A couple of thoughts....
1) I have great respect and admiration for your story Captain Prouse. Long may it continue to inspire others.
2) I'm not sure whether it is good form (unless without consent?) to make private conversations public but you have exercised your perrogative....
3) I have no idea what
Yorkshire's reason for participating in the debate is and what his experience is with the "alcoholic condition" but I suspect his exposure to either it or its effects may be intimate. I mentioned my own experience previously.
4) People might think that "alcoholism is self-inflicted" for all kinds of reasons. Attempting to understand what those reasons are doesn't necessarily move the debate any further forward.
5) I'm not sure you have advanced any significant arguments to refute
Yorkshire's ultimate claim? You've characterised the position and told them they're
....welcome to that.
6) If a rational basejumper, cogizant of the risks, keeps jumping off cliffs and eventually paralyses himself, most of his mates will be devastated but it doesn't change the fundamental reality that the injury is self-inflicted.
7) Christian Bale lost 62lbs preparing for the movie "The Machinist" by eating one apple a day and consuming one coffee a day (275 calories) for 4 months - have a look at some pictures of him if you haven't seen the film. It is incredible what transformation making simple (not necessarily easy!) choices every day can effect.
8) The debate is important because none of us benefit if we don't take the appropriate amount of responsibility for the consequences of our own actions.
9) Quotes can be included in your posts using "quote" tags.
