Spanking and Violence

The San Francisco Chronicle, Sunday April 29, 2001, ran a feature article, "Second Generation Spanking," wherein the writer reports that a recent survey reported that 68% of U.S. adults parents condoned spanking, and 23 U.S. states still allow corporal punishment in schools. Eleven counties have banned parents and guardians from using corporal punishment on children, but not the U.S.

Although we are politically democratic society, we have not yet adopted widespread democratic principles of guidance in the home and school. Spanking frequently is the last resort of the tyrant who demands obedience, and feels powerless in the face of the child's defiance. The painful lowering of the adults fragile self-esteem, leads to an impulsive act of punishment--giving pain for having caused pain. The discouraged adult does not believe that cooperation can be won with love and logic. A tragic power struggle, and vicious circle of punishment and revenge, can begin in childhood and last a lifetime. The child's hatred of the parent may be concealed, and his desire for revenge may spread beyond the family to other children and helpless animals--or it may lay dormant and find ample opporuntity when he becomes an adult.

Later in life, the desire to hurt other people can be acted out within and outside the law. Many violent contact sports offer profitable opportunities to administer significant physical pain and injury. The heartless layoffs of ruthless corporations, coupled with obscene bonuses for their CEO's, represent massive opportunities to inflict economic and emotional pain on thousands of people in one day. Several power suppliers are raking in outlandish profits, while millions of consumers are suffering economically in California. A recent interview with a Mafia informant on the East coast, quoted a taped conversation with a Mafia boss, suggesting that you could only succeed in that business if you were "willing to hurt people."

Apparently, the link between physically or psychologically abusing a child, and the child's desire for revenge, has not been sufficiently recognized by many parents and educators. More than half a century ago, Alfred Adler warned us about the consequences of parental dominance and punishment. Perhaps we should take a closer look at how parents actually treat children, if we want to find the real roots of violence in our society.

Replies:

Re:Spanking and Violence, by Gerry Reinhart-Waller, 06/25/01

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