Story development: Strict Societies = Violent Drinking Cultures

An experienced novelist or screenwriter will tell the neophyte considering writing a book or screenplay, "understand your characters by working out their backstories first".

I came across this study from 2008 earlier today on Science Daily, the results of which offer insight into rigid or male dominated cultures, whether in the third world or in various corners of our own country.

Strict Societies Foster Violent Drinking Cultures

Countries with strict social rules and behavioral etiquette such as the United Kingdom may foster drinking cultures characterized by unruly or bad behavior, according to a report on alcohol and violence released today by International Center for Alcohol Policies (ICAP). The report lists 11 cultural features that may predict levels of violence such as homicide and spousal abuse.
Violence-reinforcing cultures tend to share the following features:
  1. Cultural support (in media, norms, icons, myths, and so on) for aggression and aggressive solutions;
  2. Militaristic readiness and participation in wars—societies that are frequently at war have consistently higher rates of interpersonal violence as well;
  3. Glorification of fighters;
  4. Violent sports;
  5. Corporal and capital punishment;
  6. Socialization of male children toward aggression;
  7. Belief in malevolent magic;
  8. Conspicuous inequality in wealth;
  9. A higher than normal proportion of young males in the society;
  10. Strong codes of male honor—in general, societies and subgroups that actively subscribe to strong codes of honor tend to have higher rates of homicide;
  11. A culture of male domination.

A model to put in your files to pull out when developing your next story.  For more on story development, consider reading:




Story Source:  International Center for Alcohol Policies (2008, October 2). Strict Societies May Foster Violent Drinking Cultures. ScienceDaily.

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