Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization

A deep dive into the evolutionary science behind why humans love to get wasted, and how alcohol and other intoxicants have shaped civilization.

The prevailing theories of evolution hold that our taste for intoxication is an evolutionary accident, an affinity that has miraculously survived through centuries of natural selection in spite of the fact that getting drunk isn't very good for us. It damages our organs and leads to addiction, irresponsible behavior, accidents, and arguments — not to mention hangovers. Given all of alcohol's downsides, it's a wonder that we haven't evolved to avoid it. Instead, it's become a central component of our societies, social functions, and religious ceremonies around the world. Somehow, on an evolutionary level, the benefits must outweigh the costs.

In DRUNK, Edward Slingerland draws on history, cognitive neuroscience, social psychology, literature, and genetics to explore the evolutionary reasons why we get drunk — and why alcohol and other intoxicants have risen to such a place of prominence in many cultures around the world. DRUNK takes a close look at what exactly is happening to our brains and bodies when we are intoxicated, chemically or otherwise — did you know, for instance, that the cognitive state of a Pentecostal speaking in tongues is not terribly different from a shaman in the grip of ayahuasca or the crowd at college bar on a Friday night? — and offers scientific explanations for why alcohol and other intoxicants help us create the strong emotional bonds that have been crucial to the creation of our societies and the survival of our species.

Packed with fascinating case studies, engaging science, and practical takeaways for individuals and communities, DRUNK is a captivating and long overdue investigation into one of humanity's oldest indulgences.