if not getting fucked over is a shitty way to live life, then yeah, I guess it is.  and i certainly wasn't trying to talk down to you, although your blind trust in everyone does in fact make me believe that you are a child.  how old am I?  out of college, out of grad school, and several years in to my professional career, i.e. 31...so I'm guessing I have ya by a couple of years.
re: the culture, it is generally held that since europeans are exposed to alcohol at a much younger age, they are more responsible in regard to binge drinking.