AA loves to say “Your best thinking got you here.”

But when I arrived at AA, I was in survival mode with my worst thinking—traumatized, anxious, medicated, and terrified. To call that my “best” is pure doublespeak.

In this episode, I break down why this phrase is manipulative, how it positions members to distrust their own thoughts, and how Bill Wilson’s best thinking (propaganda, PR, Oxford Group ideology) is what actually got me to AA.

We’ll unpack:

• Why “best thinking” is not survival mode.
• How AA reframes your worst mental state as your “best” to enforce obedience.
• The propaganda that made AA seem like the only path.
• What “best thinking” actually means (from a neuroscience perspective).
• Why leaving AA required my true best thinking.

Timestamps:

00:00 Your Best Thinking Got You Here Intro

01:48 My Worst Thinking Got Me To AA

06:49 Survival Thinking vs Best Thinking

09:42 Bill Wilson’s Best Thinking + AA Propaganda

13:12 What My Best Thinking Looks Like

15:02 Invitation to the Deprogram Lounge

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