 The underlying premise of Underearners Anonymous is that underearning is a kind of mental disorder, rather like the alcoholic’s self-destructive compulsion to drink to excess.Indeed, members of UA sometimes refer to themselves as "time drunks", because they have a propensity to fritter away their time in useless activities, rather than pursuing constructive goals.This parallel with alcoholism has led the fellowship to appropriate much of the apparatus of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), including the Twelve Steps, regular meetings to share their "experience, strength, and hope," and sponsorship.