Study: Thread of Punishment Works

[Selena_Kitt]

Study says threat of punishment creates law-abiding citizens...

 

[lesbiaphrodite]

True. It also creates unthinking automatons when taken to extremes.

 

[rgraham666]

Geez. And here we were opposing Communism and Fascism and all the other isms based on rule by force.

How wrong we were.

Personally, having been on the receiving end of punishment simply for being myself I'll disagree strongly with this hypothesis. It may be factually correct, but it's wrong.

 

[lesbiaphrodite]

Yes. You know, Stanley Milgram did some fascinating research into what happens when the "authorities" impose their will on ordinary folks. LINK: http://home.swbell.net/revscat/perilsOfObedience.html

 

[off2bed]

Did anyone read the article? It's talking about freeloaders, not criminals, and has nothing to do with fascism.

 

[tickledkitty]

This is the thread of punishment?

:caning:

Yeah.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

The paper ran an article about school expulsions.

In 2001 the local school district had 138 bomb threats called in by students. Almost none of the kids received any consequences, such as expulsion from school.

When the school board changed the policy to pressing criminal charges and expulsion, the number of bomb threats fell to 3.

 

[Jack_Samuel]

The world is made up of very different people and the law needs to be flexible enough to provide guidance and protection for all of them.

Unfortunately it seems the only thing some people respect is force. And the threat of force is useless without the will to use it

 

[Selena_Kitt]

This is the thread of punishment?

:caning:

Yeah.

I just noticed that typo.

It's talking about freeloaders, not criminals, and has nothing to do with fascism.

What, you can't see the connection that's going to be made between "freeloaders" and "criminals" a mile away?

 

[dr_mabeuse]

That articles wins this month's Duh! award.

 

[Safe_Bet]

The example they used is a guy cutting into the taxi line at Kennedy airport in New York and his "punishment" was he was embarrassed and blushed.

I have a REAL hard time picturing a New Yorker doing anything other that flipping the bird and saying "Yo, stick it in you ass" THEN getting in the first taxi.

 

[R. Richard]

The world is made up of very different people and the law needs to be flexible enough to provide guidance and protection for all of them.

Unfortunately it seems the only thing some people respect is force. And the threat of force is useless without the will to use it

Unfortunately it seems the only thing some people respect is force. And the threat of force is useless without the will AND SKILL to use it.

 

[DesertPirate]

The example they used is a guy cutting into the taxi line at Kennedy airport in New York and his "punishment" was he was embarrassed and blushed.

I have a REAL hard time picturing a New Yorker doing anything other that flipping the bird and saying "Yo, stick it in you ass" THEN getting in the first taxi.

Spent 5 months in NYC in 77, housed at the old Brooklyn Navy Yard.
I've met that guy and his hundred or so cousins.

 

[jomar]

They can threaten all they want, it's the follow through that seals the deal.

 

[Boxlicker101]

Yes. You know, Stanley Milgram did some fascinating research into what happens when the "authorities" impose their will on ordinary folks. LINK: http://home.swbell.net/revscat/perilsOfObedience.html

I read about that Yale experiment a long time ago. The article fails to mention that the "teacher" and the "subject" are isolated from each other, so the "teacher" has no reason to think it isn't some hoax. It also doesn't mention that the "teachers" are unemployed (probably) guys who were tying to pick up a few bucks.

 

[Boxlicker101]

That articles wins this month's Duh! award.

I very much agree, except that it's the threat of punishment that keeps most people honest, not the punishment itself. If people can rob and steal all they want without fear of anything happening if they get caught, that's what they will do. Maybe not everybody, but most people. Certainly I would, or would have when I was younger.

BTW what it "The Thread of Punishment? Could that be something like a hangman's rope?

 

[R. Richard]

BTW what it "The Thread of Punishment? Could that be something like a hangman's rope?

I initially assumed that it referred to a garrote. However, careful reading of the thread led me to believe that it's a misspelling

 

[SEVERUSMAX]

Punishing law-abiding citizens is one thing. Punishing those who deserve more than a slap on the wrist is another, and hardly Communistic or fascistic.

 

[DeeZire]

I read the article, but I saw no mention of nuns with rulers. This is a serious omission that demands punishment - by nuns with rulers.