Professionals and AA
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Join Date: May 2013
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Eh. Kind of a weird topic. I've never really thought about it. I'm a lawyer, or at least was a lawyer (not currently practicing but still have an active license).
There are tons of other professionals in the meetings I go to. Doctors and lawyers and business executives. Especially the morning meetings before work and the lunchtime meetings.
But I feel more comfortable in the evening meetings with non-professionals (though my home group still has a few lawyers, even though most people are tattooed hipsters in their 20s). No one judges in AA because we are all sick with the same disease.
But I also go to a special closed lawyers' meeting that's off the books. There are also special meetings out there for health care professionals, etc.
There are tons of other professionals in the meetings I go to. Doctors and lawyers and business executives. Especially the morning meetings before work and the lunchtime meetings.
But I feel more comfortable in the evening meetings with non-professionals (though my home group still has a few lawyers, even though most people are tattooed hipsters in their 20s). No one judges in AA because we are all sick with the same disease.
But I also go to a special closed lawyers' meeting that's off the books. There are also special meetings out there for health care professionals, etc.
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Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Earth
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I don't think there is an alcoholic demographic. Go to a wider variety of meetings and you will see people from all walks of life. Sometimes the lawyers will be in flip flops and shorts, sometimes the welders will be in suits. That's the way life works. I'm not a regular attendee, but I went to lots of different meetings way back when I was trying to quit by AA attendance only. You can't judge a book by its cover.
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Mid-Atlantic USA
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Originally Posted by Johnston 
How do you differentiate?
Dress is one give away, but manner of speech, comportment, one's ability to speak in front of others, vocabulary, hairstyle, body language etc. All these things belie one's upbringing, education level and occupation. That's not to say that someone with less education is not capable of speaking and carrying himself or herself well. But in general, all the things I've mentioned above give subtle clues about a person's background, education and occupation.
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Join Date: Jan 2013
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Originally Posted by FeenixxRising
It's not that hard.
Dress is one give away, but manner of speech, comportment, one's ability to speak in front of others, vocabulary, hairstyle, body language etc. All these things belie one's upbringing, education level and occupation. That's not to say that someone with less education is not capable of speaking and carrying himself or herself well. But in general, all the things I've mentioned above give subtle clues about a person's background, education and occupation.
Dress is one give away, but manner of speech, comportment, one's ability to speak in front of others, vocabulary, hairstyle, body language etc. All these things belie one's upbringing, education level and occupation. That's not to say that someone with less education is not capable of speaking and carrying himself or herself well. But in general, all the things I've mentioned above give subtle clues about a person's background, education and occupation.
Perpetual Optimist
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: LA
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Originally Posted by FeenixxRising
It's not that hard. Dress is one give away, but manner of speech, comportment, one's ability to speak in front of others, vocabulary, hairstyle, body language etc. All these things belie one's upbringing, education level and occupation. That's not to say that someone with less education is not capable of speaking and carrying himself or herself well. But in general, all the things I've mentioned above give subtle clues about a person's background, education and occupation.
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Join Date: Jan 2013
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I'm not quite sure why my comments are controversial. I'm simply pointing out that one can tell a lot about a person by the way they dress, speak and carry themselves. It's hardly an outlandish notion. Rude responses certainly weren't necessary.
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Join Date: Sep 2013
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Originally Posted by FeenixxRising
It's not that hard.
Dress is one give away, but manner of speech, comportment, one's ability to speak in front of others, vocabulary, hairstyle, body language etc. All these things belie one's upbringing, education level and occupation. That's not to say that someone with less education is not capable of speaking and carrying himself or herself well. But in general, all the things I've mentioned above give subtle clues about a person's background, education and occupation.
Dress is one give away, but manner of speech, comportment, one's ability to speak in front of others, vocabulary, hairstyle, body language etc. All these things belie one's upbringing, education level and occupation. That's not to say that someone with less education is not capable of speaking and carrying himself or herself well. But in general, all the things I've mentioned above give subtle clues about a person's background, education and occupation.
Perpetual Optimist
Join Date: Sep 2013
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Originally Posted by FeenixxRising
I'm not quite sure why my comments are controversial. I'm simply pointing out that one can tell a lot about a person by the way they dress, speak and carry themselves. It's hardly an outlandish notion. Rude responses certainly weren't necessary.
