--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...it was not considered right for a man…" description: "\"“...it was not considered right for a man not to drink, although drink was a dangerous thing. On the contrary, not to drink would have been thought a m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/541/eoghan-odinsson-110755_drinking_it-was-not-considered-right-for-a-man-no_1699486.jpg" --- # ...it was not considered right for a man not to drink… ![“...it was not considered right for a man not to drink, although drink was a dangerous thing. On the contrary, not to drink would have been thought a mark of cowardice and of incapacity for self-control. A man was expected even to get drunk if necessary, and to keep his tongue and his temper no…” quote by Eoghan Odinsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/541/eoghan-odinsson-110755_drinking_it-was-not-considered-right-for-a-man-no_1699486.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/541/eoghan-odinsson-110755_drinking_it-was-not-considered-right-for-a-man-no_1699486.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/541/eoghan-odinsson-110755_drinking_it-was-not-considered-right-for-a-man-no_1699486.jpg) > ““...it was not considered right for a man not to drink, although drink was a dangerous thing. On the contrary, not to drink would have been thought a mark of cowardice and of incapacity for self-control. A man was expected even to get drunk if necessary, and to keep his tongue and his temper no matter how much he drank. The strong character would only become more cautious and more silent under the influence of drink; the weak man would immediately show his weakness. I am told the curious fact that in the English army at the present day officers are expected to act very much after the teaching of the old Norse poet; a man is expected to be able on occasion to drink a considerable amount of wine or spirits without showing the effects of it, either in his conduct or in his speech. "Drink thy share of mead; speak fair or not at all" - that was the old text, and a very sensible one in its way.”” [Eoghan Odinsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoghan-odinsson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Historical drinking norms praised excess as a sign of strength; modern expectations still pressure men to hide weakness, creating a paradox of bravado and vulnerability. **In simple terms:** Excess praised as strength. Key Takeaway Question cultural expectations around drinking. Themes drinking masculinity culture paradox vulnerability Mood conflicted thoughtful Type cultural psychological When to use this quote - social gatherings - military life - personal health Key Concepts social pressure historical norms self‑control Questions to Reflect On - How does drinking affect your self‑image? - What healthier ways show strength? A Different Perspective Pressure can mask genuine weakness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contrary Drink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contrary-drink-1136124/) [Drink Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drink-dangerous-1136125/) [Drink Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drink-thought-1136123/) [Drink Weak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drink-weak-1136126/) [Drinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drinking/) [Drunk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drunk/) [Expected Drunk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expected-drunk-1136127/) [Manliness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manliness/) [Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mead/) [Old Norse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-norse/) [Present day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/present-day/) [Sailor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sailor/) [Strong character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong-character/) [Viking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/viking/) [Weak man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weak-man/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) ## Related quotes > [“In somber mood, I re-called my whole life up to this day, and my head spun with the buzzing of a hundred and one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-daumal/in-somber-mood-i-re-called-my-whole-life-up-to-this-day-and-my-head/) [René Daumal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ren-daumal/) > [I drank a lot when I was a teenager and I don't drink any more, because that's when I thought, you know, I'm gonna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-davis/i-drank-a-lot-when-i-was-a-teenager-and-i-don-t-drink-any-more/) [Kristin Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-davis/) > [“It took him longer than usual. 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Their language, which we call Old Norse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-trask/in-the-ninth-and-tenth-centuries-the-vikings-invaded-britain-from/) [Larry Trask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-trask/) > [“That thing the nature of which is totally unknown to you is usually what you need to find, and finding it is a matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/that-thing-the-nature-of-which-is-totally-unknown-to-you-is-usually/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [“Yael wanted to be like the Valkyrie maidens in the old Norse lore. Winged women who rode to war on the backs of wolves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-graudin/yael-wanted-to-be-like-the-valkyrie-maidens-in-the-old-norse-lore/) [Ryan Graudin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-graudin/) > [“Since moving to Valhalla, I'd learned an impressive number of Old Norse cusswords. 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I am told the curious fact that in the English army at the present day officers are expected to act very much after the teaching of the old Norse poet; a man is expected to be able on occasion to drink a considerable amount of wine or spirits without showing the effects of it, either in his conduct or in his speech. \"Drink thy share of mead; speak fair or not at all\" - that was the old text, and a very sensible one in its way.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eoghan Odinsson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoghan-odinsson/it-was-not-considered-right-for-a-man-not-to-drink-although-drink-was/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Drinking" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoghan-odinsson/it-was-not-considered-right-for-a-man-not-to-drink-although-drink-was/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/541/eoghan-odinsson-110755_drinking_it-was-not-considered-right-for-a-man-no_1699486.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/541/eoghan-odinsson-110755_drinking_it-was-not-considered-right-for-a-man-no_1699486.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/541/eoghan-odinsson-110755_drinking_it-was-not-considered-right-for-a-man-no_1699486.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“...it was not considered right for a man not to drink, although drink was a dangerous thing. 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