Anonymity

 Anonymity:  (You know what?  These definitions suck.  They accurately portray the concept that no name is known or given alright but don't give much weight to the idea that anonymity encourages humility so - fuck it - I'm not going to write anything down.)

More deep thinking on anonymity . . . 

In Bill W's seminal article on our spiritual principle he lists four reasons for our deep respect for anonymity:

1.  "It encourages alcoholics and the families of alcoholics to approach us for help."  While the concept of addiction and alcoholism is more widely accepted today than fifty years ago there is still a lot of stigma attached to it in some quarters where it's seen as a moral feeling or personal weakness.

So we're protecting the individual alcoholic.

2.  "It prevents our founders or leaders, so-called, from becoming household names who might at any time get drunk and give A.A. a black eye."

So we're protecting the Fellowship as a whole.

3.  "Almost every newspaper reporter is impressed when he realizes that here is a group of people who care nothing for personal gain."

So we're making sure that people who report on what's going on in the world have a good opinion of what we're trying to do.

4.  "John Q. Public is even more interested in our way of life.  Weary of pressure selling, spectacular promotion, and shouting public characters he is refreshed by our quietness, modesty, and anonymity.  It may be that he feels a great spiritual power is being generated on this account - that something new has come into his life."

So here is that spiritual principle in the flesh.  We are not calling attention to ourselves and many people find this enchanting.