Sometimes it takes an addict: Evel Knievel
Robert Craig (Evel) Knievel, motorcycle daredevil, dead at 69. The Economist asked why any sane man would continue sailing over cars despite crashing numerous times and breaking dozens of bones. The answer was buried in their story. Before his fame, he stole hubcaps, burgled and embezzled the money of a hockey team he was involved with. He made tens of millions, yet declared bankruptcy. Although married for years to his childhood sweetheart, he bragged of many trysts, gambled prodigally and–crucially–kept the liquor flowing. The last seemingly unimportant fact in the overall scheme of things probably explained everything else about Evel Knievel, from cheater to thief to reckless and overachieving hero to millions. He apparently died sober, having “found Christ” in April 2007, admitting that for 68 years he had refused to convert to Christianity because he didn’t want to give up his “gold and the gambling and the booze and the women.”
Note to family, friends and fans of the above: the benefit of the doubt is given by assuming alcoholism (they are either idiots and fundamentally rotten, or they are alcoholic/other drug addicts–which would explain the misbehaviors). If alcoholic, there is zero chance that behaviors, in the long run, will improve without sobriety. An essential prerequisite to sobriety is the cessation of enabling, allowing pain and crises to build. Thus far, many have done everything they can to protect the addict from the requisite pain, making these news events possible. The cure for alcoholism, consequential bad behaviors and, ultimately, tragedy, is simple: stop protecting the addict from the logical consequences of misbehaviors and proactively intervene.