Group Conscience or Group Politics?Group Conscience or Group Politics?
Alcoholics Alive!
Shank and Wayne talk candidly about whether AA decisions arise from true group conscience or from group politics. With humour and experience, they unpack how information, prayer, compromise and courage to speak up can shape healthier business meetings focused on helping the alcoholic who still suffers.
54:51•16 Jun 2026
Group Conscience or Group Politics? Shank and Wayne Talk AA Business the Honest Way
Episode Overview
- A genuine group conscience grows from informed discussion, patience, and prayer, not just a quick show of hands.
- Members share responsibility to read material, ask questions, and seek guidance before voting on group or service issues.
- Fear of conflict and informal alliances can silence minority views and distort the group’s spiritual decision-making.
- Compromise and being “one among many” often matter more than being right, especially when traditions and formats are at stake.
- All decisions should be checked against a simple question: does this help the still-suffering alcoholic and our common welfare?
“A 10 to 11 vote is not a group conscience. That’s somebody getting ready to start a new group.”
What can we learn from those who have battled addiction? On Alcoholics Alive!, recovered AA members Shank and Wayne get stuck into a hot topic: is it **group conscience** or just **group politics**? You’ll hear them start with Tradition One – “Our common welfare should come first. Personal recovery depends upon AA unity” – and then question what that actually looks like in real life.
Is AA really unified right now, or have personalities and politics started to drown out “a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience”? They break down what makes a solid group conscience: people being informed, patient, prayerful, and willing to compromise.
Shank admits that early on he often just “voted with the old-timer,” while Wayne points out that “a 10 to 11 vote is not a group conscience – that’s somebody getting ready to start a new group.” It’s an honest look at how fear of conflict, informal alliances, and loud voices can turn a spiritual process into a popularity contest. The tone stays light and funny, even when they’re frustrated.
The regular “Meeting Shrapnel” segment tackles phrases like “The group conscience has spoken,” “That’s not how we do it here, boy,” and “Trust the process.” They weigh up when these lines might point to genuine trust in God, and when they’re just a handy way to shut people down. Anyone involved in AA service, or just trying to be “one among many” in their home group, will recognise the tensions they describe.
The episode keeps circling back to one simple question: are decisions really about what helps the still-suffering alcoholic, or about who wins the argument? It’s a good one to spark reflection at your next business meeting – how healthy is your group conscience, really?
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