Bad advice is rife at some AA meetings, but generally those are meetings where there isn't much sobriety; that is, those meetings with not many people in attendance with over a year of continuous sobriety. In meetings like that, newly recovering folks tend to reinforce bad ideas.
I keep it simple, myself. I pray, go to meetings, try to do the next right thing over the course of the day, and figure if I don't put drugs or alcohol in my body, then I won't get high or drunk. Yeah, I know. I'm a college graduate, and it took years to figure that one out.
like your post. I used to be an "intellectual" but then I wised up. At 8 years sober, this is the best my life ahs ever been....even with all the troubles it's great.