AA MINORITY REPORT 2017 (revised)

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Tuesday 19 August 2014

Bill and Bob's Excellent Adventure! (contd)


Title Page




And now we come to the 'black bits' on the title page. There are two words of particular interest (or to us at least). The book is described as containing: “The Story of How Many Thousands of Men and Women Have Recovered from Alcoholism”

(our emphases)

Now a story is not a scholarly research article nor is it an empirically rigorous analysis. It is a story, an account, a narrative, an exploration. This does not imply it is a work of fiction (as some of AA's detractors may claim). It is an attempt (and a brave one at that) to produce a synthesis of what the alcoholics at that time believed worked well for them. They did not claim infallibility nor that there was no other way for alcoholics to recover. They simply put forward a set of suggestions (framed in an informal almost conversational style) which they believed might provide a solution for others who were similarly afflicted. The book 'Alcoholics Anonymous' is not a bible nor is it the last word on the subject of recovery from alcoholism. It is “The Story of How Many ….” etc.

Now we come to “Recovered”. If you happen to be at a bit of a loose end one day and beginning to feel a bit “dull, boring and glum” (or whatever!) then you can do a lot worse than take yourself off to an AA meeting and introduce yourself as a “recovered” alcoholic. This prefix is guaranteed to produce an almost reflex response from the other members gathered there (that is if they're of the 'recovering' kind). The reverse works just as well. Describe yourself as a 'recovering' alcoholic, especially in a roomful of Big Book nutters, and you can almost hear the ranks of teeth grinding. One of the aacultwatch team used to describe himself in the former fashion and admits now that the main reason was so he could wind up as many people as possible in the minimum amount of time. We're glad to say he's behaving himself these days and has reverted to plain 'alkie' when making his introduction. But now that everyone's apparently 'recovered' he says he doesn't want to be associated with the mere 'hoi-poloi'. It's no fun anymore! But then he is very, very, very VERY sick, poor thing! Of course the only people who could possibly be interested in the distinction would be members of the fellowship. The rest of the human race (ie. the other 99.9999999......%) couldn't give a damn or are simply thankful that we're no longer performing like complete idiots. But clearly the distinction between 'recovered' and 'recovering' is a matter of whether you regard it as something that's 'done and dusted' or a continuous process. Although the term 'recovered' is indeed employed throughout the book the fact is that recovery is explicitly stated to be an ongoing activity. Alcoholism in its chronic form is clearly not something which can be cured (although rather confusingly there is another bunch of alkies who claim precisely that – but then no one pays much attention to them!). One can take the view that as a physically and psychologically abstinent alcoholic you have 'recovered' right up to the point where you relapse whereupon you have to start again. Alternatively you can opt for the 'recovering' tag again right up to the point where you relapse … and then you have to start again! Perhaps our time and energy would be better employed in ensuring no relapse, and leave consideration of the terminology to some later date… like never! (Now how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?). Alternatively if you really want to excite attention at a meeting you could always call yourself a 'reformed' alcoholic (or 'reforming' we suppose! There's plenty of those about!). And then again if the term 'alcoholic' is losing its allure you could switch to “dipsomaniac” (or the more catchy 'dipso'). 'Lush' and 'souse' don't have quite the same ring to them. But then there's 'sot', 'inebriate', 'bacchanal', 'bibber', 'carouser', 'debauchee' (now you're talking!), 'toper', 'toss-pot' Or then again you could make up your own denomination (non-affiliated of course). eg. a 'boomerang' (as in 'Bacchus boomeranged' - 12 and12 Step Five, p. 57 , a 'nitherer' (neither here nor there), a Shirley (as in Shirley Williams – British politician – anagram: “I whirl aimlessly”) … the possibilities are literally endless!

Coming next – Copyright information (You cannot be serious! Our reader looks wistfully away searching for any sign of a wall covered with drying paint!)

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS For the term 'alcoholism' see here.

Caution: This curse (sorry!!) COURSE is not to be taken as AUTHORITATIVE nor is it to be regarded as DEFINITIVE in any way. Anyone found to be according it any undue status will be reported to the appropriate authorities (ie. GSO York or whoever) who will then do …. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! (quite rightly too we say!). Moreover any person discovered to be quoting from the aforementioned course will be TERMINATED with extreme prejudice!

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