If you're insecure about getting taken for a ride, that's on you. There's no argument you can make to change the fact that you are being fleeced when you buy alcohol at bars. Drug addicts say the same things when they are paying 500%+ markup on their drugs. "It's worth it to them."
Keep going to bat for the people ripping you off. It's what's expected of you.
Hey man, if you have more money than sense that's your problem. You don't have to go around replying to everything I post trying to explain why you like getting ripped off.
The profit margins for the alcohol you buy at bars is significantly higher than alcohol you buy in stores. You're getting ripped off, and in typical useful idiot fashion, you need to figure out some way to avoid acknowledging it.
If you're not living a boring life, then you should naturally come across plenty of different people with plenty of different opportunities to make connections.
"Meeting people at the grocery store" is a lazy and ignorant excuse to justify going to bars. If you think those are your only two options, then you're the problem and I pity anyone who gets caught in your web.
I'm mostly referring to liquor because it's the most economical way to get drunk.
My local Walmart has a decent selection of beers, but I've been to HEBs that have entire sections devoted to craft beers. It may depend on the grocery store in question.
You can still get a better selection at a cheaper price at liquor stores than bars.
I wonder if this will result in countries like North Korea having a competitive workforce because they're at least able to focus on what they're doing.
Re-read my previous comment.