I didn't say anything ....   

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-- Edited by Pythonpappy on Wednesday 25th of July 2012 11:09:34 PM

A. !!!

Hi Tanin,


I go with A, C , D,
 
And maybe E, if you include those court ordered and want it and need it.

Might want to include those who are too foggy to know what they need or want, but know they don't want what they have, keep coming back and are willing to get honest and work the steps/program.

 

"""Might want to include those who are too foggy to know what they need or want, but know they don't want what they have, keep coming back and are willing to get honest and work the steps/program."""

LIKE (thumbs up)

I identify with that qualification most. Thanks for giving me my qualification in a neat little package :)

a. who want it, not for people who need it.

b. who need it, not for people who want it.

c. who need and want it.

d. who want it and need it.

e. other

 

a. Is incorrect. Many people who need the program have gotten sober. There isn't much reason to enter AA unless you need it. Also, some folks have come to the program by being coerced, mandated, etc. and have stayed and gotten sober even though they didn't want it initially.

b. Is incorrect. For, essentially, the opposite reasons as shown immediately above.

c. Is most correct. To work the AA program  one has to be an alcoholic. To work it over time requires motivation. The assumption is made that an alcoholic needs treatment to arrest the condition. And, although someone enters AA not wanting it, that state changes, sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly. When it changes, only only if it changes, the AA program will be for this person. A person who satisfies both attributes--needing and wanting.

Also, in 1935 Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob said the program they were starting said that it was for a person "who needs it and wants it."  (see quote below).

d. If the concept in c. is subject to the commutative property of addition, which it is, then d. is the same as c.

e.  can be correct, depending on the creativity and sensitivity of the description. A nice, simple, powerful single-variable definition as rrib offered or the inclusiveness of Neophyte's description which deftly includes an ambiguous and seldom-discussed circumstance/motivation (I think it nailed mine) are winners.

Hey, everyone did a great job. I learned a lot by you all taking this quiz. Thank you.  

 

They came in and began to give me instruction in the program that later became known as Alcoholics Anonymous. There was not much of it at that time.

 

I looked up and there were two great big fellows over six-foot tall, very likable looking. (I knew afterwards that the two who came in were Bill W. and Doctor Bob.) Before very long we began to relate some incidents of our drinking, and pretty soon I realized that both of them knew what they were talking about, because you can see things and smell things when you're drunk that you can't other times. If I had thought they didn't know what they were talking about, I wouldn't have been willing to talk to them at all.

After a while, Bill said, "Well, now, you've been talking a good long time, let me talk a minute or two." So, after hearing some more of my story, he turned around and said to Doc--I don't think he knew I heard him, but I did--he said, "Well, I believe he's worth saving and working on." They said to me, "Do you want to quit drinking? It's none of our business about your drinking. We're not up here trying to take any of your rights or privileges away from you, but we have a program whereby we think we can stay sober. Part of that program is that we take it to someone else who needs it and wants it. Now, if you don't want it, we'll not take up your time, and we'll be going and looking for someone else."

Bill D.'s story in the Big Book, 4th ed.,  pgs. 185 & 186

-- Edited by Tanin on Thursday 26th of July 2012 10:25:42 AM

-- Edited by Tanin on Thursday 26th of July 2012 10:38:06 AM

-- Edited by Tanin on Thursday 26th of July 2012 10:42:53 AM