Originally Posted by
Ken33xx 
I'm on the fence about the emphasis placed on time in AA. On the one hand I believe sobriety is one day at a time. On the other I think it is important for the newcomer to realize one can achieve long term sobriety.
I really do get that, about people realizing that it is possible, but here you have, as your example, a poster boy with eight years sober time, and then hit or miss for the last sixteen years. There's been articles written elsewhere about the effect of 'blowing' your sober time.
The thought of having to start all over again is a deterrent to drinking for many, but others simply find the revolving door and never recover from that initial feeling of failure. Eight years may have 'wowed' the newcomers once, but sixteen years is a long time to get stuck on loss of stature.