If video games aren't being blamed for young men not joining biker gangs (um?), it seems they're being blamed for a flagging interest in booze.
During the 1990s, the amount of alcohol in Japan peaked. Since then, it's been on the slide. Today, popular alcohol drinks are mixed with soda or soft drinks to make them easier to down. The reason for this is apparently that younger Japanese males aren't as heavy drinkers as the previous generation.
The reason for this, according to Weekly Playboy (not Playboy Magazine), is that young men are dating less. This is not scientific stuff, mind you! Because...the reason they are dating less? Adult movies, which are apparently spreading because of DVD (huh?). Video games and computers are also mentioned as to reasons why young Japanese men are drinking less booze. "If you really think about it," the article stated, "probably the biggest culprit is that porn actresses are just too damn cute."
Since young Japanese males are now apparently more withdrawn from society, they don't feel the need to interact with others and drink—so much of Japanese nightlife is centered around alcohol.
But last I checked, there were dirty movies, computers, and video games in Japan in the 1990s. Maybe young dudes these days would rather drink in moderation? You know, instead of ruining their livers and drinking until they puke.
It's odd to see these kind of articles of late—even if Weekly Playboy isn't to be taken seriously. Remember when video games were only blamed for violence? Good times, good times.
若者の酒離れは要因は"欲"がなくなったから？ [週プレ]
(Top photo: AP)