What is punishment? Why do we do it? Should we?

[EscortInspector]

All communities have rules that govern everything from how one behaves to how language is used. These rules can be divided into explicit and implicit rules. Explicit rules are codified and written down while implicit rules are unwritten. All members of a given community are expected to abide by both sets of rules, when they break the rules they are punished. Punishments are usually handed out by one with authority but can also be dispensed by other members of the community. Punishment can take many forms but usually involved the loss of status and rights. In the context of an online community the rules are the Terms of Service and Community Rules, the authorities are the Mods and the members of the community are its Users. Punishments in an online community are not that different from any other community, in the sense that modern forms of punishment rarely take the form of physical harm, instead stigmatization, ostracization and the restriction of liberties are preferred for "civilized" communities. Scapegoating is a rather interesting form of punishment; a single, innocent member is subjected to the most severe punishments and banished so that the community as a whole can be "purified".

My question is this: What is punishment? Why do we do it? Should we do it?

Is punishment an act of revenge or an attempt to educate? If it is an attempt to educate then why wait until someone has broken the rules? If punishment is an act of revenge should we punish someone?

[rockonallnite]

All communities have rules that govern everything from how one behaves to how language is used. These rules can be divided into explicit and implicit rules. Explicit rules are codified and written down while implicit rules are unwritten. All members of a given community are expected to abide by both sets of rules, when they break the rules they are punished. Punishments are usually handed out by one with authority but can also be dispensed by other members of the community. Punishment can take many forms but usually involved the loss of status and rights. In the context of an online community the rules are the Terms of Service and Community Rules, the authorities are the Mods and the members of the community are its Users. Punishments in an online community are not that different from any other community, in the sense that modern forms of punishment rarely take the form of physical harm, instead stigmatization, ostracization and the restriction of liberties are preferred for "civilized" communities. Scapegoating is a rather interesting form of punishment; a single, innocent member is subjected to the most severe punishments and banished so that the community as a whole can be "purified".

My question is this: What is punishment? Why do we do it? Should we do it?

Is punishment an act of revenge or an attempt to educate? If it is an attempt to educate then why wait until someone has broken the rules? If punishment is an act of revenge should we punish someone?[/QUOTE]


This is the result of punishment

Psychological scars that will take years to heal.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR5ApYxkU-U

I will answer this post in Depth later 0n.

[WeeJimmy]

mental punishment can be far worse then physical punishment.