Scribd
Upload
182 views

Essay On Discipline

The document discusses the importance of discipline. It states that discipline consists of more than just punishment, but also self-regulation and cultivation of virtue. The undisciplined man is a slave to his passions, while the disciplined man is free and able to make sound judgments. External discipline imposed by authorities, such as punishment in schools, is also important for training individuals to be self-disciplined and for the benefit of society. Discipline is necessary for all achievements, as it allows one to endure hard work and direct it productively. Australia's development required both discipline and hard work.

Uploaded by

apple.scotch.fool3550
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
182 views

Essay On Discipline

The document discusses the importance of discipline. It states that discipline consists of more than just punishment, but also self-regulation and cultivation of virtue. The undisciplined man is a slave to his passions, while the disciplined man is free and able to make sound judgments. External discipline imposed by authorities, such as punishment in schools, is also important for training individuals to be self-disciplined and for the benefit of society. Discipline is necessary for all achievements, as it allows one to endure hard work and direct it productively. Australia's development required both discipline and hard work.

Uploaded by

apple.scotch.fool3550
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

An essay on Discipline Page 1 of 1

10.3 Discipline
by Doctor Mark Cooray

Discipline consists of more than punishment, at the hand of authority, for wrongdoing. It
includes self discipline; the regulation by a man of his own heart and mind, the
cultivation of discernment, virtue and noble tastes and sentiments and the suppression
of unbalanced passions, vice and mean dispositions. Discipline therefore, is a way of
life.

The undisciplined man is a slave to passion, luxury and sloth. He entertains dreams on a
large scale but the reality of his existence is sordid. On the other hand, the disciplined
man is a free man. His judgment is sound because he is trained and experienced in
responsible judgment. His means are independent. His life is free of the debilitating
influence of vice. He is able to discern between that which seems good and that which is
good.

Although discipline does not consist merely of punishment, at the hand of authority, for
wrongdoing, this external discipline is nevertheless very important, as an essential part
in training the individual to be self-disciplined (by means of punishments, rewards and
warnings). This is necessary and proper, both for the sake of the individual and society
at large. This external discipline is necessary, for example, in schools, in order to induce
the recalcitrant student to concentrate on his studies and observe proper behaviour as
well as to protect the other students from a corrupting and disruptive influence.
Punishment may, at times, seem harsh but it is justified by the miscreant's guilt. A failure
by authority to impose discipline leads to the proliferation (under personal licence and
peer pressure) of indiscipline and the influence of bullies. The decay of discipline in our
society is reflected in the increasing numbers of people who resort to violence and crude
behaviour when provoked.

Discipline is necessary for all achievement, especially great achievements. Without


discipline there can be no scientific advances (eg no penicillin), no entrepreneurial,
industrial or technological achievement (eg no mass-produced motor car), no settled
system of law and order, no literary achievement, no exploration and development of a
new land (eg Australia since 1770) and no proclamation of religious truth, because all of
these matters require the careful, vigorous, sustained application of trained and
balanced minds and bodies. Discipline goes hand in hand with hard work. Discipline
makes it possible for a man to endure the rigour of hard work. Discipline directs work,
making it fruitful and excellent. On the other hand, discipline is fruitless without work.
Australia could not have been developed without either of these factors.

« NEXT » « Another View » « Work Ethic » « Australian Achievement » « Australian Topics » « Our Decline »

You might also like