Ah, Science

It always excites me when I read a sentence that starts with "A recent study shows" or "Researchers believe" and ends with a positive, healthful spin on one of my vices, such as coffee or red wine.

As any reader of these things knows, however, such studies are open to question. One minute coffee is a cancer cure in a cup and the next it joins the ranks of trans fats or red meat.

Needless to say, I was happy to find this study this morning. It's from 2006, but as those of us who have done research know, these kinds of things don't appear overnight.

Drinkers earn 10 to 14 percent more money than non-drinkers (!!!!!)

This delights me for three fundamental reasons:

1. The crux of the study lies in personal social capital (a concept with which my master's thesis made me all too familiar.)

In a nutshell, social capital stresses that social networks have value; that social contact can increase productivity and solve problems.

An evening at the bar, the study claims, can create new contacts and strengthen existing ones

Note: Benefits desist at dancing on the bar and singing drunken karaoke at the company Christmas party. This, in fact, has been shown to weaken ties with coworkers.

2. As a graduate looking for work, it gives me an excuse to leave the house for reasons beyond grocery shopping.

While there may be blasphemy associated with leaving this computer screen full of tabs open to Craigslist and Monster.com, this marvelous study shows that getting out and talking to real live people can actually be more beneficial to me.

3. Who doesn't like going out for good cocktails with good friends?
I'm a social person, which I hope will benefit me in my future career.

And when out for drinks with friends, you never know who you'll meet.