Well I was going to ask a more in depth question about why alcoholics will drink themselves until death. (A guy I knew...liver shot drank until he died with a catheter bag attached. Another alcoholic was in a coma after a work accident still wanted a drink screw that oxycontin. A 90 year old man has hardly any stomache left still drinks...)
But I thought I’d ask the dumb question first and get it out of the way.
I could discuss that question for hours, but my short answer is this. Alcoholics who have not found a healthy system of recovery are spiritual wrecks with deeply buried insecurities and self loathing. Frequently, there's over compensation in one's public persona, and any honest alcoholic will understand the notion of "an egomaniac with an inferiority complex." Why do we drink ourselves to death? Simple answer: it's suicide on the installment plan.