[Scott Free]

(01-05-2014 01:11 AM)Architekt Wrote:  

(01-04-2014 10:07 PM)Scott Free Wrote:  

the philosophy of rewarding good behavior and punishing bad behavior,

I like the philosophy of not meddling in the business of others at all. It leads to so much unnatural behaviour that people start doubting their own sanity and that of the world around them. Wise, gentle guidance, and actual worldly experience is a much better way to learn how to behave in society than being spoonfed from SWPL approved magazines, TV shows, and Facebook

Certainly, I don't disagree with that at all. In fact much of what you mention makes sense to me. In the philosophy I stated above, though, I do not mean meddling. I mean it in the most simple way.

Whether it's a child (or a chick) throwing a tantrum or some lazy employee not carrying her weight (*rimshot for double entendre*) we can choose to react by "Rewarding good behavior and punishing bad behavior." For example, withholding the child's expected desert after dinner (disengage from showing the chick a good time) or cutting the lazy employee's hours, perhaps even terminating her employment.

We'd think that this would be more common. The problem is, we see all too often how today's society tends to veer away from this more and more. Parents no longer lay a hand on their snotty children because the child might grow up and write a freakin' book about how their life was rough because mommy and daddy beat them, as they've seen happen to authors who successfully got Oprah publicity on TV. And speaking of TV, reality shows that feature mean people getting into fights and causing trouble are rewarded with high ratings and thus glorified. I believe I see this kind of 'Disconnect' more over here in the West than most other countries I've visited. Is this what makes America 'mean?' Quite possibly so. At the very least, I'd like to say it's a factor.

In the end, we're all living organisms and are prone to classical conditioning.

My humble opinion.