"I Wasn't Driving"

They think of no one but themselves. ...and not even that, half the time. No thought, just pure emotional response. Toddlers.

@Drums_McBashington: This is an interesting couple of excerpts from the AA basic Text on Self Centeredness... Belief in the power of God, plus enough willingness, honesty and humility to establish and maintain the new order of things, were the essential requirements. Simple, but not easy; a price had to be paid. It meant destruction of self-centeredness. I must turn in all things to the Father of Lights who presides over us all. We found it very desirable to take this spiritual step with an understanding person, such as our wife, best friend, or spiritual adviser. But it is better to meet God alone than with one who might misunderstand. The wording was, of course, quite optional so long as we expressed the idea, voicing it without reservation. This was only a be- ginning, though if honestly and humbly made, an effect, sometimes a very great one, was felt at once. Next we launched out on a course of vigorous action, the first step of which is a personal housecleaning, which many of us had never attempted. Though our decision was a vital and crucial step, it could have little permanent effect unless at once followed by a strenuous effort to face, and to be rid of, the things in ourselves which had been blocking us. Our liquor was but a symp- tom. So we had to get down to causes and conditions. Therefore, we started upon a personal inventory. This was step four. A busi- ness which takes no regular inventory usually goes broke. Taking a commer- cial inventory is a factfinding and a fact-facing process. It is an effort to dis- cover the truth about the stock-in-trade. One object is to disclose damaged or unsalable goods, to get rid of them promptly and without regret. If the owner of the business is to be successful, he cannot fool himself about values. We did exactly the same thing with our lives. We took stock honestly. First, we searched out the flaws in our make-up which caused our failure. Being 38convinced that self, manifested in various ways, was what had defeated us, we considered its common manifestations Therefore, we started upon a personal inventory. This was step four. A busi- ness which takes no regular inventory usually goes broke. Taking a commer- cial inventory is a factfinding and a fact-facing process. It is an effort to dis- cover the truth about the stock-in-trade. One object is to disclose damaged or unsalable goods, to get rid of them promptly and without regret. If the owner of the business is to be successful, he cannot fool himself about values. We did exactly the same thing with our lives. We took stock honestly. First, we searched out the flaws in our make-up which caused our failure. Being convinced that self, manifested in various ways, was what had defeated us, we considered its common manifestations Resentment is the ”number one“ offender. It destroys more alcoholics than anything else. From it stem all forms of spiritual disease, for we have been not only mentally and physically ill, we have been spiritually sick. When the spir- itual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically. In deal- ing with resentments, we set them on paper. We listed people, institutions or principles with whom we were angry. We asked ourselves why we were angry. In most cases it was found that our self-esteem, our pocketbooks, our ambi- tions, our personal relationships, (including sex) were hurt or threatened. So we were sore. We were ”burned up.“ H AVING made our personal inventory, what shall we do about it? We have been trying to get a new attitude, a new relationship with our Creator, and to discover the obstacles in our path. We have admitted certain defects; we have ascertained in a rough way what the trouble is; we have put our finger on the weak items in our personal inventory. Now these are about to be cast out. This requires action on our part, which, when completed, will mean that we have admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being, the exact nature of our defects. This brings us to the fifth step in the Program of Recov- ery mentioned in the preceding chapter. This is perhaps difficult—especially discussing our defects with another person. We think we have done well enough in admitting these things to ourselves. There is doubt about that. In actual practice, we usually find a solitary selfappraisal insufficient. Many of us thought it necessary to go much further. We will be more reconciled to discussing our- selves with another person when we see good reasons why we should do so. The best reason first: if we skip this vital step, we may not overcome drinking. Time after time newcomers have tried to keep to themselves certain facts about their lives. Trying to avoid this humbling experience, they have turned to easier meth- ods. Almost invariably they got drunk. Having persevered with the rest of the program, they wondered why they fell. We think the reason is that they never completed their housecleaning. They took inventory all right, but hung on to some of the worst items in stock. They only thought they had lost their egoism and fear; they only thought they had humbled themselves. But they had not learned enough of humility, fearlessness and honesty, in the sense we find it necessary, until they told someone else all their life story.

@Life_N_Times_of_Shane_T_Hanson: Interesting indeed. Buddy sure had a lot of extra hyphens to get rid of. When was that published?

@Drums_McBashington: There have been a number of revisions 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. Uhhh starting 1935 onwards or there abouts... Look up alcoholics anonymous on Wikipedia AND you can find PDF versions of the AA basic text in every version... This is also an interesting counter point. https://orangepapers.eth.limo/

@Life_N_Times_of_Shane_T_Hanson: Looks more interesting. Never did any of those programs, always thought they were like replacing a crutch/misery loves company situation. Just me though, I know they've worked for millions. I quit cocaine because I had done almost everything you could possibly do with cocaine, and was finished with it. Easy peasy if you actually want to quit. Same for booze, got bored of wasting time/money, all the high IQ chit chats with drunken fuckwits. You can reproduce the effects of alcohol by putting a bread bag with tiny airholes over head for a while. It's all about the oxygen in your brain, after all. Plus, you get bread.

@Drums_McBashington: Yeah -when the meeting is full of people who worked hard to get their shit together, it's a good thing. When it's full of opinionated crazies - they are showing you what not to do and what comes with it. Yeah - different people, programs, assistance, direction etc. I found it very helpful because I was just fucking GONE - because of all the damage. BUT there are a lot of scumbags in it too...

@Drums_McBashington: Yeah It can be very helpful.... I found it to be so...... Sort of like starting from scratch again - when people get so fucked over they never landed on their feet. It's like learning moral principles and how to do shopping lists based upon nutritional needs - what food do you need, what are all the ingredients etc., and asking for help on how to do it all....

@Life_N_Times_of_Shane_T_Hanson: Yep, helpful and good in that regard. Rebuilding is tough for many, especially when alone. Lack of motivation is the killer. A support network of strangers is just as good as any family, when it comes down to it. Been to a few meetings over the years, going with friends in the program, check it out, have a donut and a local jail quality coffee. MMMM, tastes like institutional correction.

and it would have been all YOUR fault ! she wasen't even driving !