Quote:
Originally Posted by toretorden
I can only speculate that if my father had smacked me when I was a teenager, I might've smacked back. They didn't give me much to rebel against and I think that smacking would've put fuel on my fire and distanced us further.
|
Hahaha no I didn't mean I got smacked as a teenager, I was just speculating on these claims that smacking young children contributes to an angry personality and maybe my family would have been more harmonious when I got older had I been spared the rod (like the Flanders family in the Simpsons), as this is the angriest period I remember, but that's teenagers for you so probably not!
In principle I agree with everything you've said, it's idealistic and god knows a Utopian planet and a race free of violence and the need to ever use physical force is easy to balk at; but I'm a pessimist and I don't think people will ever evolve past their greed and instincts of self-preservation, and as such will find it very hard to self-lobotomize themselves of aggressive instincts. Belabouring the point a little maybe, but I think that kind of sea change would be necessary for average, time-constrained, nerve-shredded wageslaves to take the time to get over that initial hump when it comes to gaining your child's respect through alternative methods.
All of this is pure conjecture for me anyway being far from a parent, but if it ever transpires I have kids I'm sure like any civilized person I would belate physical punishment for as long as possible - unlike my parent's generation I'll have these 'naughty corner' methods to try out.
Oh and I remember my parents once trying a bit of positive reinforcement, except instead of buying us stuff for being good we got to choose chores out of a jar. I guess the raffle element was meant to enthuse us. Needless to say that didn't last long...
At the end of the day I am still slightly ambiguous about the evidence at hand, of course I would love it if there were no more pathetic specimens who took out their rage on their children, and anybody would stand up against that minority. So why not cut it off at the source? Really why not? Instinct, social norms, habit, convenience... So many excuses.
I'm going to go
courting now and I'll get back to you in a few years and tell you how it all worked out. If tore's parents could pull it off then I'm sure with alot of perseverance, patience and
Music For Airports drowning out the screams I could raise a good kid without having to smack them more than 10 times
. Or maybe it's just a Norwegian thing...