“ Two wrongs don't make a right, but they make a good excuse. ”
The stupid neither forgive nor forget, the naive forgive and forget, the wise forgive but do not forget.
~ Thomas Szasz
Parents teach children discipline for two different, indeed diametrically opposed, reasons: to render the child submissive to them and to make him independent of them. Only a self-disciplined person can be obedient; and only such a person can be autonomous.
Thousands of years ago--in times we are fond of calling primitive (since this renders us modern without having to exert ourselves further to earn this qualification)...
In the United States today, there is a pervasive tendency to treat children as adults, and adults as children. The options of children are thus steadily expanded, while those of adults are progressively constricted. The result is unruly children and childish adults.
