Good to see some fellow teetotalers on teh interwebs; down here in Australia drinking and socialising are pretty much inseparable. I think what really should be asked is, rather than "why shouldn't one drink": "why should one drink." If there's no deficiency in happiness, or unnecessary inhibition, then drinking really offers no benefit. If a person, however, is suboptimally happy or excessively inhabited, then by taking a close look at themselves and addressing these issues (such as is suggested in Tynan's excellent post on 'How to be happy. Always') they'll achieved a level of happiness and self-release ultimately much greater than the ephemeral stimulus gained from alcohol. However, if one is drinking solely for the taste, and never drinks to the point that their mental state is affected, I really can't see any problem with that. Also, for those having to deal with people who feel obligated to try and get them drunk, one potential solution is to hit the kitchen, hit the iron, put on some weight and learn how to look severe, tends to drastically reduce the amount of unsolicited advice of any nature. (Just don't piss off anyone bigger than yourself :p)