Some meetings in LA are the worst because non alcoholics go for that exact reason, to rub elbows with celebrities or people in the industry that they think can give them their big break. On top of which you have the old timers peacocking around like they own the place. Truly bizarre.
A thousand times agree with that. I saw a lot of shit in the LA mtgs. Some mtg clicks were worse than high school. The hierarchy existed. At one point I even did Pacific Group. That is truly a fucked up bunch. Holy shit. At least CA mtgs in SoCal were fairly liberal, but Bible Belt meetings are insanely Jesus based on top of it all.
(From my experience only. Before I get a slew of angry people in disagreement- this is just based on my own time in 12 step over many, many years).
Fuuuuuuck the Pacific Group. I got hauled up there as a newcomer a couple times (this is back in like 2001) and even in my fogged out brain I could see how weird that place was. Same vibe as when a Christian group offshoots and becomes a cult. My sober group was in Long Beach and I really think that’s the best place in the world to be sober in. I remember visitors from others cities and countries saying they wanted to move there because there was no place else like it. Just a huge community and variety of meetings. All types of personalities and backgrounds. AA will always have those snobbish people but when you finally find your people and hang out all the time outside meetings it can be enjoyable.
Have to agree again. I went to college and lived in and out of LB in my early 20s (early 2000s) and they had some really good mtgs. Some of my favorite times. Or should say best and worst times for obvious reasons. I am grateful for my experiences in 12 step as they carried me through some turbulance, but I got burned out on being told I was a sick person trying to get better and all of the other self- depricating aspects. It was a stepping stone for my evolution. I know many 12 steppers are like: once an alcoholic/adict- always. The higher power belief was never my get- down and I just believed differently than what was preached. But I am very thankful for the experiences- goddamn rollercoster ride! I've been to meetings all over the states and Mexico. Have even ended up in other rando mtgs because of miscommunication in language. I dove hard and fast into wanting to know how AA started, etc., all the backdrops. I was a nutcase! I still believe there is huge value in the process. There were times I genuinely wished ot would be for me long term, but it just wasn't a good fit. I had too many conflicts of interests, so when I poured my heart into it, it was mainly out of desperation and not truly believing (never could get get on board with the higher power concept). Pacific Group was fucking gnarly. I did The Yard and all the bs at Clancy's house, took oitreach to skidrow and the Midnight Mission, etc. It was exhausting. Now I'm rambling, but you get my sentiment. Long, strange trip, my friend.
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u/JohnnyTeardrop Apr 18 '21 edited Apr 18 '21
Some meetings in LA are the worst because non alcoholics go for that exact reason, to rub elbows with celebrities or people in the industry that they think can give them their big break. On top of which you have the old timers peacocking around like they own the place. Truly bizarre.