November 1974

From AA Today, published in 1960 by The AA Grapevine, Inc.

AThought Froman Old Friend by E. M. Jellinek, Sc.D. Co-founder and director of the Center of Alcohol Studies, Yale University; consultant to the Akoholism Research Foundation o f Alberta, Canada

I N 1939, I was engaged in a critical review of the alcoholism literature. Among my readings were some true gems and an overwhelming number of papers ranging from mediocre to frankly crank productions. One day that year, I found on my AA friends, and I have tried to an- life full of valid moti”ations, rich in desk a book with a yellow and red swer them to the best of my ability, highly relevant principles and ethical dust cover. Its title was Alcoholics and the “best” was often not par- values – a philosophy of life which Anonymous. 5 ticularly good. can be extended beyond the confines With a sigh, I picked it up and One of the frequently recurring of the alcoholic population. This said to myself, “Some more crank questions was and remains: “Is AA feature of AA suffices as a basis for stuff.” But I had hardly read a few going to last, or is it going to vanish a long – a very long -survival. pages when I realized that I had one as the Washingtonian movement If there is a danger in the present of the precious gems before me. did?” and the future, the peril comes from A few months later, I met Bill W., The answer to this question is another aspect. As the alcoholic goes and soon after that, I met Alcoholics that the example of the Washing- through the painful process of Anonymous in person. Since then, I tonians has nothing to do with the achieving humility, he unloads his have achieved a fair attendance rec- prognostication of the life-span of personal grandiosity and pride upon ord in the meetings of the Fellowship. AA. The former had little more to the group. As time goes by, a tre- I became addicted to Alcoholics offer than a pair of pants, some- mendous load of pride and grandi- Anonymous. At a conference of min- times a bed to sleep in, a few dollars, osity could accumulate on the isters where I was giving a talk, the perhaps a job, and a little encour- shoulders of this splendid Fellowchairman said of me, “Half of his agement. It did not provide the ship, and it could lead to feelings of friends are ministers, and the other foundations of a new life for the omniscience and omnipotence. half are alcoholics.” individual with a drinking problem. May God grant you the wisdom to In the course of years, I have Alcoholics Anonymous, on the other steer your ship clear of these danbeen asked many que’stions by my hand, has evolved a philosophy of gerous cliffs.