the brain is also the reason why people become less risk averse after drinking.

Becoming less able to gauge risk does not make you confident it makes you stupid. So yes, you may have had the 'nerve' to approach the hot girl after you had had a drink but don't kid yourself that you were acting bravely or even more confidently.

No beautiful woman ever looks at a drunk man, who is clumsily trying to pick her up and thinks 'wow he is so confident'. The inebriated chump who firmly believes he can jump from one hotel balcony to the next is not being super confident.

It's not confidence

There is no such thing as Dutch Courage. Alcohol just makes you stupid. I would argue that in most of the occasions where alcohol is used for so-called Dutch Courage. For example, making a presentation at work, going for a job interview, talking to a man or woman you are attracted to etc.

Perhaps deliberately making yourself progressively less intelligent is about the worst possible choice you could make.

Don't you agree?

Are you ready to quit drinking and more importantly to stop buying into all the smoke and mirrors around this drug?

Click here to find out how to stop drinking without willpower, aa or medication.

It doesn't have to be difficult, painful or a death sentence to your social life.