Bill W vs Aunt Jemima

This is a reprint of an article originally published in this blog November, 2004. Enjoy.

Ah yes – the 12 & 12. The “Cliff Notes” to the Big Book – or so I thought.

The 12 X 12 was written as a means of getting the Traditions distributed to the Groups – as a marketing man, I can appreciate a good merchandising strategy when I see one.

After Bill had completed “The Traditions” the groups basically said, “Rules? We doan need no steenkeen rules”.

So it was suggested that Bill write some essays on the 12 Steps. THAT would sell! And they would “attach” the Twelve Traditions to the BACK OF THE BOOK – sort of Piggyback the Traditions – as it were. Pure Genius for the day!.

The strategy worked!

The Traditions – which virtually no- one wanted to buy, was suddenly selling better than Aunt Jemima could sell hotcakes. Everyone was very interested in what Bills experience was on the Steps – and the Traditions got distributed despite the groups. Where I come from that is called “Slick marketing”. Cool eh?

Prior to taking the steps and recovering, the 12 & 12 was worth its face value as a collection of Bill’s insightful, spiritual essays, albeit divinely inspired. After recovering, as with most truly spiritual writings and thought, those essays have come alive because I now can share the in same experience as the author. There are many folks who could probably write essays just as insightful, in my opinion – IF they too have had the spiritual awakening as the result of taking the steps and RECOVERED.

Until I had the spiritual awakening as the result of the steps, Bill’s essays were so far over my head (Although I didn’t think so) that I was never in danger of being embarrassed into realizing that I had no Program. Those 12 & 12 discussion meetings were so watered down by those in the same boat as I, that I could unabashedly say stupid things like “I’m not up to this step yet, BUT“…….. and then proceed to tell everyone all about it for 10 minutes.

What arrogance!

C’mon – we’ve ALL had to sit through crap like that in Open Discussion meetings! (The worst kind) If we could climb out our arrogant overblown heads for a moment – we just might see that this kind of stuff has NO purpose in helping the NEWCOMER (Our Primary Purpose) so forget about, “So what’s the harm – just take what you need and leave the rest”.

You think so eh? Say the WRONG thing and you CAN harm him.

Don’t buy that? Come on into the trenches with ME and those who are doing this deal – listen to the absolute bullshit, heard in meetings, regurgitated like pabulum – that those “Bouncing in and out” are practicing in trying to stay sober.

As good as they are Bill’s perspectives on the steps and Traditions still do not serve the purpose that my Big Book does. My Big Book gives me the clear cut directions on how to take the steps necessary for me to recover.

The book serves me as a review by a man who knew what he was talking about from experience, like a movie or book review.

Who wants to hear discourse about a book, or movies from someone who hasn’t seen or read it? Yet isn’t that what so many AA meetings are like these days?

But these days, having practical experience with practicing the Twelve Steps, the book makes sense to me. It is a great enhancement to my spiritual reading – sort of like Viagra for the recovered soul at times – unless you’ve already had your “Jewels” clipped by the “Just Don’t Drink” crowd. (And ladies, you can have yor’un clipped too, you know?)

But PUHLEEZE! Put the 12 & 12 away until you’ve had a spiritual experience as the result of taking the steps as laid out in the Big Book.

Until then it will be WAY over your head.

Peace,

Danny S

Bill W vs Aunt Jemima

This is a reprint of an article originally published in this blog November, 2004. Enjoy.

Ah yes – the 12 & 12. The “Cliff Notes” to the Big Book – or so I thought.

The 12 X 12 was written as a means of getting the Traditions distributed to the Groups – as a marketing man, I can appreciate a good merchandising strategy when I see one.

After Bill had completed “The Traditions” the groups basically said, “Rules? We doan need no steenkeen rules”.

So it was suggested that Bill write some essays on the 12 Steps. THAT would sell! And they would “attach” the Twelve Traditions to the BACK OF THE BOOK – sort of Piggyback the Traditions – as it were. Pure Genius for the day!.

The strategy worked!

The Traditions – which virtually no- one wanted to buy, was suddenly selling better than Aunt Jemima could sell hotcakes. Everyone was very interested in what Bills experience was on the Steps – and the Traditions got distributed despite the groups. Where I come from that is called “Slick marketing”. Cool eh?

Prior to taking the steps and recovering, the 12 & 12 was worth its face value as a collection of Bill’s insightful, spiritual essays, albeit divinely inspired. After recovering, as with most truly spiritual writings and thought, those essays have come alive because I now can share the in same experience as the author. There are many folks who could probably write essays just as insightful, in my opinion – IF they too have had the spiritual awakening as the result of taking the steps and RECOVERED.

Until I had the spiritual awakening as the result of the steps, Bill’s essays were so far over my head (Although I didn’t think so) that I was never in danger of being embarrassed into realizing that I had no Program. Those 12 & 12 discussion meetings were so watered down by those in the same boat as I, that I could unabashedly say stupid things like “I’m not up to this step yet, BUT“…….. and then proceed to tell everyone all about it for 10 minutes.

What arrogance!

C’mon – we’ve ALL had to sit through crap like that in Open Discussion meetings! (The worst kind) If we could climb out our arrogant overblown heads for a moment – we just might see that this kind of stuff has NO purpose in helping the NEWCOMER (Our Primary Purpose) so forget about, “So what’s the harm – just take what you need and leave the rest”.

