But let's focus here on the costs to the trust and integrity within a society. Psychologists can actually measure trust within a society. Dr. Daniel Goleman, in his great books on emotional intelligence tells us that the technical term for the overall trust level in a society is its social capital.  Social capital is the sum of the goodwill and trust among the members of a society. Social capital takes in ethical values, charitable contributions, volunteerism, and such intangibles as looking out for the welfare of your neighbors, or caring for a sick friend. Interestingly enough, the three countries that have been the most successful economically on the earth (The U.S.A., Germany, and Japan) also have the highest levels of social capital.

   What is the impact of addiction on social capital? To program people, personal honesty takes in a wide range, from what they call "cash register honesty," as opposed to the sort of personal honesty involved in taking all twelve steps. None of us, in our humanity, are capable of total honesty, but a great many people simply are not capable of a level of honesty as rigorous as that required by the twelve steps.

Our only real choice as recovering citizens is whether we will be part of the problem or part of the solution. If you are part of the problem because you are codependnt and enabling an alcoholic, get out there and ask for help...we all need for you to do it, because we are all paying a price for each other's addictions!

Ken P.

Call 1-888-4AL-ANON or check www.al-anonalateen.org

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