• WoahWoah@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    Almost 70% of the global population of adult humans are lactose intolerant. Whether you think drinking milk as an adult is weird or not, it isn’t something most human adults can easily do without digestive problems, and, because of that, it’s somewhat unusual to many people.

    Edit: I definitely think of drinking milk as a white people thing. Similarly I think of men showering without using a washcloth as a white people thing. Neither are true of all white people, they’re just stereotypes I have, I guess.

    • Ullallulloo@civilloquy.com
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      6 months ago

      It’s extremely regional though. Lactose intolerance is definitely the minority in the English-speaking world that would be on here.

      • WoahWoah@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        English is the most spoken language in the world.

        Demographically speaking, the highest percentage of lactose tolerant people are some variation of white, western or northern European. So in that sense, yes, it is a very narrowly defined segment of adults in terms of regional location and/or regional derivation for whom the majority of adults can comfortably drink a glass of milk.

        Are you subtly trying to say you assume most people on Lemmy are white? Or rather that somehow speaking English contributes to the ability to create the lactase enzyme? Both seem like incorrect assumptions at best. Regardless, dismissing 70% of the planet because you just arbitrarily assume they aren’t on Lemmy is… weird.

        Perhaps you just meant you assume the majority of people on Lemmy are American or European? In which case you’re still looking at 40% of adults that can’t easily digest milk. That’s just the people physically predisposed to find it disgusting. There is surely also some amount of people that are lactose tolerant that also think adults drinking a glass of milk is weird.

        It’s pretty clear just by reading this thread that there pretty mixed opinions about the idea of an adult drinking a glass of milk. Some find it viscerally disgusting and others find it completely normal.

        • dan@upvote.au
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          6 months ago

          English is the most spoken language in the world.

          I assume you mean languages that are either spoken as a first or second language, because if you just look at native speakers, more people speak Mandarin than English.

        • Ullallulloo@civilloquy.com
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          6 months ago

          Yeah, I’m assuming most people are American or European. I think 40% is a high estimate, but even among the lactose intolerant people I know in real life, I’ve never met one who thinks drinking milk is weird. Most even consume dairy products, just lactose-free versions or enduring the consequences.

          • WoahWoah@lemmy.world
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            6 months ago

            I’m sure you “think” a lot of things. Unless you hang out exclusively with white people, there are a lot of people that think drinking a glass of milk is weird. They just don’t tell you, because they’re polite.

            If you’re in the United States, perhaps you’ve heard of the show It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The show characterizes the McPoyles as particularly weird people. One of the ways they create that characterization? Them guzzling milk.

            Dairy “products” are a different concern. Most people produce some level of lactase, but a glass of cow’s milk is a separate thing.

            Aged cheese, for instance, is a different thing. Why would aging cheese add distinct flavors? Because bacteria is digesting the sugars (lact-OSE) and converting it into other things.

            I love cabot cheddar myself for cheap stuff. If you want to know the lactose content of cheese or other dairy products, if there are no added sugars, just check the sugar content. That’s lactose. If it says zero, it’s near zero.

            I’ve never met an adult in my life, of any color, that orders a glass of milk and drinks it. I’m sure it happens, but I guess just not in the circles I run in.

            You’d have to actually be around people regularly to see that it’s unusual. If you’re just in your own house or with the same people every time you go out, then no one is going to mention it.

            Honestly, it’s unusual. I make a high salary and part of my job requires regularly socializing with new people–clients, investors, new friends, etc.

            I’ve never seen a grown adult order a glass of milk and drink it. I wouldn’t judge someone for doing it, but I would criticize their perspective if they thought that was normal, and I would try to figure out the context they’re from where that’s normal behavior, purely out of curiosity. If they’re already in a social environment with me, there’s already some social capital committed, so I’m interested to know more about why someone would think that’s normal behavior.

            “Internet guy that likes Halo” does not qualify, so, while I think you’re being obtuse, I don’t care enough about you to continue this conversation.