As Bill Sees It
Community Problem, p. 180
The answer to the problem of alcoholism seems to be in education--education in schoolrooms, in medical colleges, among clergymen and employers, in families, and in the public at large. From cradle to grave, the drunk and the potential alcoholic will have to be completely surrounded by a true and deep understanding and by a continuous barrage of information.
This means factual education, properly presented. Heretofore, much of this education has attacked the immortality of drinking rather than the illness of alcoholism.
Now who is going to do all this education? Obviously, it is both a community job and a job for specialists. Individually, we A.A.s can help, but A.A. as such cannot, and should not, get directly into this field. Therefore, we must rely on other agencies, on outside friends and their willingness to supply great amounts of money and effort.
Grapevine, March 1958
Community Problem, p. 180
The answer to the problem of alcoholism seems to be in education--education in schoolrooms, in medical colleges, among clergymen and employers, in families, and in the public at large. From cradle to grave, the drunk and the potential alcoholic will have to be completely surrounded by a true and deep understanding and by a continuous barrage of information.
This means factual education, properly presented. Heretofore, much of this education has attacked the immortality of drinking rather than the illness of alcoholism.
Now who is going to do all this education? Obviously, it is both a community job and a job for specialists. Individually, we A.A.s can help, but A.A. as such cannot, and should not, get directly into this field. Therefore, we must rely on other agencies, on outside friends and their willingness to supply great amounts of money and effort.
Grapevine, March 1958
4 comments:
It seems that not much has changed since 1958. If anything alcoholism and addiction have gotten worse. I truly believe in education but am not sure if that is enough in solving the problem. There is a great sickness of spirit in people.
I am with Syd on this too, sadly the spiritual malady seems rife in this world, which is why I work very hard to keep my hand extended in AA and in my day to day life...thank you for this post...
wherever the hand of AA reaches out, I am responsible...
I may be the only Big Book a newcomers hears or sees...
this is what comes to my mind after reading your post this morning!
I'm just so so so glad you're back and all that.
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