Punishment In The Name Of Discipline

by BizMum

A stern old headmaster with his stiffly waxed mustache bellowed,”Spare not the rod. A good old discipline is what they need, what?” “Did you mean to use the rod sir?” piped in the very timid looking and very feminine teacher. “We surely can use discipline but the rod just stands for terror to these children.” This teacher believed strongly in discipline. Punishment only comes as a last resort. Obviously, she did not support punishment in the name of discipline.

What Is Discipline Really?

Discipline Or Punishment

So many years ago this seemingly gentle but persuasive teacher taught me the huge difference between discipline and punishment. That’s because both these words had been used interchangeably for so long it seems the whole school, nay the whole town thought they are both one and the same. No, to punish is to affect pain, embarrassment or some sort of deprivement upon the subject (sometimes victim). Discipline really simply means to get someone or everyone to adhere to a certain code, sometimes called a code of ethics in a certain setting, location, situation or country. It all depends upon the context of the word.

It is the truly righteous and educated that discipline is observed everywhere. You see, in many situations, discipline is simply observing and practicing good form or etiquette. It is simply respecting the other person, and his or her rights. In parliament for example, it would be observing and practicing the set of decorum as imposed. In the military, the observance of rank and duty is perfect discipline. You are well disciplined when you can practice what you’re expected to do to perfection.

To discipline someone or perhaps a whole battalion for example, is to retrain them in a certain set of duties which were perhaps found to be lacking. They are made to do sometimes truly distasteful duties that will remind them of what they must do in the future to avoid such disciplinary actions.

By the way, that timid little teacher became the new headmaster of the school ten years after that moment with that headmaster who was once a military colonel.

Spare The Rod And Spoil The Child

Bah! Humbug! We’ve read or heard about it often enough in Dicken’s “Scrooge.” Punishment is really a bullying way of getting your way instantly. Well, yes, it gives the wielder of that power over you a sense of superiority over you. In the military for example, this has taken on the meaning of extracting pain in the guise of discipline. Too many good soldiers have died or have been seriously injured and have become totally unable to operate safely in society because of such treatment. All this, in the guise of training and discipline.

Look at prisons and in many places of society where punishment has been substituted for discipline without a single thought. As people are treated, so will they treat others. Even with criminals. Then you have students or other groups. What been put into their minds, they will do the same. What has society done in the use of punishment? It’s so often used maliciously and not judiciously.

So, do I advocate sparing all rods from use? If it’s possible to train people to become better at living in plenty with respect to everyone, then what use is that rod? I’m not being philosophical. I believe it is even more difficult at this time to leave punishment behind and focus on discipline. It will be a huge task.

It seems that from so many parts of the world we live in, the elected leaders, the media and even religious ones have habitually advocated punishment as the alleviation of evil ones. But how many evil ones are there? They say there’s a devil. But billions of people are made to suffer needlessly. You see. I still dream of the day I can walk with little ones down the street of any city of any country and feel safe and happy.