Hi,
I've watched Intervention a couple of times. Its quite popular to show it to people in rehabs (where I first encountered it, heheh), but as I've lived through the nightmare of active alcoholism and drug addiction, and made it out alive, I have no desire to watch it all re enacted on tv. All I can do is take care of myself, and try to live a useful, productive, happy life, and let it spread out to those around me. I cannot learn anything from the tv show Intervention, save what not to do, which I have already learned the hard way. Intervention's bread and butter is the fact that they show alkies and addicts in the throes of active addiction: binge drinking, smoking crack, shooting dope, for the entertainment of the viewer. If the show featured none of those more graphic elements, and focused entirely on alcoholics and addicts actively pursuing recovery, post-intervention, it would be nowhere near as popular.
Pity is a useless and self-serving emotion, in my opinion, compassion, however, is not. Compassion for one's self, which is sparked by understanding, leads to compassion for others. Compassion leads to action.
Be Well,
Joe