Discipline and Restraint
Without discipline and restraint where would this world be? Where would we be?
We all have someone or something we learn from or look up to. We can be told who to like or who to admire, but does it really work like that? No, it doesn’t. We all are given the power to choose from birth. But growing up everyone has two, or in some cases one, person they learn from, their parents. Their parents teach them discipline but restraint, well that’s something they teach themself. Restraint is something you’re in control of, you can chose to control yourself or not to. During a time referred to as the Age of Reason, those were the two main ideas that were practiced with much dedication and heart.
The Age of Reason brought about discipline and restraint. We all learn from different time periods and different time periods had different morals. Each time period leaves a large impact on the outcome of every ones lives.
Many powerful writers appeared during this time. One of the many is Benjamin Franklin, he wrote what he felt or what he was thinking or doing with his life. In his autobiography he spoke of the “thirteen names of virtues.” (131) This was the type of discipline that he tried to follow, and it required restraint on his part to try to follow these virtues.
“1. TEMPERANCE Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.”
“2. SLIENCE Speak not but what may benefit other or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.”
“3. ORDER Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.”
“4. RESOLUTION Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fall what you resolve.”(132) The first four of these virtues seem hard enough that it would take most of a person’s strength just to follow them. Yet these four not only show the need for discipline but the importance of restraint.
“5. FRUGALITY Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e. waste nothing.”
“6. INDUSTRY Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.”
“7. SINCERITY Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.”
“8. JUSTICE Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
“You get your mind off money and eat your breakfast” (Act 1, Sc 1, 28).
True heroes are noted as those who act with altruistic intentions for the sake of others. Unselfish attempts to improve not just one’s self, but also his society, is impeccably portrayed in the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. Initially proposed for his son, William, Benjamin Franklin reminisces his past struggles and accomplishments in influencing this country. With hopes to educate not only his son but the people of America. Benjamin Franklin recalls his wrongdoings and advises other potential citizens of self-improvement, epitomizing his own life from owning a successful newspaper company to being established in the House. Benjamin Franklin is America’s true hero as he provided opportunities of education, virtue, and improvements for American life.
man wants or respects in the commercial world.’2 This previous quote has proven, over time,
Moral perfection. This was Benjamin Franklin’s way of living “..without committing any fault at any time” (Franklin, 63). Benjamin Franklin was very specific about the way he intended to live his life and the person he was aiming to become. Franklin seemed to believe that since he knew right and wrong, there was no reason not to always do right and avoid the other. This might have seemed like a crazy task, even impossible. However, Benjamin Franklin was determined to try to achieve this perfect lifestyle. In previous letters that Benjamin had received for encouragement to right and publish an autobiography, men had described him in many ways that made him worthy. Men used words such as your frugality, diligence, and temperance ( Benjamin
Adams, Gordon. “To thine own self be true”. American University, 2012. Web. 19 May 2014.
The great secret of morals is love; or a going out of our own nature, and an identification of ourselves with the beautiful which exists in thought, action, or person, not our own. A man, to be greatly good, must imagine intensely and comprehensively; he must put himself in the place of another and of many others; the pains and pleasures of his species must become his own.
One cannot help but think about how these principles can be utilized in one’s personal dealings. Loyalty, decency, and lifting up of your fellows are wonderful ideals to strive for in friendships, marriage, and in the rearing of children. It is difficult to think of any place in our lives that these ideals would NOT be applicable.
In October of 1998, the Courant’s survey of the 50 states identified that 142 individuals died in physical restraints or seclusion. Another study was done in four Turkish hospitals from July to September of 2005. The study’s findings were, “Nurses used either wrist, ankle, or whole body restraints at various levels. Those nurses who worked in surgical intensive care units and emergency departments and had in-service training used more physical restraint than did others. Only a third of nurses decided on physical restraint together with physicians and three-fourths tried alternative methods. Nurses reported edema and cyanosis on the wrist and arm regions, pressure ulcers on various regions, and aspiration and breathing difficulties in relation to physical restraint.
Benjamin Franklin’s goal at this point in life is to master all thirteen virtues. He decides to make a discipline sheet showing his progress and what he didn’t do on those days “I might mark, by a little black spot, every fault I found upon examination to have been committed respecting that virtue upon that day.” (Pg. 271, Franklin). He is determined to give a week’s strict
6) Integrity- Do what is right at all times, even when no one is watching.
...importance of virtue here is that, virtues are needed for living well; But in order to obtain
go the extra mile, and to help anyone in need in the process too. Another quote
The definition of punishment is “a penalty inflicted for an offense, fault, etc.”. However, there are many forms of punishment. One type of punishment is “logical consequences, this technique is similar to natural consequences but involves describing to your child what the consequences will be for unacceptable behavior. The consequence is directly linked to the behavior. For example, you tell your child that if he doesn't pick up his toys, then those toys will be removed for a week” (Benaroch), taking away privileges, time outs, and corporal punishment or spanking.
Some people believe spanking a child is child abuse, and that it causes the child to grow up aggressive and violent. This would mean that every child that is spanked during their developmental stages will grow up to be an example of bad behavior. However, there is no actual data or information that can confirm that spanking a child will cause a child to grow up to be violent or too aggressive. Children have been trained to obey rules or a set code of behavior for centuries. It is the best way to mold a child to be a respectable adult, and they can pass on the behavior to their future children. It may not always happen, but its pretty effective.
Franklin’s 13 virtues there are three virtues that really stuck out to me. They would better my