You could say that's just simple math. In the battle of one drink vs. 10 drinks, a lot of people around here would choose one, 'cause they can't handle 10—and they certainly don't want to try to handle 10 around strangers. But let's stop deconstructing this particular cliché. Assuming that you're like me, and assuming that drunkenness is your goal on the night in question, the state you're in after 10 drinks may be preferable to the state you're in after one drink.
The numbers are just a side issue, anyway.
I'm thinking, you know, drinking with strangers probably sharpens one's social skills—as would any activity one undertakes with strangers. And hey, if you continue to drink with a particular set of strangers, they may well become friends, or at least drinking buddies. Having a few of those around is good. But continual drinking with strangers still seems a little shallow to me.
The upshot: I enjoy having a few drinks either way, but rejoice, 'cause I enjoy drinking with you all much more than I enjoy drinking with random people I don't know.