Discipline Or The Value of Discipline
Introduction: the word
discipline has a comprehensive meaning. It has come from the Latin word
discipline which means training. It is, in fact, a training of the mind and
character, aimed at producing self-control, obedience, etc. it is obedience to
rules of conduct and laws. It means doing one’s duty at the proper time and in the proper manner. It is self-control too. It is, however, true that a disciplined
man obeys the rules and molds his life according to the law. He is loyal to his
leader and true to his principle. An undisciplined man, on the other hand, is a
slave of his passions and desires. He has no moral freedom.
Importance: From heaven
above to the earth below, discipline reigns supreme. The earth, the moon, and
the planets move around the sun, not by fits and starts, but according to
certain specific rules. Even animals are disciplined under their leader. The
life of the bees in a hive is very disciplined. Coming down to man, the various
organs of his body cooperate with one another and are disciplined for the
maintenance, growth, and development of the whole body. If a savage in the
primitive state of society obeys anything, he obeys the laws of his clan.
Amongst civilized men, all the members of a family obey its head.
Discipline is the secret of success in
every walk of life. An army without discipline is a rabble. A society in which
there is no discipline is plunged into anarchy and confusion. If in the
playground the players do not observe the rules of the game and do not obey the
captain and the umpire, they are sure to lose the game. Even in our daily life, we are to observe certain rules. When we go to a market or to a shop to buy
things or to a railway station to buy a ticket, we have to form a queue to get
what we want. If we don’t do so there will surely be a row, and we won’t get
what we want.
Necessity: Discipline is
necessary in every place and in every sphere of life. It is essential to
schools, colleges, homes, factories, and offices. Schools, colleges, and universities
cannot run smoothly without it. A teacher cannot teach properly if the student
creates disturbance and does not listen to what he says. So students should obey
their teachers, listen to what they teach, and prepare their lessons regularly.
In offices and factories, everybody must abide by his superiors; otherwise, lawlessness will spring up and all sorts of activities will be spoilt.
In the army, every soldier must carry
out the orders of the commander too. Here a moment’s hesitation may mean
defeat and death.
What
is Discipline: Discipline is not slavery. There are men who think that
discipline is a negation of individual liberty and stands for a “life cabined
and confined in an iron cage” which is a distorted notion of discipline. Discipline
does not mean iron rule. It means willing compliance with a code of conduct
prescribed by the superior wisdom of other people for our own good. Such a code
of conduct is necessary for the growth and development of every organization.
The fundamental principle is that the organization lives for the individual and
not vice versa. But unfortunately, discipline is lacking in every sphere of our
life. We are not ready to take orders. We often take the law into our own hands.
This is because we have no faith in ourselves or in our leaders. We often
forget that life without discipline is chaotic. This chaos is threatening us in
every sphere. In politics, in society, in industry, and even in our academic
life disruption has set in. strikes have become a regular feature of our industrial
and academic life.
Conclusion: Discipline is
a precious treasure. Life without discipline is like a ship without a rudder.
But as a discipline is no inborn virtue, it should be enforced early in life.
Home is the best place for teaching this virtue. Discipline at home molds the
character of a child and makes for his future greatness.
