OP - Interesting post. I read somewhere else here about folks like you. Drank a lot with few obvious consequences and financially successful. I know someone in the AA program who is very successful. We attend the same weekly men's meeting. He's a semi-retired lawyer with over 20 years of sobriety. He's a multi millionaire. There are folks who suffer fewer consequences. They stopped in time.
On a semi related note I recall someone commenting that one of the problems he had with AA meetings is that folks who were asked to lead the meetings had crazy drinking stories. He figured that the "crazy" stories with lots of bad consequences were the most popular to listen to so that's what dominated. For me hearing stories of folks who had fewer consequences but still realized it was time to stop drinking is very helpful. Thanks.