Maybe because for most people intoxicating themselves around others who are intoxicated is an inherently pleasurable experience? You really think basically all cultures in the world have been drinking for the past 10000 years out of peer pressure?
Pretty sure it's because water was naturally hard to get and keep clean, meanwhile the body adopted ethanol since it's fermented and therefore killed many unhealthy pathogens.
Water history and alcohol history have pretty interesting histories.
I just dislike the taste of alcohol and I don't see how it's pleasurable.
