Looks to me like this is what really happens.
The Eight Concrete Steps
1. Admitted we had a problem.
2. Decided to seek support from others.
3. Determined to solve the problem.
4. Made a ruthless self-inventory.
5. Announced our readiness to change. (was 6)
6. Made a list of all persons we had harmed. (was 8)
7. Made amends wherever possible. (was 9)
8. Continued self-assessment process and made immediate corrections wherever change was needed. (was 10)
The rest is just 'helplessness' talk. As already pointed out, it's contradictory to base a reform movement on the premise that reform is impossible. Why do this?
Likely this is just the theology of AA's founders built into the system. But the practical effect is interesting. The helplessness talk has the effect of
hiding the reformer's initiative from the reformer.
What good does that do?
Well, if one motive driving alcoholism is a feeling of helplessness, the camouflage allows one to start tackling the problem in earnest--
before one is persuaded of one's ability to do it.
It gives Dumbo his magic feather. In time, Dumbo will recognize the feather for what it is. But by then he will already be airborne.
For the less buoyant: the talk keeps one ascribing success and failure to outside forces. Dependency on alcohol is replaced by dependency on the group. Group approval and disapproval become powerful forces for behaviour modification even when personal resolve fails.
Elephants unable to fly can still be herded into the cargo hold of a C-130 and hoisted skyward. But this requires herders, and pilots. It's a group project.
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Edited by Archer Opterix, : html.
Edited by Archer Opterix, : brev
Archer
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