Is AA a "We Program"?

 

Is the 12 step program of AA a "We" program?

It's often heard in some AA meetings that AA is a "We" program. As an AA literature enthusiast I find that this is a misleading party line.

First it should be understood by anyone who wants to practice the AA program correctly, as designed and written in the AA book, that meetings are not the AA program. Meetings are the fellowship. The program is the 12 steps. This is plainly stated in "How it Works" read at the beginning of most every AA meeting. In "How it Works" it says "Here are the steps we took which are suggested as a program of recovery". So the 12 steps are the program. Meetings are the fellowship. Two very separate things. The AA book specifically lays out the 12 step practical program of action to give recovery from alcoholism. Nowhere in the book does it say meetings of the fellowship give recovery.

 So, with that in mind let's look at how the AA 12 step program isn't a "we program".

It is simple. The AA 12 steps have to be completed by the alcoholic themselves - nobody can do it for them. People in the AA fellowship cannot do it for them. It does not make sense to call it a "we" program for this simple fact. "We" cannot do the AA program together. For example "we" cannot do a fourth step together. Every alcoholic must individually do their own 4th step inventory. This is true for ALL the steps. They have to be done by the individual. In the 5th step we ask someone to "hear" our 4th step but it is the individual alcoholics 4th step. The other person involved usually just listens and is not doing the step. Same goes for the 9th step amends. The alcoholic who does 9th step amends must do that work themselves. Other people are involved but they receive the amends. They do not do the step.

I can only speculate about how this party line started. My opinion it is that more than likely the majority of people who frequent AA meetings do not take the time to study the AA book. They look at the steps on the wall and make assumptions and make their own conclusions about what they mean. Many of these summaries use the word "We" so people conclude it must be a "We" program.

In reality the steps put on window shades or placards in brick and mortar AA meetings are summaries of the steps. Those summaries do not contain enough information for anyone to complete the steps. Any AA Book enthusiast knows that there are specific instructions in the AA book that, when followed, can give an alcoholic recovery from alcoholism.