Brain Function

I know I'm over the blogging limit, but I really felt like putting in my two cents about the lecture last week. I am in constant fascination about how the brain works, and what can hinder it's development. So, indeed, I found it interesting how a brain with a concussion is just as harmful as a brain hindered by alcohol. Not that I agree with alcohol in the first place, but it's just one more factor on the scale. What really irritated me about the lecture was her blatant statement: "Alcoholism is a disease. If you have any hint of it in your family history, you are more likely to have issues with it yourself." Not a direct quote, but you understand what I am saying. What irritates me about this belief is the fact that scientists and the like don't seem to want to place much weight on human choice. They basically say, 'it's in the family, so it's not their fault'. That's total BS. It's just giving people an excuse to do something they know is wrong. Human beings have choices, therefore if they wish to stop drinking, or even choose not to start in the first place, then it is completely possible. It's the same with smoking, attitude, even doing schoolwork. Everyone has a choice to do what they wish, and it seems stupid for society to claim a hindrance on what people can and can't do. To ultimately tie this in to the study of the damage of concussions and drinking, it seems that teens, although "aware", do not want to face the consequences. Granted, this issue is more noticeable in college where the brain is apparently less vulnerable, but it still seems that young adults at this point would rather ignore for a night of fun. And I've heard the excuse, "It's not everyone doing it", but I also listen during and after the weekends to people yelling at 1 AM, and interesting stories that follow. Is this a joke? How can people know of the consequences and still do something that could cause immense long-term damage? There is so much I could say on this issue. Granted, I do admit that I am very close to these problems, making my opinion very strong in one direction, but also admittedly, I have see this issue. I have seen the consequences, and I do not think many people are as lucky. And then, it seems that by the time college hits, it's just too cool to think about the negative issues. And it saddens me. So what does this say about these people? I'm not saying they are bad people, I'm saying that they should possibly make better decisions. And with that, I'm not trying to point a finger or insult anyone. This is a blatant observation, and I hope someday it might not be such an issue.