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The underlying philosophy of AA is often ignored by the general public and involves an ego death the likes of which have very few equals. You are indoctrinated

The underlying philosophy of AA is often ignored by the general public and involves an ego death the likes of which have very few equals. You are indoctrinated to the fact that not only do you have a "disease," or problem, but you are also a weak human being for having succumbed to such disease in the first place. Fortunately most people don't take the entire philosophy of the group to heart - if they did, I couldn't imagine the psychological toll it would create on an attendee.

mikestew 11y ago
but you are also a weak human being for having succumbed to such disease in the first place. That's pretty much the antithesis of the AA philosophy, as well as the exact opposite of the "alcoholism is a disease" thinking. IOW, no one thinks you got cancer because you're a "weak human being". If there's any "ego death" involved, it's that you're not going to solve this in your own. Source: attended my share of AA meetings and even read the book.
- FilterSweep 11y ago
  >Source: anecdotal data trashing those who you don't agree with isn't a fair justification to downvote. My point is proven in the _first_ and _third_ steps of the program, In the admission that you have a problem, and that you are helpless to solve the problem yourself, respectively. [0][1] What about your point? Your personal opinion of it? It is the admission that you are _helpless_ to your disease, and it is that very reason you don't have the self efficacy to overcome your issues yourself. An ego death involves, in albeit, sometimes flawed Jungian psychology a loss of identity, and A transformation of ones psyche in such a way that the Self is not perceived the same way after such transformation.[2] MY argument is that AA involves such ego death in that your admission over having a lack of self-efficacy in solving your own alcoholism is transformative, and you can't do it without the group or other external help, a la Step 3. I am a different person than you. I find my inability to solve problems for myself _weakness_. And just because you disagree, instead of positing an argument against my thoughts, you downvote my comment and claim you "read the book." This was the same exact fashion of discourse that had me leave AA in the first place. I handled "alcoholism" differently. My life is a legal nightmare but alcohol isn't a personal issue. In sum: People read things differently. But you don't see my flagging your comments because I disagree. [0] a real source: http://www.alcoholic.org/research/aa-step-1/ http://www.alcoholic.org/research/aa-step-1/ [1] http://www.alcoholic.org/research/aa-step-3/ http://www.alcoholic.org/research/aa-step-3/ [2] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego_death https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego_death my source: sentenced to AA, went to a few meetings, found it damaging, and worked out an alternative treatment plan with court.
  - mikestew 11y ago
    Man, were you not so pissy over imaginary internet points I might engage and show where you might have misinterpreted. However, I get the impression that engagement isn't what you're looking for, just agreement or silence. Regardless, I wish you well with your recovery, or whatever you wish to call it.
coleifer 11y ago
I don't think that's true at all. I think the idea of "let go and let god" is about realizing you are not in control, and accepting that (accepting the things you cannot change). This idea is found in many religions and philosophies and connotes life rather than death.

mikestew 11y ago

but you are also a weak human being for having succumbed to such disease in the first place. That's pretty much the antithesis of the AA philosophy, as well as the exact opposite of the "alcoholism is a disease" thinking. IOW, no one thinks you got cancer because you're a "weak human being". If there's any "ego death" involved, it's that you're not going to solve this in your own. Source: attended my share of AA meetings and even read the book.

FilterSweep 11y ago
>Source: anecdotal data trashing those who you don't agree with isn't a fair justification to downvote. My point is proven in the _first_ and _third_ steps of the program, In the admission that you have a problem, and that you are helpless to solve the problem yourself, respectively. [0][1] What about your point? Your personal opinion of it? It is the admission that you are _helpless_ to your disease, and it is that very reason you don't have the self efficacy to overcome your issues yourself. An ego death involves, in albeit, sometimes flawed Jungian psychology a loss of identity, and A transformation of ones psyche in such a way that the Self is not perceived the same way after such transformation.[2] MY argument is that AA involves such ego death in that your admission over having a lack of self-efficacy in solving your own alcoholism is transformative, and you can't do it without the group or other external help, a la Step 3. I am a different person than you. I find my inability to solve problems for myself _weakness_. And just because you disagree, instead of positing an argument against my thoughts, you downvote my comment and claim you "read the book." This was the same exact fashion of discourse that had me leave AA in the first place. I handled "alcoholism" differently. My life is a legal nightmare but alcohol isn't a personal issue. In sum: People read things differently. But you don't see my flagging your comments because I disagree. [0] a real source: http://www.alcoholic.org/research/aa-step-1/ http://www.alcoholic.org/research/aa-step-1/ [1] http://www.alcoholic.org/research/aa-step-3/ http://www.alcoholic.org/research/aa-step-3/ [2] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego_death https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ego_death my source: sentenced to AA, went to a few meetings, found it damaging, and worked out an alternative treatment plan with court.
- mikestew 11y ago
  Man, were you not so pissy over imaginary internet points I might engage and show where you might have misinterpreted. However, I get the impression that engagement isn't what you're looking for, just agreement or silence. Regardless, I wish you well with your recovery, or whatever you wish to call it.

coleifer 11y ago

I don't think that's true at all. I think the idea of "let go and let god" is about realizing you are not in control, and accepting that (accepting the things you cannot change). This idea is found in many religions and philosophies and connotes life rather than death.