You think so eh? Say the WRONG thing and you CAN harm him.

Don’t buy that? Come on into the trenches with ME and those who are doing this deal – listen to the absolute bullshit, heard in meetings, regurgitated like pabulum – that those “Bouncing in and out” are practicing in trying to stay sober.

As good as they are Bill’s perspectives on the steps and Traditions still do not serve the purpose that my Big Book does. My Big Book gives me the clear cut directions on how to take the steps necessary for me to recover.

The book serves me as a review by a man who knew what he was talking about from experience, like a movie or book review.

Who wants to hear discourse about a book, or movies from someone who hasn’t seen or read it? Yet isn’t that what so many AA meetings are like these days?

But these days, having practical experience with practicing the Twelve Steps, the book makes sense to me. It is a great enhancement to my spiritual reading – sort of like Viagra for the recovered soul at times – unless you’ve already had your “Jewels” clipped by the “Just Don’t Drink” crowd. (And ladies, you can have yor’un clipped too, you know?)

But PUHLEEZE! Put the 12 & 12 away until you’ve had a spiritual experience as the result of taking the steps as laid out in the Big Book.

Until then it will be WAY over your head.

Peace,

Danny S

Typical 12 & 12 Open Discussion

Hey do you like those 12 & 12 meetings? We have 12 & 12 meetings here on the Peninsula of Doom too. (Cape Cod)

You go in there and read a chapter aloud – then go around the room sharing.

When it’s your turn to share you say, “I’m not up this step yet – but I think . . . . “ then you proceed to give your opinions about the step that you have no experience with – for ten minutes, at least.

It’s a great boost to the ego if you can launch something really pithy about the step.

Or failing that you can just say, “This is my favorite step. I love this step” and then talk about your shitty day – closing with “But I really love this step and identify with what we read.”

Then when the meeting is over – since you know nothing about Primary Purpose – you race to your car and get home in time for American Idol – while some poor son-of-a-bitch with a crying spouse and maladjusted little kids, who came there looking for help (out of a meeting list) goes home and comes so close to blowing his brains out that he just HAS to get out for just ONE MORE bottle of vodka.

Just ONE MORE.

And you go home thinking “Gee I am so glad I have helped someone tonight” — because some old lady whose mouth could not melt butter came up to you after the closing prayer and said, “You sounded wonderful. I really liked what you shared.” The tingles to you SELF are just do invigorating and you think to yourself,

“What a great meeting, I REALLY GOT what I NEED!” — and the person with the spouse, and the kids with tears in their eyes, and the broken checking account and the crippled spirit and the last bit of hope drained out of him and the lost dreams and shattered life will pass out and miss work in the morning. Again.

That’s a 12 & 12 open disgusting . . . ehr . . . open DISCUSSION meeting here.

Are they the same in where you live?

Peace,

Danny S

Not ALL great books make great meetings.

Twelve and Twelve

Has anyone ever encountered someone “WRITING OUT THE STEPS” as a form of “taking” them? FROM THE 12 & 12?

OY VEY!

Lets see if we can make some sense of this.

The Traditions were authored by Bill W. (and edited by Tom P. Sr.) But the groups were not receptive and it was determined that anything smacked of “rules” would not be a “best seller”

“We doan need no steenkeen rules!

It was suggested, back in the day, (When did “back in the day” come into usage anyway? I missed the memo.) that Bill write something else that WOULD sell and the Twelve Traditions would be “Piggybacked” on that and get distributed – just like the Space Shuttle rides piggy back on rockets to get into space. The essays were the Traditions Rocket. The Twelve Steps had already been adequately communicated in the “Big Book”. – So there was no point (Or ability) in rewriting those.

“To show other alcoholics PRECISELY HOW WE HAVE RECOVERED is the main purpose of this book. For them, we hope these pages will prove so convincing that no further authentication will be necessary.” (Foreword First Edition)

Of course the Fellowship loved Bill and he was a living icon of the Fellowship and the Big Book, so it was decided that people might be buy a book if Bill authored twelve 12 “Essays” on his twenty odd years experience as a recovered alcoholic and working with others on each of the twelve steps — and attach the Traditions TO the back of those essays in order to get the Traditions distributed.

Very sly.

“Marketing!”
“Genius!”
“Thank YOU!”

They sold like hot cakes and the Traditions became widely distributed through the back door, by riding on the back of twelve essays written from the perspective of a man who had taken the twelve steps in the Big book, had a spiritual awakening and consequently recovered from alcoholism.

This is why no one can recover using the Twelve and Twelve. There aren’t any directions in it. Just like I can’t bake an apple pie reading someone’s essay about how he loves pies – how wonderful it is to watch others eating delicious apple pie. It’s simply one man’s observations about the Steps having experienced taking and living them. How he did that is in the Big Book.

Now listen up here, Punchy! If you don’t know how to Twelve Step someone – that means take them through the twelve steps – just tell them, “I don’t know”. OK?

Stick your fat little corpulent ego in your back pocket and sit your fat little ass on it hard so it doesn’t escape. Then you won’t be culpable when your next “Real alcoholic” dies from untreated alcoholism on your watch. Got it? Good!

Thank you.

Peace,

Danny S