Bars get a bad
reputation. Think about it. When has anyone recently admitted that they
enjoy going to a bar. Not a “dive” bar,
not a pub, not a club but just a simple bar that serves drinks, has a jukebox
and maybe serves chips. Granted, many of
a bad thing has happened at bars. I
recall in law school reading endless cases that involved deaths, destruction,
drunk driving and dumb decisions that happened at bars. Such
events often loom large in people’s minds regarding bars.
However, if one
takes the time and look around there are a lot of bars. Really!
It is like smoking. Smoking may
be condemned and harassed but cigarettes still sell so someone still smoking
and people are still going to bars. It
is this realization and my overall curiosity that I decided to write about
bars.
Bars are part of
our culture. In a modern American
society that praises cultural significance in almost any matter bar culture is
often ignored. Yet they loom large in
everyday life for good and for bad. They
define neighborhoods and have been a focal point in social change. A wide
variety of people enjoy them and to ignore them is to revel in social
elitism. I live in San Diego for some
culture stops five miles from the coastline and likeminded enclaves of Prius
driving wine drinkers. There is a lot
culture to be discovered and bars are one that deserves a fair
observation.
Lastly, I don’t
use the term “dive” bar to describe the bars because it is a weasel word. “Dive” is just a word you add to justify
going to a bar to your friends that look down at any place that serves Budweiser
and well drinks for 3 dollars. When you
think about bars don’t want you hurt.
What business in its right mind would want their patrons hurt, keep out
people willing to plunk down money for a drink, have a reputation for trouble
to scare people away and be rude? Bars
want to stay in business. Just a few
thoughts as I begin to work on writing about bars across San Diego County and beyond.
