I’m not sure if you truly don’t know, but I’m happy to explain my perspective if it would help.
I think the value lies in gathering additional knowledge and insights. Instead of assuming your own habits or circumstances are normal due to limited knowledge of other households or routines—or relying solely on clinical, one-size-fits-all recommendations (which, to be fair, are likely well-researched)—you can quickly access a wide range of perspectives. Based on the above these can vary from extremes like "that's an alcoholic level!" to "meh, leave him to it." But overall there may be a consensus to the narrative. In just a few hours, you can gather diverse opinions, which can be particularly useful if someone decides to confront their partner or reflect on their own behavior. Real-world examples (in addition to Google results) provide a basis for arguments to either support or challenge these discussions.
It’s tricky to know how much weight to give the recommended guidelines, which can be an argument brought up by those who would defend their behaviour. For instance, BMI is often dismissed as too broad to be meaningful, and something similar might apply here. The recommended alcohol units remain constant regardless of whether you’re 18 or 80, weigh 112 pounds or 250, or have genetic differences that influence your susceptibility to alcohol’s effects. The book Gene Eating, explores how your ancestry impacts your response to foods and drinks. While the recommendations are rooted in risk reduction, how much of that risk is universal versus perceived? Adding to the complexity, the guidelines vary worldwide—some countries consider 30 or even 50 units per week for men acceptable. Societal norms can therefore play a role in helping people decipher acceptable behaviours (as far as they perceive them anyway).
That’s where this forum becomes incredibly valuable. It complements clinical facts by bringing together people from diverse backgrounds, ages, genders, and habits, offering practical, relatable insights. When used alongside expert recommendations, it can be a powerful tool for understanding behavior and making informed decisions and arguments.
Though I do apologise if this is a too regularly raised topic on this forum. Although perhaps even that adds weight to how useful the forum must be for those trying to guage what may or may not be acceptable within their own circumstances.