Many AA members participate in a tacit conspiracy to stereotype alcoholics. And the picture they paint of themselves isn't a pretty one.

In the book Bill W. by Robert Thomsen, (Harper & Rowe, 1975), the author tells the story of how the "Big Book" got its name back in the year 1939 (pages 285-6):

Akron favored "Alcoholics Anonymous," New York "The Way Out." Another burning issue, another impasse, and one that was resolved only when Bill sent a wire to Fitz in Maryland asking him to go to Washington and find out how many "Way Out"s were registered at the Library of Congress. Fitz's reply informed them that there were already twelve books entitled "The Way Out" and, as far as he could discover, no "Alcoholics Anonymous." That did it. No drunk was going to risk being the thirteenth anything. The book had its title, the fellowship had a name.

The key sentence is "No drunk was going to risk being the thirteenth anything." All I can say is: "That's funny. I was an alcoholic for twenty years, and I never had a problem with being the sixth, or the twelveth, or the thirteenth anything. And I can't think of any drinking buddies who were particularly superstitious about the number 13. So why are you writing such garbage about us alcoholics?" I'm not singling out that particular book for any special criticism; that book is just another pro-AA book that follows the standard AA party line about everything. The Big Book Alcoholics Anonymous is far worse when it comes to stereotyping alcoholics.

Notice how the author called those early AA members "drunks," in spite of the fact that none of those people had any alcohol in their bodies, in spite of the fact that they were the successful AA members who had been sober for months or years. AA members often call themselves "drunks" too, even when they aren't drunk. Such self-deprecation is supposed to be part of the "different" AA humor, but it's all part of the tacit wink-and-a-grin conspiracy to stereotype alcoholics. AA members actually gladly and gleefully participate in stereotyping themselves, because it makes them feel different from the "normal people", and special, and also part of a group.

Also, promoting the idea that "we are all alike" allows some people to avoid their own feelings of inferiority relative to others in the group, and also allows them to avoid assuming personal responsibility for their past actions. It allows some people who have been really vicious cruel sickos to feel that nobody else is any better than them. "Us stupid drunks, we are all alike, and just look at what alcohol made us do." Promoting the disease concept of alcoholism, and claiming that alcoholics can't control the disease, is just more of the same talk.

Thus the author Robert Thomsen could tell the story that Alcoholics Anonymous got its name because no drunk would risk being the thirteenth anything, and no AA members objected to such nonsense. They had plenty of opportunities to object: The author states in the forward that he knew and worked beside Bill W. for the last twelve years of his life. Many active AA members, including the AA archivist and General Service Board staff members helped in the creation of the book. But it seems that none of them objected to that line about how Alcoholics Anonymous got its name because of the mental peculiarities or superstitions of those early alcoholic members. Of course not, they liked such stereotyping. Robert Thomsen probably learned it from them.

I have sat in AA meetings, and heard people share the "wisdom" that all alcoholics have short fuses, and are quick to anger, and have little ability to tolerate frustration or pain. I've also heard that all alcoholics are selfish and care about nothing but drinking and getting their own creature comforts. But that doesn't match my own experiences at all. It doesn't match even half of the alcoholics I've known. It does match a rare few, but only a rare few.

But new AA members get indoctrinated with such ideas as soon as they start attending meetings. You just wanted to quit drinking, and now you are being told what all of your standard character defects are? And if you object, and say that you aren't like that, your sponsor or someone is liable to accuse you of being in denial about your true nature. Somehow, I don't think that is helpful. The AA coins say "To thine own self be true", not "Buy stereotypes of yourself."

Last updated 29 May 2001.

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