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Moral Psychology #chat

Joel M
 

Several months ago I read in William Schaberg's "Writing The Big Book" (pg. 139) what Dr Silkworth had meant, and also examined in detail, what moral psychology is. Moral psychology is mentioned only once in our book, pg. xxvii, (forth edition) and I often pondered what Dr Silkworth meant. For amplification?I also read Silkworth's 1937 paper "Reclamation of the Alcoholic"??(2 years before the Big Book was published!). I found the paper dry and too clinical but my imagination was fired!. Had I been one of? New York's' atheists or agnostics members in early AA,?I would have shouted this theory of how to recover from the roof tops! Especially to all who had problems with the spirituality of the program. I think Hank Parkhurst may have, but is there any source of information that points to this speculation?
 

I detect a touch of Moral Psychology in the story "The Keys of the Kingdom" wherein the author's doctor had the wealthy socialite divorcee "performing the most menial labor for his charity patients".[Page 271 4th edition]?

This was the same doctor who "somehow" had heard about the book Alcoholics Anonymous in Chicago and a little about the people responsible for its publication, bought a copy, read it and brought it to her.

As I understand it, moral psychology was based on the premise that the mentally ill or at least some of them were overly preoccupied with their own problems, thoughts and challenges. Part of the treatment was a moral examination of one's self and encouraging them to be less self-centered by service to others.? This is of course one of the premises of AA's program of recovery, way of life and program of action.

Of course the program of recovery is not all Moral Psychology, reliance on a power greater than oneself is deemed essential in the program in the book. (Not judging whether some AA's can stay sober without a Higher Power's help as laid out in the Big Book.)?

Hank P almost immediately getting drunk after the publication of the Big Book did no service to idea of permanent recovery on a non-spiritual basis. Had he managed to stay sober he might have "shouted this theory" himself as AA grew and developed.

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Joel M
 

Read Silkworth's 1937 paper "Reclamation of the Alcoholic"?

This was Doctor Silkworth's view of why he believed Bill's "drunk squad" was working.

I was just wondering if there were early AA's who joined in NYC (and therefore may have been influenced by Silky), could have utilized "Moral Psychology '', This appeals to the scientific mind and is an easier alternative to a "Power Greater than self".? I know that Hank wrote "The Unbeliever" and that most New York members did not want the program to sound or be too religious.

Personally, I find "Moral Psychology" very attractive. I was a hard core atheist but immediately got into helping others in the fall of 1980. I finally went to a Joe and Charlie weekend after 12 years of untreated alcoholism. On the bottom of page 14, I learned that I can treat my spiritual malady and can grow spiritually by "work and self sacrifice for others". Silky labeled AA as an "altruistic moment". It was this helping other drunks and getting out of self? that got me sober.? Eventually, as a result of thoroughly following our path, I found a higher power that I am comfortable with.

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William E. Swegan ("Sgt. Bill") was the major spokesman for the psychological wing of early Alcoholics Anonymous-that group within the newborn A.A. movement of the 1930's, 40's and 50's which stressed the psychotherapeutic side of the twelve step program instead of the spiritual side. This book is Swegan's major work, in which he lays out the psychiatric theories which formed the foundation of that variety of A.A. thought. He also talks about his association with Mrs. Marty Mann, Yev Gardner, E. M. Jellinek at the Yale School of Alcohol Studies, Bill Dotson (A.A. No. 3) and Searcy Whaley, in addition to recording his memories of the year he spent observing Sister Ignatia at work at St. Thomas Hospital in Akron. In 1953 Sgt. Bill teamed up with famous American psychiatrist Louis Jolyon "Jolly" West at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, to develop a method of alcoholism treatment (given further development in the mid 1960s by Dr. Joseph J. Zuska and Dick Jewell at Long Beach Naval Station) called the Lackland-Long Beach Model. It became one of the three basic types of A.A.-oriented alcoholism treatment program, along with the Minnesota Model and Sister Ignatia's more spiritually oriented approach. Sgt. Bill does not just talk psychiatric theories in this book. He uses his own life story to show how traumatic loss, poverty, inadequate selfesteem, envy, self-pity and rage can drive children and youths into isolationism, rebellion, self-sabotage, and ultimately the descent into uncontrollable alcoholism or drug addiction. But in his humanistic understanding of the twelve step program he also shows us how to make use of the healing power of the spirit of Love and Service to our fellow human beings to restore ourselves to new life.
 

