April 30th is the anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War—a conflict of purpose, ideology, and leadership that cost hundreds of thousands of lives. Forty-four years later, we face a second war that is far more senseless, infinitely more costly, and utterly devoid of ideology or grand purpose.
This is the war against traffic accidents, particularly those fueled by alcohol.
Every Vietnamese family has known someone—a relative or friend—killed or severely disabled by this epidemic. I, too, have seen over a dozen friends and relatives suffer severe injuries or death. Two members of my own extended family were severely injured due to drunk driving accidents—and both were educated business leaders:
- One suffered a debilitating brain injury after a night of heavy drinking, leaving him almost entirely mentally disabled and a burden on his wife and children.
- The other endured a multitude of injuries after drinking and crashing his car.
Drinking did not make them more successful, happier, or closer to their colleagues. It brought them closer to something savage and uncivilized.
The perpetual cost of complacency
This “second war” is fueled by the ignorance of every social stratum: politicians, officials, intellectuals, doctors, business owners, farmers, and housewives. We lose over 20,000 people annually—a cost that dwarfs the casualties of the historical war over the same time frame.
Despite this crisis, many still believe that alcohol is necessary to forge strong professional or social bonds. After living and working in Vietnam for over a decade, mingling with everyone from top politicians to leading entrepreneurs and artists, I can confirm that alcohol is absolutely unnecessary to build genuine, warm relationships.
A personal protocol for survival
My personal rule is simple, and it works every time: “I can’t drink much,” and “I have a sensitive stomach.”
Never fear using this phrase, no matter how powerful the person you are meeting or how much you need their favor. Remember that after the third drink, few people will remember your refusal, so do not fear judgment. No one has ever successfully forced me to drink beyond my limit. Never.
My other rule is avoidance. The moment the gathering shifts from conversation to a long drinking contest, I leave. I pay my share, politely excuse myself, or simply walk away without permission, claiming dizziness or fatigue. No one objects; they are too busy drinking to notice.
Successful politicians, business magnates, and celebrities all understand this discipline. They never allow their image to be tarnished by alcohol. They know that just one moment of lost control can destroy their reputation and the respect of their employees, partners, and family.
The war against drunk driving will last decades if we do not change our policies, perceptions, and attitudes toward this persistent danger. Excessive drinking does not bring success or happiness. A person who drinks and drives descends to the level of a beast or a savage, not a civilized human being.
