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From: janw@inmet.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Re: corporal punishment in schools (
Message-ID: <7800422@inmet.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 1-Sep-85 12:04:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: inmet.7800422
Posted: Sun Sep  1 12:04:00 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 5-Sep-85 00:53:15 EDT
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Nf-From: inmet!janw    Sep  1 12:04:00 1985


>      A spanking is a type of beating which is designed to cause temporary
> pain and humiliation.  
  
Aye, there's the rub: *pain* is temporary, but *humiliation* can last
and even grow. (Compare with the discussion on rape in net.women.)
The way a given child reacts to humiliation is quite unpredictable.
Some hate their parents or educators through adulthood. 
Some later become eager disciplinarians themselves. Others develop
sheeplike obedience, their spirit broken. Many grow up perfectly
all right, as in the quoted example. But humiliation (not just beating)
is simply too dangerous a tool of getting obedience.

>     With these two examples of how to raise children to choose from, I
> know who *I* plan to emulate if I ever have children of my own.
> Jeff Sonntag ihnp4!mhuxt!js2j

Two examples are not much of a base for induction. I've seen per-
fect little monsters who were regularly beaten (and seemed to ask
for it) and well-disciplined kids who never were. The other way,
too, of course.

But I would argue that a teacher, or parent, who is good enough
to be trusted with beating children, is good enough to do without
it.  Can't you *outsmart* a little kid ?

Consider two *massive* examples. One is children playing between
themselves. One (usually an older kid) is the leader, and *obedi-
ence is often perfect*, even though it is not enforced by beat-
ings (oh, fights happen, but that's not their function).  The in-
centive for obedience is *for the game to go on*.  Why can't we
parents do the same? (And don't tell me life is not a game 'cos
it is :-)).

The second example is the whole of Japan. I'm afraid I  have no
first-hand knowledge, but from what I've read the children are
never beaten, and are, by Western standards, unbelievably well-
behaved.

		Jan Wasilewsky