An Extreme Level of Self-Centeredness

Fueled by Alcoholism

Selfishness---self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles. Driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity, we step on the toes of our fellows, and they retaliate. Sometimes they hurt us, seemingly without provocation, but we invariably find that sometime in the past we made decisions based on self which later placed us in a position to be hurt. So, our troubles, we think, are basically of our own making. They arise out of us, and the alcoholic is an extreme example of self-will run riot, though he usually doesn't think so. Above everything, we alcoholics must be rid of this selfishness. We must or it kills us! God makes that possible. Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book, page 62, paragraph 2. 

Wilson describes what we think is the root of our troubles, driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity. Three out of four have self, and then fear as diagnosed on page 68 is rooted in reliance on self. So, we could say…