| This study examined the role of drinking stories in promoting dangerous drinking on college campuses and what drinking stories reveal about the construction of heavy drinking within the college culture. Thirty-seven participants who indicated that they "like to drink" took part in online focus groups. Drinking stories were solicited in topic areas of favorite drinking story, benefits of drinking, drinking as play, and attitudes toward authority. Research methods included narrative analysis and fantasy theme analysis.; Results indicated that drinking stories serve to incorporate new members into the culture and to help older members maintain the perceptions of reality that tie the culture together. Stories help drinkers restore gaps in memory, serve as ice breakers to help subsequent drinking sessions get started, and provide an opportunity for the drinker to become an entertainer. Drinking stories play a role in promoting heavier and heavier drinking when they are used as a baseline for planning the upcoming night's activities, a competition for the best story, or a confirmation of daring or sexual conquests. Drinking stories bring drinkers closer together and provide confirmation that their drinking behavior, no matter how outrageous, dangerous, or illegal, is normal in their culture.; The rhetorical vision of Alcohol as Hero emerged from the drinking stories. Alcohol is heroic because it provides friends, sexual partners, and adventure to college students, as well as an excuse for aberrant behavior. Alcohol helps college students become more outgoing so they find the process of meeting new people, and possibly a romantic partner, less stressful.; The fantasy theme College Student as Victim emerged in stories related to experiences with authority figures such as police. College students consider themselves adults, and feel they are entitled to drink. They perceive the fact that the law does not allow them to drink as unfair and unrealistic, so they find no compelling argument to obey the drinking laws. |
