re: Just saw Internet pics of Adrian Petersons kid

quote:

---

How is it that, if the world is indeed going to hell in a hand-basket, it is because of changes in the norms of society and not due to the damage those norms have caused? If indeed the world is turning into a gigantic vagina how is it not due to what happened in the past (spanking kids) and always blamed on relatively new ways of doing things (not spanking kids). It is uncanny....

---

I don't think you can blame "the old ways" or "the new ways" broadly, though. If you think the world is going to hell in a hand-basket you should examine why you think so (what are the symptoms) and what has potentially caused it or assisted.

I think human beings have always been selfish by nature. We generally seek our own gratification and comfort over that of others. But instead of "denying self", the past few generations have been taught in increasing amounts to embrace yourself (even your "bad" qualities), and to do what you want; do what feels good.

Specifically where child-raising is concerned, I believe the philosophy of the past 50 years or so has been to encourage the selfish and self-centered tendencies children have already by attempting to boost and inflate their egos and sense of self-importance rather than teach them valuable life-lessons about not always getting their way, self-sacrifice, or just doing what is right even if they don't want to. The issue of spanking is just one facet of this cultural shift towards hedonism.

I believe it is a moral issue that extends beyond spanking. Spanking is an "old fashioned" form of discipline that is neither good nor bad in itself, but must be paired with teaching children morality (right and wrong). Otherwise it is just violence for the sake of violence.