INOCULATION THEORY
Living in Austin you have many things to choose from when it comes to night life. On the weekends, I love to go dancing with friends or to different bars along 4th, 5th or 6th street. Normally, we always take cabs to and from 6th street so we do not have to drive at the end of the night. It was a couple of weekends ago and Texas played Rice. Since Houston is so close, there were so many people in town for that game and the cab lines were so tied up we decided to drive downtown when my friend promised to be the designated driver. At the end of the night we all met up only to find our designated driver had given in and drank a lot, leaving us with no one able to drive. One of my other friends quickly offered to drive saying she was sober enough, however I quickly refused out of fear of what I have heard my whole life, to never get in the car with people who have been drinking. They all were telling me I was being ridiculous and that we were not going to get into an accident that she was fine to drive, attacking my belief on the situation. The rest of the group ended up driving home with the “sober” enough driver, while I gladly took a cab home in an effort to avoid an accident or even death.
Looking back on my childhood, my parents instilled many beliefs in me that I perceive as cultural truisms that others may not. Ever since high school began, my mother has always told me never to get into the car if others have been drinking and if I do I will get into a car accident that could result in serious injury or even death. She basically threatened me that if I was to ever be caught doing such an act; my life would forever be changed and made it clear it would not be positive. After studying the inoculation theory last week I never realized how much her comments on if I chose to ride in the car of others drinking and the negative results of what could happen has affected my perceptions of it. Now that I am 21 and able to make my own...