A post-script on the drunken lady

I think what bothered me the most about the drunk lady in the restaurant is two-fold:

1) In a city of 20 million people, the first obnoxious, irresponsible drunk person we came across was NOT Indian. I don't understand why that is.

2) Here was a woman with the ability to provide her children with the greatest gift - an education. She obviously had the financial means to afford her children some education and, therefore, a future. But she didn't.

The American education system should be our number one export. It may have some shortcomings on the K-12 level, and we be able to learn something from Japan on that, but considering the outstanding University system, America is above the rest by far. And that education system, with all it's faults, is the number one reason why we (and myself, specifically) have the ability to sit around and think about reasons why things are they way they are - and also, we can think about how to make them better.

What was so disappointing to me, is that this woman had the chance to afford her children that gift...and wasn't going to take it. Apparently, because of alcohol.

But my question still remains - why does it seem that alcohol is not a serious problem like it is elsewhere?? (meaning Europe, North America and perhaps, Africa - I don't know, I've never been to Africa.).

I thought affluence might have something to do with it, but the Japanese are extremely affluent and don't have the social problems America does with alcohol, so that doesn't explain it.

Anyone have any ideas?