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steven lightfoot's avatar

This is great. This isn't my area, but I used to read Mate a lot (I think he once had a column in the Globe and Mail) and even read at least one of his books. Maybe around early 2000s time frame. I thought his ideas made sense, and considered myself a fan, however more recently I have been to reconsider his ideas and assertions. I totally agree with your comments in this article. I especially appreciated your question to the panel of years ago about the risk to the moral fabric being torn. And as you say 'harm reduction' is a framing designed to shame anyone opposing its precepts, just like BLM. Harm reduction, as you say, is a seduction into poor thinking.

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steven lightfoot's avatar

A few more thoughts - I personally attended AA ten years ago or so, as I had developed a mild drinking problem and wanted to explore it. After attending for maybe six months, it became clear to me that many of the people attending DID have genuine problems, that drove them to drink, although I don't know if I would call it 'trauma' per se. I my case, I would never say I have suffered any 'trauma' really, my issue was being older, single, and no real responsibility, with too much money and too much free time. And lack of meaning I suppose. Once you resolve that, the drinking stops. As a parent now, and keen observer of our dysfunctional Ontario school system and board, I see that the word and concept of 'trauma' is abused. Life is not fair, difficult and sometimes cruel (its also beautiful). Trauma may be real in some cases, but more often its now an excuse. Time to suck it up, buttercup. And get on with it.

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