It wouldn't change. If I'm making a living, eating well, exercising, pursuing my hobbies & not hurting those around me while drinking to what society says is excesses and I'm happy then society says I have a drinking problem. If I give up the drinking and fill that place with anything society says that I have a problem. If I fill the void with more work then I'm a workaholic, more exercise a meat head, more worship an extremist, greater pursuit of a hobby an obsessive. All things in moderation. Even moderation. --- edit: If I were to substitute drinking with killing people then I'd be labeled a murderer. Is murderer worse than alcoholic? I don't know. I haven't had to apply for a new job lately.