Friday, April 18, 2008

IF: Primitive "Motivational" Device


I have to laugh as I continue to hear people wonder what has happened to yet another generation of 'lost youth'...While I don't believe in beating children, I do know that the pendulum started swinging to the rough side of town when discipline started to disappear from homes and schools...You used to be motivated to do or not do a lot of things back in the day because you understood that action or inaction could have immediate negative consequences that you didn't look forward to...today we have 'time out'...and prisons busting at the seams, low graduations rates, high drop-out rates,people medicated to no end, unable to fill jobs and importing labor because we don't have people capable of doing the work, and a victim mentality where the system 'understands' if you go out and knock off a liquor store at 3 am or shoot three of your friends...because the notion of negative consequences to actions has been lost...and if you think a timeout is a 'punishment' that works, ask any 16 or 17 year old that gets kicked out of school for a timeout what a punishment it is and how they dread it...

While there are people that take it overboard (and shame on them) you'll never convince me that it doesn't have a strong influence on determining the outcome of individuals and nations.

11 comments:

steve said...

Wow, great post Brian and so very true. I see this all the time and it's truly a downer. I think you summed it up quite well and unfortunately, lots of kids are going to be in for a big surprise when they grow up. The sad thing is, we all pay for it.

Candace Trew Camling said...

just 'cause it's primitive doesn't mean it doesn't work. I don't believe in beating kids, but I don't think it's ok to coddle them either.

Josh (musarter) said...

You made me laugh, and I needed a laugh. The paddle probably should not be used liberally but it still should have a place in our society. Nice post.

Brine Blank said...

I meant for the realistic tag not to apply to the drawing of course but the concept...I had 5 minutes and felt like I needed to stand on a soap box for a minute or two...and not sure how impressive a drawing of a paddle needed to be...it's a hunk of wood for crying out loud...hope everyone has a great weekend!

Roberta said...

The one my parent's had had our names on it!!!

bluerose said...

Amen!! I think it's just as cruel to spoil a child, as it is to abuse one.

Anonymous said...

hmm 8:42 ... business as usual!

Anonymous said...

Ah yes, the paddle was a mainstay of my elementary-school days. That hunk o' wood never neared my hinder, but that doesn't mean I didn't fear it. Great post, you made me laugh. Your sense of humor is awesome.

Kev Levell said...

I'm motivated, I'm motivated!

Great take on the topic.

The godzilla is amazing too!

Thanks for the link, appreciated and reciprocated!

Anonymous said...

we've had this conversation before... haha. you and your primitive ideas...

Eugenia Gina said...

I love this, we use to get this 'rotan stick' back in that day.. I'm glad most of the parents had learned how to use the words 'communication' nowadays :)