What is the difference between Discipline and Punishment?
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What is the difference between Discipline and Punishment?
Discipline is about dictating, monitoring and correcting behavior.
Punishment is about correcting misbehavior.
My 2 cents...
Excellent question, d, and it's a difference all Doms should know!
One good definition of punishment I read on here is that it should be something given reluctantly that neither partner relishes, so it's genuinely given to change unacceptable behaviour. If the sub enjoys it and behaves so she gets it, if the Dom relishes giving it - it's lots of things but that's not actually punishment.
I am currently renegotiating this very concept with my Master as I've realised it's not helpful to me to think of what he does to me as 'punishment' when it's actually a means for me to submit profoundly to him - a behaviour he definitely does not want to punish out of me!
According to Merriam-Webster, discipline is punishment. Big help there! *lol*
Soaul hit the nail on the head. Discipline is training. Punishment is a means employed to facilitate training when other methods have failed to achieve the desired result.
Adding my two cents, discipline is for teaching the behavior you want to see performed, ie holding bottom out correctly for spanks or licking properly one's pussy (I'm a Domme). Punishment is for behavior that is not tolerable, ie pouting or swearing.
Playing is all other times :)
My opinion......
Discipline comes from within. It is you developing control and other things you and your Master seek for you. Discipline feels good and satisfying.
Punishment comes from another when your own self discipline fails. It feels bad, physically and/ or emotionally.
i know they aren't the dictionary defenitions, but it's the way i view the words.
Here is a wonderful article that explains it perfectly.
Here is the link:
http://www.withinreality.com/dispun.html