The Importance of Discipline
Discipline is the basis of the whole universe. The sun and the planetary movements around it are all govrned by a set of laws to maintain perfect harmony and beauty. Without this order, there would be utter chaos. Similarly, discipline is one of the basic requirements of a civilized society. Societies which were not governed by discipline and order, fell prey to outside aggressions and degenerated. The strength of a nation lies in discipline. It helps to make progress, fight external invasions and maintain national unity. Citizens of a disciplined nation work with a spirit of cooperation and unity. History tells us that whenever a nation is torn apart by internal strife, its morale drops and opportunist neighbours often take advantage of the situation.
Discipline means a mode of life in accordance with rules. It, however, does not mean negation of personal liberty. Discipline means subjecting oneself to control. In a democratic country with a large population, like India, progress can only be achieved if there is discipline among the citizens. In order to maintain law and order in the country, the Government makes laws. This is to make the citizens disciplined and to maintain harmony in the country. But if people object to a certain law, then they can mobilize public opinion and force the government to withdraw it. But it is possible only if they do not take the law into their own hands. They must act with restraint and organize peaceful agitation, otherwise, there is every possibility of violence and threat of life and property.
The importance of discipline in educational institutions is well-recognised. The temples of learning must have a serene atmosphere to enable the students to learn something. This is possible only if the teachers and student remain disciplined. In fact, knowledge multiplies only when there is a perfect discipline within and without. Unfortunately, we notice that discipline in our schools and colleges has considerably declined. Students are disrespectful to their teachers, they misbehave in the classroom and organize strikes. This alarming trend has been attributed to the fact that there is growing discontentment among the students. Over-crowded classrooms, lacklustre teaching methods, unaccountable academicians and an uncertain future all contribute to indiscipline and discontentment.
Discipline is also the life-breath of the armed forces. Military discipline imposes upon the officers and other ranks a certain code of conduct. The code of conduct demands from the officers and other ranks loyalty to the country, a spirit of fellowship and a readiness to cope with an emergency No army can put up a brave front against the enemy if it lacks discipline.
The importance of discipline in the social and political life of a nation is also very great. The elements of apathy and submissiveness have been the causes of the backwardness of our country. We have made much progress in the field of science and technology, but still, as a people, we have not been able to shake off our backwardness. Indians are known for their warmth and friendliness, yet they are narrow-minded, bigoted and indifferent. Government officials shirk their duty, they are indifferent towards their responsibilities, spend their office hours in the canteen and pay no attention either to the long queues of people waiting outside their counters or the rising pile of unattended urgent files. Thus, the work accumulates. Both the public and the government suffer because of their negligence. It is only when they will impose self-discipline and perform their duty with a dedication that things will improve.
People create chaos in public Wales by their indisciplined behaviour. They show utter lack of order and manners while boarding buses and trains. Outside cinema halls, many promote malpractice’s in the form of black marketing of tickets. Eve-teasing is another example of irresponsible behaviour on the part of our youth. Today, women don’t feel safe in our cities because of the unruly behaviour of hooligans.
In the political sphere also, there is a need for discipline. Personal ambition and jealously are the driving forces for the men in power. This is a source of great agony to the people. The ruling. the party itself is divided by internal politics. It cannot set an example for the nation to follow. This has lowered the image of the ruling party in the eyes of the common man. The government must take immediate steps to improve its image and restore people’s faith in the democracy This can be achieved only if each party member follows a certain code of ethics.
Discipline is important even in domestic life. Parents must raise their children in a congenial atmosphere and teach them the right values. They should set an example for their children by leading orderly and peaceful lives themselves. It is often seen that children from broken homes become very aggressive and indisciplined. They posed danger to the other people around them. Children must grow insecure and happy homes to become responsible adults. Perhaps the best service to the country lies in an effort of parents to bring up their children in a disciplined manner.
Discipline, though difficult, is essential for personal growth as well as national prosperity. The absence of it can lead to failure, defeat and backwardness. In the present society, it is very important to learn to live in harmony with fellow human beings in a spirit of co-operation and mutual co-existence. All this is possible only if every individual follows a personal code of ethics and the one laid by the law for the prosperity of the nation and the progress of the society at large.
