前一阵才看了那部麦叔主演的丹麦电影《酒精计划》（英文名：Another Round，也有翻译成Drunk）。有人说有点像一部快乐版的《海边的曼切斯特》，都是戒酒片。但我感觉本质上这部片子是在讨论人生的意义，最后证明了并无意义。
故事围绕四位中年（男）教师展开。每个人的职业生涯和家庭生活都陷入了困境，无趣，无能，无力感，以及无处可去。在某次聚会上，其中一个人偶然提出一位心理学家的理论 – 人类的血液中天生缺乏0.05%的酒精，适量饮酒可以提高创造力和幸福感。于是第二天他们开始了一项实验，就是每天在工作时间适当摄入酒精，保持这个0.05%的比例，来寻找真正的自由和幸福。原片这段有几分钟是世界领袖的剪辑，非常有意思，
一开始，大家在酒精的作用下逐渐变得更加自信和开朗，教学方式也更吸引学生了，跟家里人相处也变得更加轻松。酒精仿佛能够稀释生活中的不快乐。
然而，随着时间的推移，他们的饮酒量不断增加，毫不意外的要出意外了，实验逐渐失控。一个被老婆孩子嫌弃，一个被离婚，其中一个人醉醺醺的来参加教职员内部大会最终被离职然后自杀。
片子的结尾是在葬礼之后，穿着黑西装的麦叔在海边的孩子们中间跳着舞，BGM是欢快的《what a life》，最后他纵身一跃跳入大海，电影戛然而止。
一半想要飞起来，一半想要被淹死。这是本片的结尾画面，也是很多人生命的常态。想要消除这种痛苦，首先要接受这个世界毫无意义。
对于我来说，这部片子存在主义的味儿很足，结尾其实非常乐观积极。在认清了生活的痛苦和无意义之后，在意识到根本没有什么救命稻草能让你改头换面振作起来，依然喝酒，依然跳舞，依然活下去。
我应该不算一个喜欢喝酒的人，也不喜欢跳舞。
主要是因为小的时候家里的长辈，亲戚，父母的同事总在家里聚餐喝酒。内蒙这个地区大家可能也有所了解，说是喝酒那就不会是小酌一下这种情况。一般都是白酒几瓶大家喝的差不多了，稍微再喝几瓶啤酒漱漱口，喝醉是常态。
家里乱，吵吵闹闹就不说了，这帮人喝高了之后不仅自己载歌载舞，还喜欢叫小孩表演节目。这也是我的童年阴影之一。也陆陆续续听说谁谁谁因为喝酒死掉了，所以小的时候一直不明白为什么要喝酒，或者说喝酒在我心中是个贬义词。
后来上学，上班，在各种酒局中遇见过因为喝酒变得更亲密熟悉的人，也遇见过各种不怀好意的人。在这个过程中发现自己酒量还可以（后面还测过基因，确实是酒精耐受还不错）。这个阶段从旁观者变成了参与者，依然没觉得酒好喝，更多的体会是喝酒，旧文化，社会秩序，攻击性之间的关联。想用喝酒这件事来攻击我的，最后都被反弹回去了。
再后来的近些年，以上这些不得不参与的场景基本从我的生活中消失了，我反倒开始能够发掘出有些酒是好喝的，能喝的。比如夏天骑车回来，刺啦，开罐IPA，很惬意。再比如饭前可以先开个香槟，配盐水毛豆，等待锅里的肉慢慢咕嘟咕嘟。晚来天欲雪，能饮一杯，还能再来一杯。
今时今日再去思考，我厌恶的是酒本身呢，还是人类强加于喝酒的文化和意义？显而易见是后者。
酒就像是生活中的一层滤镜，既不能治抑郁，也不能拓展社交，无趣的人喝醉了也不会变得有趣，也别惦记那些红酒抗氧化预防感冒的健康怪谈。
当剥去一切标签之后，如果还想喝一杯，那就再来一杯。
I recently watched the Danish film Another Round (also known as Drunk), starring Mads Mikkelsen. Some say it’s like a happier version of Manchester by the Sea, both being films about sobriety. But I feel this film essentially discusses the meaning of life, ultimately proving it’s meaningless.
The story revolves around four middle-aged (male) teachers. Each is struggling in their careers and family lives, feeling bored, incompetent, powerless, and adrift. At a party, one of them casually mentions a psychologist’s theory—that humans are naturally deficient in 0.05% alcohol in their blood, and that moderate drinking can enhance creativity and happiness. So the next day, they begin an experiment: consuming alcohol during work hours to maintain this 0.05% level in order to find true freedom and happiness. The original film includes a few minutes of clips featuring world leaders, which is quite interesting.
Initially, under the influence of alcohol, everyone gradually becomes more confident and welcoming, their teaching becomes more engaging for students, and their relationships with family become easier. Alcohol seems to dilute the unhappiness in their lives.
However, as time went on, their drinking increased, and unsurprisingly, things went wrong; the experiment gradually spiraled out of control. One was rejected by his wife and children, another was divorced, and one of them, drunk, attended a faculty meeting, ultimately losing his job and committing suicide.
The film ends after the funeral, with Mads, dressed in a black suit, dancing among children on the beach to the upbeat song “What a Life.” Finally, he leaps into the sea, and the film suddenly ends.
Half wanting to fly, half wanting to drown. This is the ending scene of the film, and also the reality of many people’s lives. To eliminate this pain, one must first accept the meaninglessness of this world.
For me, this film has a strong existentialist flavor, and the ending is actually very optimistic and positive. After recognizing the pain and meaninglessness of life, after realizing that there is no lifeline to change you and lift your spirits, you still drink, still dance, still live.
I probably wouldn’t call myself a drinker, nor do I enjoy dancing.
The main reason is that when I was little, my elders, relatives, and my parents’ colleagues would often have gatherings at home for drinking. You might know about Inner Mongolia; when they say “drinking,” it’s never just a little sip. Usually, it’d be several bottles of baijiu (Chinese liquor), everyone’s pretty much done, then a few bottles of beer to wash their mouths, and getting drunk was the norm.
Besides the mess and noise at home, these people, once drunk, would not only sing and dance themselves, but also like to make the children perform. This is one of my childhood traumas. I also heard stories of people dying from drinking, so as a child, I never understood why people drank, or rather, drinking was a derogatory term in my mind.
Later, in school and at work, I met people who became closer through drinking, and also encountered all sorts of malicious people. During this process, I discovered I had a decent alcohol tolerance (I even had my genes tested, and they were indeed quite good at alcohol). At this stage, I went from being an observer to a participant, and I still didn’t find alcohol enjoyable. My main takeaway was the connection between drinking, old culture, social order, and aggression. Those who tried to attack me with the topic of drinking ultimately bounced back 😀
In recent years, these unavoidable scenarios have largely disappeared from my life. Instead, I’ve begun to discover that some alcoholic beverages are actually quite enjoyable and drinkable. For example, riding a bike home in the summer, the sizzling sound of opening a can of IPA is very pleasant. Or, before a meal, you can open a bottle of champagne with salted edamame, waiting for the meat in the pot to simmer. In the evening, with snow, you can have one glass, and then another.
Looking back now, is it the alcohol itself that I dislike, or the culture and meaning that humans have imposed on drinking? Clearly, it’s the latter.
Alcohol is like a filter in life; it can neither cure depression nor expand social circles. Uninteresting people won’t become interesting when drunk, and don’t cling to those strange health myths about red wine’s antioxidant properties and cold-preventing effects.
Once all the labels are stripped away, if you still want a drink, then just have one.