Why do alcoholics love platitudes?
 

This isn't a super, super-serious post, so please don't go crazy at me!

I've been quitting on and off for too long (mostly off recently, although back on now) and I've encountered people from most of the different support groups. However these groups differ, the one thing that is common to them (it seems to me) is their love of platitudinous repetition.

"We must love ourselves before the super-power can save us from the ourselves that we love..."

"Trying is the bean-can of hopeless endeavour..."

"Today is your slippery springboard into the cold water-tank of experience..."

"Drink is your cloak, throw back your hood and consider the mighty umbrella as an alternative..."

Ok, I made those up so as not to offend (pretty profound though, I think you'll agree) but they illustrate my point.

I can't stand platitudes! They drive me absolutely mental! I think I might even have sobered up with a group rather than on my own if these things weren't tossed back and forth between group-members like hacky-sacks!

Rant over.

:D

Very nice. Thank you for adding to the many platitudes out there already *LOL*


I would think the reasons may be many. I for one feel they may be a soft way of telling someone a hard truth and get their brain working at the same time. Something to think on I guess? My thoughts tend to work a lot in parallels. Where this is this...this also fits and gives a different angle and better understanding.

Then there are times I would rather be told straight forward... Do it and die.
I may not like the way it comes across at first but with time I see the respect someone had for me, as they tell it like it is.
So with that said... I share with you, keep drinking and you just may die from it or at least you will continue with things getting screwed up by alcohol.

Hey ChampionRabbit :)

I have to agree with you, the platiudes drove me nuts at first. The platitudes, like all cliches, can be a substitute for thinking. And what is one of the first platitudes a new member to A.A. is told? "Don't think, your thinking got you here."

On the other hand, I have come to see the platitudes (or at least the best ones) as a kind of shorthand because the best ones are the truth.
Three new platitudes about platitudes (meta-platitudes?) I just discovered while googling platitudes:One Love, One Heart, <---- which is also a reggae platitude ;)
Tony

They can stop thoughts and thinking - I have had many hours, even days, with just platitudes going around my head to sort out severe fear etc.


I love that that one about the passage of time Tony. It is so true.

Reminds me of the fact that I am a different person to who I was when I was 12. I have changed naturally and that is what is happening all the time. Thanks for that mate.

I like this one....
 

If you want to stay sober, DON'T DRINK!!

i like that too. he he. makes sense dont it?!

I think the word you're looking for is 'profundity'. I best saw it described on another forum by a member whose handle was Thales, so with due respect to the original author - I'll cut and paste his view.

Note that he says they can be interesting ideas but they need to be backed up.

My personal favourite re - alcohol issues is that it is a baffling and cunning disease. On the baffling part - I agree but then most diseases either were or still are baffling, in fact those not currently eradicated blatantly have baffled well enough to still effect our lives. It's not so much that I disagree with it, more that I think it's redundant.

On the cunning side - well if you believe 'it' has conscious thought then you could argue it to be cunning, but if you truly believe 'it' is a disease it, then 'it' cannot think and therefore is incapable of the present tense verb 'cunning'. It seems to me more of a repetition of the first comment that people are baffled - yep, but unless we can deny the weight of stuff we don't know about the human brain, illness, health, etc we should mostly expect some degree of baffling. BUT it isn't a blanket statement, after all isn't the speaker of that very statement claiming to have understood something of 'the disease'? i.e. to no longer be quite as baffled?

I was at a meeting the other day and it was thrown out that they are easy to remember. I don't know if you'd call the slogans platitudes, but lots seem to like them, and I find them less than pleasing.

There are a couple good ones though -- progress not perfection, it is what it is.

The easy to remember is important because when someone comes into AA often their cognitive functioning is at a low. Therefore, these catchy phrases serve as reminders or helpful hints that are easy to process, as someone battles the urge to pick up a drink in early sobriety.

Er, no.

The word I was looking for is 'platitude' which is why I used it.

Profundity:
1. Great depth.
2. Depth of intellect, feeling, or meaning.
3. Something profound or abstruse.

Whereas

Platitude:
1. A trite or banal remark or statement, especially one expressed as if it were original or significant. See Synonyms at cliché.
2. Lack of originality; triteness.

Thanks.

That is either the worst or best thing ever!!

:grinattk:

You're correct CR!! Apologies.... It just reminded me of the above quote from another forum. Uhmmmmm.... just goes to show! ;)

Completely with you on this one CR. I hate it i simply hate it. It drives me completely nuts. My blood boils and i want to punch people in the face. I think that might be a slight over-reaction on my part but i dont bloody well care. :D

I also found it really difficult to work out my truth from all these little sayings. Most of them when subjected to critical analyse simply dont stand up for me. Many of them i think are complete tripe. In my humblest of opinions. :lmao

You gave me a chuckle Evanna! That's how I feel about the religious or should I say "spiritual" ones. They drive me crazy and it's not a long trip! :slaphappy

Doorknob

I thought it was me, special and different, who hated them he he he he he

I don't know DK, should you say?:sly:

Little old Andy P., closer to 100 years old than 80 would be my guess, used this profunditude the first time I attended a meeting.

Just don't drink.

We might want to put that one in the 'Keep it simple' file:)
Oops.

yes dan. recovery tip for alcoholisim number 1: dont drink.

lol.

Had to edit cos i went too far as usual. :slaphappy :D

No... You?:sly:

Watch it Spot. :D