These people are insane
- I’d describe the old school as essentialists, comprising people like Karr, for whom a diagnosis of substance use disorder (addiction) is an essential part of one’s identity—an identity that is self-preservative because, remember what happened last time you drank? Why gamble? Demonizing the thing that almost killed you will keep you away from it.
AA is a fear-driven philosophy: you are doomed if you waver in your resolve for the monster will get you. If the monster has gotten others, it is because their resolve wavered. The control of one's destiny is there for the taking so long as you walk the righteous path. If others fall it is because they lack righteousness.
They blame Anthony Bourdain's suicide on his lack of total abstinence because if they pursue total abstinence, they are immune from suicide.
- AA is a fear-driven philosophy:
Also shame and guilt.
And actually plenty of sober AAs kill themselves. Like decades sober. Answer? They weren't working the steps right.
It's an organization very ill equipped to deal with anything other than alcoholism and they're not so great at that either.