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Published On: Apr 26, 2006 10:02 PM
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Published On: Apr 26, 2006 10:02 PM
Disciplinary Action
Discipline -- that quality that makes us get up
for work when we don't want to go. That thing that makes us eat foods we don't
like because they're healthy. The ideal that tells us there is more to life
than food, fun, and fuckery (my spoilsport spellchecker, as you may have
guessed, does not acknowledge that as a word. It gets so cross with me).
Discipline is, among other things, an elaborate sense of self-guilt that prevents us from only doing those things that we want to do. The opposite of discipline is, in this sense, selfishness -- placing one's own wants above the needs of family, community, and society.
When I was young, I was involved in 4-H at my school. We had to learn the 4-H pledge, which is probably well known to all you country boys and girls:
I pledge my Head to clearer thinking,
My Heart to greater loyalty,
My Hands to larger service,
My Health to better living,
for my club, my community, my country, and my world.
(Notice the complete lack of a problematic "under God" bit)
We hated saying it. It meant nothing to us, the same way the Pledge of Allegiance means next to nothing to 90 percent of American school children. It was just a bland recitation of something we never thought about. There were hand motions that went along with it -- you put your hands on your head, on your heart, held them out, etc. -- and the whole thing done in groups was about as inspiring as the Macarena performed by mimes.
In retrospect, though, the 4-H pledge incorporates many of the values of my heathenry. The different lines (the four H'es) also show four different results of proper discipline. Coincidentally, they also jive pretty well with the other eight virtues. Through discipline, I will keep maintain a head that can think clearly (truth). I will maintain loyalty with my family and friends through discipline, which will prevent me from acting against their best interests (fidelity and honor). I will take actions to serve my community even when I don't want to (perseverance and industriousness with some courage and possibly hospitality thrown in). I will maintain a healthy body so that I can carry these things out (self-reliance and perseverance). Replace "club" with "hall" and it's not a bad heathen oath at all.
Discipline is good for the individual and for the community. Be becoming more disciplined, I gain self-respect and better health. I also gain the respect of those around me, and become a credit to my hall.
Discipline is, among other things, an elaborate sense of self-guilt that prevents us from only doing those things that we want to do. The opposite of discipline is, in this sense, selfishness -- placing one's own wants above the needs of family, community, and society.
When I was young, I was involved in 4-H at my school. We had to learn the 4-H pledge, which is probably well known to all you country boys and girls:
I pledge my Head to clearer thinking,
My Heart to greater loyalty,
My Hands to larger service,
My Health to better living,
for my club, my community, my country, and my world.
(Notice the complete lack of a problematic "under God" bit)
We hated saying it. It meant nothing to us, the same way the Pledge of Allegiance means next to nothing to 90 percent of American school children. It was just a bland recitation of something we never thought about. There were hand motions that went along with it -- you put your hands on your head, on your heart, held them out, etc. -- and the whole thing done in groups was about as inspiring as the Macarena performed by mimes.
In retrospect, though, the 4-H pledge incorporates many of the values of my heathenry. The different lines (the four H'es) also show four different results of proper discipline. Coincidentally, they also jive pretty well with the other eight virtues. Through discipline, I will keep maintain a head that can think clearly (truth). I will maintain loyalty with my family and friends through discipline, which will prevent me from acting against their best interests (fidelity and honor). I will take actions to serve my community even when I don't want to (perseverance and industriousness with some courage and possibly hospitality thrown in). I will maintain a healthy body so that I can carry these things out (self-reliance and perseverance). Replace "club" with "hall" and it's not a bad heathen oath at all.
Discipline is good for the individual and for the community. Be becoming more disciplined, I gain self-respect and better health. I also gain the respect of those around me, and become a credit to my hall.
Posted: Fri - March 26, 2004 at 03:24 PM