What’s the deal with chasers?

I come from Eastern Europe and taking a shot and a chaser is just non-existent here. I noticed a lot of americans do it and I just don’t get the concept. It looks nasty (cuz everyone makes massive faces when doing it) and complicated and if anyone can explain why is it done or when it started, it would be greatly appreaciated.

For context, in Eastern Europe, if you don’t want clean shot of alcohol, you mix immediately. Example would be vodka/gin & tonic water, whiskey and coca-cola and similiar. You add to your taste how much soda you want to your shot in a glass and just drink it that way. It usually takes two/two and a half whiskey shot to finish off one coca-cola. It is simple, and easy and no nasty face at the taste.

If you want to escalate drinking you can cut your chosen drink with rakija (which comes in small glass) and while it can be hard to swallow cuz of the burn, it is hardly nasty to drink so much that I need a chaser.

Or you can be OG legend and drink rakija and coffee as part of morning routine to wake you up like a real boss.

Anyways, sorry for long post, but I just don’t get the whole shot, than chaser, seems weird to me considering you can just mix it in the first place and enjoy your evening without making faces or having to sip chasers as you work through a shot.

Thanks a bunch!