JIM BURWELL
THE AGNOSTIC & AUTHOR OF "THE VICIOUS CYCLE"*
*Which first appeared in the second edition of the personal stories and continues to appear in the AA Big Book.
By Ron Long
As a former atheist, when I initially came into Alcoholics Anonymous I reacted to use of the word ¡°God¡± with an attitude of contempt prior to investigation. Thank God I stayed sober long enough to investigate the matter. As a result, I am a recovered atheist in my 19th year of sobriety. I owe a world of gratitude to Jim Burwell, who helped pave the way for alcoholics like me.
Jim Burwell¡¯s influence on Bill Wilson in the writing of the Big Book was described by Wilson himself in Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age. Jim militantly opposed the usage of the word ¡°God¡± in consistent adherence to his agnostic philosophy. A compromise was negotiated between Wilson and Burwell with the literary employment of such terms as ¡°power greater than ourselves."
Jim Burwell expressed in a 1957 recording at Sacramento that his agnostic stance had mellowed out over the years. However, his early militancy was a perhaps spiritual wonder! The compromise between him and Bill Wilson established an enduring principle in Alcoholics Anonymous, that of flexibility and acceptance of differing viewpoints on spiritual matters. That
vital principle paved the way for hope for all suffering alcoholics seeking sobriety and recovery from a seemingly hopeless state of body and mind. One¡¯s religious affiliation, or lack of it; one¡¯s philosophical preferences, or none; one¡¯s theistic, or agnostic, or atheistic, or pantheistic, or virtually any relatively held notion or concept of a power greater than ourselves, could bare no relevance on one¡¯s membership the Fellowship of the Spirit. Thanks to Jim Burwell.
Born on March 25, 1898, Jim Burwell lived in San Diego for a number of years, following his initial association with Bill Wilson, Dr. Bob Smith, Bill Dodson, Henry (¡°Hank¡±) Parkhurst and a few others, who comprised a group of sober drunks that a year later would be known as Alcoholics Anonymous. Following his decline on January 8, 1938, to a hard bottom, Jim got sober on June 15, 1938. Jim and Rosa lived at 4193 Georgia Street in San Diego.
Jim was often in a wheelchair and constantly smoked a pipe. AA rooms were always filled with smoke. He was a small man with red hair and weighed about 130 pounds. Jim and Rosa Burwell were involved in service and were elected to many AA positions many times. When not holding any elected positions, they were volunteers in any area of need. They were very active. Jim and Rosa were known as "Book People.¡± If a line was not in the Big Book or AA Literature, they would not use it.
Following a long illness, he was admitted to the Veterans Administration Medical Center, La Jolla, California. He missed those meetings. However, that did not prevent him from being active. Jim started a new meeting there at the VA! The Torrey Pines Thursday Night Discussion Group of Alcoholics Anonymous still meets at 3350 La Jolla Village Drive, Room 2011. Jim Burwell died in the VA on September 8, 1974. He touched the lives of many. He was apparently a human being, capable of being criticized by some and adored by others. He died sober. That is as close to perfection as we will ever achieve.
 

This is Glenn Chesnut's words describing the book he helped Bill Swegan write to tell his story. I did not get this deep understanding the first time i read the book. I did not see his points until Glenn and I discussed the book and his many hours with Bill Swegan in this enlightening work.? I can see the focus on service in Bill's life from the work and from our personal conversations. He continued to pour himself into helping others after military retirement and was also a pioneer in the Employee Assistance Programs including the Department of the Army. He anonymously wrote much literature which I am blessed that he shared with me for the services. I believe Glenn was the first and only person to use the term Lackland-Long Beach model and I wish we had discussed that. I have found no evidence the short lived lay therapy based treatment in Lackland influenced Long Beach in any way. The main similarity seems that sober A.A. members influenced professionals (Dr. West and Dr. Zuska) to establish treatment centers with the 12 steps as the central point.? ??

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