I very much disagree that a person's hairstyle, demeanor, and/or clothing (unless they're wearing a uniform or scrubs and a stethoscope) even remotely speaks to his or her profession, let alone their background. I think that your statement paints people with an EXTREMELY broad stroke, and I hope that you are able to understand why a statement like that might (even marginally) offend someone.
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I'm sorry Br00ksie, but I don't understand why my comments would offend someone. I'm not making any judgments about anyone. I simply pointed out how behavior, visual and vocal clues can give "general" information about a person. Are you sure you're not taking my words personally for some reason?
We all make reasonable assumptions about other people based on their dress, behavior and the things they say. You mentioned your mother is a lawyer. If I saw and spoke with her at lunch during a workday, it would probably be reasonable to assume by her manner of dress and the way she speaks that she is a working professional with a higher education of some sort. Is concluding that someone is an educated, working professional offensive?
By the same token, if I saw a young guy on a workday in his 20's with a mohawk, facial piercings and jeans, I could reasonablely conclude he wasn't a working lawyer or CPA. Of course, he could easily come from a middle class background and be well educated, but again, based on dress, it would be pretty obvious he wasn't going into a law firm every Monday thru Friday. Again, there's nothing wrong with a mohawk, but it does speak to a person's sensibilities and lifestyle.
It's not one particular thing about a person, like say the hairstyle, that tells the story; rather it's all those things combined: clothing, comportment, vocabulary, manner of speaking etc., that give clues about a persons background and position.
Of course, the information isn't perfect, and there are always exceptions, but usually it's enough to come to reasonable conclusions.
We all make reasonable assumptions about other people based on their dress, behavior and the things they say. You mentioned your mother is a lawyer. If I saw and spoke with her at lunch during a workday, it would probably be reasonable to assume by her manner of dress and the way she speaks that she is a working professional with a higher education of some sort. Is concluding that someone is an educated, working professional offensive?
By the same token, if I saw a young guy on a workday in his 20's with a mohawk, facial piercings and jeans, I could reasonablely conclude he wasn't a working lawyer or CPA. Of course, he could easily come from a middle class background and be well educated, but again, based on dress, it would be pretty obvious he wasn't going into a law firm every Monday thru Friday. Again, there's nothing wrong with a mohawk, but it does speak to a person's sensibilities and lifestyle.
It's not one particular thing about a person, like say the hairstyle, that tells the story; rather it's all those things combined: clothing, comportment, vocabulary, manner of speaking etc., that give clues about a persons background and position.
Of course, the information isn't perfect, and there are always exceptions, but usually it's enough to come to reasonable conclusions.
Perpetual Optimist
Join Date: Sep 2013
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You said "upbringing," and I think that is what initially made me go "hmm," but it wasn't the only thing.
I just see people misjudged all the time based on their appearance. Using your example, truthfully you have no idea what a guy with a Mohawk does for a living or how he was brought up. You can guess, but that guess would be based on prejudice and preconceived notions derived from what kind of family you, in your brain, given your limited exposure to this person and probably Mohawks in general, think people with Mohawks come from.
I also live in one of the most diverse cities in the world, where a doctor with a Mohawk wouldn't be the craziest thing imaginable.
I just see people misjudged all the time based on their appearance. Using your example, truthfully you have no idea what a guy with a Mohawk does for a living or how he was brought up. You can guess, but that guess would be based on prejudice and preconceived notions derived from what kind of family you, in your brain, given your limited exposure to this person and probably Mohawks in general, think people with Mohawks come from.
I also live in one of the most diverse cities in the world, where a doctor with a Mohawk wouldn't be the craziest thing imaginable.
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Originally Posted by FeenixxRising
I'm not quite sure why my comments are controversial. I'm simply pointing out that one can tell a lot about a person by the way they dress, speak and carry themselves. It's hardly an outlandish notion. Rude responses certainly weren't necessary.
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Lol, I was just playing myself. Ain't no thing. We all take quick impressions sometimes that do not always play out accurately. People sometimes make too much outta profession. Being a good happy welder beats being a bad unhappy lawyer any day in my book.
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Originally Posted by caboblanco
just busting your chops feenixxnix. I just don't like to judge people like that. It tends to bite me in the behind if I do
There is a difference between judging and coming to a conclusion.
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Originally Posted by FeenixxRising
Just to be clear; I'm not making "value judgments" about anyone based on their manner of dress, speaking ability etc. Rather, I'm coming to"conclusions" based on various pieces of information.
There is a difference between judging and coming to a conclusion.
There is a difference between judging and coming to a conclusion.
(o:
NoelleR
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