Wednesday, August 03, 2011
End-stage Alcoholism
I have a biography of Alan Watts entitled "Zen Effects." Watts died a tragic alcoholic consuming a quart of vodka a day. A quart a day seems to be typical of end stage. In high school I much admired Dylan Thomas' poem "Do not go gentle into that good night/ Rage, rage against the dying of the light" and assumed it was for an aged father. But no, Dylan was drinking TWO quarts a day. The doctors told him if he did not stop he would die but he did not want to stop and died at age 36.Watts had several divorces and back-breaking alimony payments. Watts could only earn money through writing books and doing speaking engagement tours. Watts used the alcohol to cope with the pressure. Watts once referred to himself as "a spiritual entertainer."I also read Watts autobiography, "In My Own Way," which painted a more rosy picture than "Zen Effects."
