Monday, December 15, 2008



We lost our cable over the weekend. Not complaining, we got a pretty bad ice storm here and many of my friends are still without power and heat...all we lost was our internet for awhile and cable. Lost electricity for about 10 minutes..long enough to find all our stuff and get a fire going. Anyway my son has these DVDs of Penn & Teller's Showtime show Bullsh*t and I started watching them. They have this one on 12 stepping and it was.... well...a bunch of BullSh@#t.

They preface the whole thing by saying they don't know anything about alcoholism or addiction and then proceed to trash AA and the like. Their biggest misconception to me was equating an admission of powerlessness with a lack of self esteem. Heck my self esteem was what got me in trouble in the first place. And admitting powerlessness certainly didn't require that I become a weakling or that I was helpless. Quite the contrary, I became empowered. The bottom line is that they are atheists and can't wrap their heads around the higher power thing. They buy into the whole cult mentality which is annoying. Cannot understand that AA is NOT an organization and so therefore does not have records..heck its Annonymous. And on and on...I guess it bothered me because that was the mentality that I was coming from for so long that perhaps inhibited me from getting help sooner rather than later. Preconceived notions, misconceptions, contempt...and its what I think my Dad would be saying if he were still here and what my brother is probably thinking as well. But what they think is none of my concern. I can only concern myself with staying sober in whatever manner works for me...and after trying so many other ways...AA was the only way...Thank You God! Its just another example of why AA works when other treatments fail...because if you don't have this disease...and by the way.why didnt' they interview someone from the AMA....there is no possible way you can understand it..what it is and how to treat it.

5 comments:

molly said...

Ignorance.
People don’t know what they don’t know.
I find these guys totally obnoxious – don’t care if they are talking about alcoholism or crackers or shopping or toothpaste… just not my cup of tea.

Funny thing is about perception though – there are people out there who would LOVE this skit – think it is HILARIOUS and totally agree with them. This is their take – based on no experience (I assume) and no REAL research. None. People can always find SOMEONE to support THEIR side – whatever side that may be. it is almost funny how BAD their 'facts' are :)

Yeah- hits a nerve with me too – evidently. Ah well – to each their own and all that. hehe

Syd said...

It works for so many, if they work it. I agree that it's hard to comprehend how devastating alcoholism is on so many people, not just the alcoholic.

Mary Christine said...

I am so old I remember when comedians actually were funny.

It is hard to watch them trash the things we love, but that is probably why it is funny to people. That is certainly not my idea of humor though and thank God.

An Irish Friend of Bill said...

yep. loads just do not understand.

reminds me of the DO GOOD ANYWAY... verse by Mother Teresa

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered...
forgive them anyway

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives...
be kind anyway

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies...
succeed anyway

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you...
be honest and frank anyway

What you may spend years building, someone may destroy overnight...
build anyway

If you find serenity and happiness, people may be jealous...
be happy anyway

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow...
do good anyway

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough...
give the world the best you have anyway

You see, in the final analysis, it's all between you and God...
it was never between you and them anyway

Pammie said...

ignorance of something that someone is bad mouthing drives me crazy too.