I would like to think i understand the traditions to some extent...your point on the traditions being bent to suit the will of the group is spot on and very much my experience in the various countries that i have attended AA...not ALL meetings though!
At the very end of any discussion, by someone not working the solution, regarding the way a group should be run, the format and the focus is 'each group should be autonomous'...the perfect statement for that person/s to indugle in contempt before prior investigation.
I don't mean to sound negative and AA most definitely saved my life and i will continue to give back what i received so freely but the realisty of the situation is that recovered alcoholics are very much in the minority at the dozen or so different AA meetings i have attended on a fairly regular basis in the different countries...save, that is, for the odd strong meeting where the recovered boys and girls seem to gravitate to which are run as suggested with extremely strong sobriety...
Beyond traditions i often find myself explaining the various catchphrases that sit in the rooms like "Easy does it" which was meant for the alcoholic to be easy on the family not as an excuse to do sweet f-all work on themselves!
Like i said in the other thread i love the responsibility pledge and do believe that God is running the show, i keep showing up and keep working on myself and people will keep tapping me on the shoulder for help and i'll be able to help them.
Some of you would love the convos i have with my CBT counselor about AA and a possible restructure of the meetings etc to incorprate the social differences now as compared to the earlier days of AA...hes got a point but at the end of the day IMO, right now, its got to be the only desire for memebership is a desire to stop drinking and then the responsibility of the group/recovered ones to make sure that the meetings head in the right direction...sometimes easier said than done when you are outnumbered 20 to 1 though!
Just my thoughts:-)