Why do people take their bottled water with them everywhere?

Question

It drives me crazy to see people sucking on their bottles of water in church, at the theater, during public ceremonies. It reminds me of a bunch of spoiled babies with their bottles or pacifiers.

Can't people go without a drink of water for an hour? Are we that self indulgent?

Answer 1

Amen, brother/sister! While I am all for quenching your thirst, a little self-denial during semi-formal occasions never hurt anyone. I am a high school teacher and my students are always bringing drinks into the classroom. My school has a policy that only bottled water is allowed to be carried to class by students, but they routinely bring other beverages to class and then get mouthy when you tell them to dispose of their unapproved beverage. And, now they have these little tubes of powdered Kool Aid to add to your water, so I have to hear teenagers argue that their drink is bottled water. So, now it is about a lack of respect and manners for others. It all just supports my theory that, like ancient Rome, American society is headed for a break down.

Answer 2

I started drinking more water several months ago, and I was amazed at how much better I feel. I immediately noticed that my lips weren't chapped all the time, and I wasn't tired and unproductive in the afternoons like I used to be. Now that I have become more aware of what it feels like to be dehydrated, I don't like that feeling and I carry a water bottle with me most of the time. I drink water as I work and do other tasks throughout the day. I feel that drinking small drinks of water throughout the day works better for me than drinking a full glass at one time.

I agree with you that drinking water could be disruptive in some settings, however. I have a water bottle that has a wide mouth that unscrews, for example. I think if I unscrewed it and drank from it during church or in other settings it might bother people. But if the water bottle is quiet I don't necessarily see as much of a problem.

Answer 3

I think it depends on a few things. If there ceremony is outside and especially if it is in the sun, I think a water bottle is excuseable. I know I have to carry one as I am prone to heat exaustion and dehydration and learned the hard way a couple years ago.

If an event is such where food is already the norm (movies, outdoor theatre), then I don't see the problem.

Church.... now that's a tricky one. For the most part I think it's innappropriate, but if someone is sick and needs to stay hydrated, I can kinda sorta understand. Same for singers, especially if they are soloists. But in those cases, a great deal of descretion is in order. I know I've been in situations where I am the cantor for a service and have to sing parts of the mass solo and have had a travel mug of hot tea hidden out of sight under my chair due to losing my voice cuz of a cold. I hate having to do it, but sometimes there is no helping it.

Answer 4

Okay, had to put my two cents in here because I'M one of those people who take their bottled water everywhere!

By the time you actually feel thirsty, you're already dehydrated. A person's body is mainly water-based and requires a lot of water to stay healthy: flush out toxins, major organs, even your colon! It's ESSENTIAL to drink a lot of water over the course of a day.

If I'm carrying that stupid heavy bottle around with me, it reminds me to keep drinking so I don't have to lug such a heavy bottle around! The more I drink, the lighter it gets & the quicker I can get rid of it.

When I don't do this, I can go through an entire DAY without a single glass of water.

Hold on a minute... I'm just going to get my bottle..........

Answer 5

Consider this: 50% of Americans are on some kind of resticted eating pattern right now (AKA: A Diet). Most diets (Atkins, LA, Jenny) all require drinking large amounts of water daily. Drinking water allows good blood flow which in turn increases metabolism. Ice water also burns calories on it's own as your body has to heat the water up to 98.2 degrees.
So most people carrying water bottles are just following the diet.

It is good to do so, if you are cheap like me and don;t want to buy a bottle of water somewhere for two dollars so I bring my own from home.

Answer 6

Why is other people's behavior bothering you like this?
I mean how does it affect or hurt you? Is this really a problem
in your life, if so why? Water is good for you and most people
don't drink enough of it, they are trying to be healthy. Hydration is good. Now i feel the same as you in a meditative setting. Drinking is a way of distracting oneself from what's going on.
But in regular life i think you are overreacting to the behavior of others.

Answer 7

The colon needs two eliminations per day to be at optimal health. Water helps greatly with this. Further, water keeps you from being dehydrated (bad) and curbs hunger (good). A lot of times what we think is hunger is actually dehydration.

It's their water, after all.

Answer 8

It's just a fad. I believe this will soon pass. I'll give it four years. I think people like to be seen with bottles of something. It suggests a few things. One, they're active and doing something. Two, it's a fashion statement, Three, they look busy, and people like to look busy (like "I'm too busy to sit down and drink"). I do it sometimes too, but taht's because it's 100 degrees outside and I need to walk half a mile to class, or becuase I'm taking it somwhere with me so I can sit and enjoy.

Answer 9

I believe it to be quite uncouth to sip on bottled water at these events myself. I think it is important to keep hydrated, I try for my 8 glasses a day, so I regularly carry one around with me, but there is a time and a place. Shopping/errands-yes, church- heavens no!!

Answer 10

Does it bother you to see someone in a theater drinking a soda? Maybe you are turned off by the fact that people are trying to be more healthy.