Discipline
the Wiktionary free dictionary.
Discipline can mean a code of behavior to which a person adheres (as in self-discipline); it can mean an externally enforced system of rules and behavior (as in naval discipline); it can mean the standard of adherence to such a code (as in highly disciplined); it can refer to punishments through which behavior is enforced, or the act of imposing such punishments. But discipline also covers rewarding positive behavior as well. The original English form of the word is in a Middle-English word meaning simply whipping, but that derives from a Latin word meaning "instruction given to a disciple".
The verb to discipline means:
- To train someone by instruction and practice.
- To teach someone to obey authority.
- To punish someone in order to (re)gain control.
- To impose order on someone.
Discipline is the use of rules and punishment to control overt behavior. It is the D in BDSM.
Punishment can be pain caused physically (such as caning), humiliation caused physically (such as an enema) or psychologically (such as public exposure) or loss of freedom caused physically (such as chaining the controlee to the foot of a bed, for snoring).
Punishment is often given in response to some rule being broken. Rules can be applied randomly by dominants as a tool for disorienting a sub, or by a sadist as a pretext to inflict punishment. However, a disciplinarian is one who enjoys gaining control over someone's physical actions and apparent behavior by training them to obey clear and stated rules.
Bondage when used as a punishment is still bondage, but because it is overtly being done in response to a rule being broken, it is also part of the discipline. Punishment does not need to be physical. It can be loss of privileges (such as having an orgasm this month), being ordered to do a task (such as writing lines on a blackboard) on the threat of further punishment if not finished correctly, it can be verbal humiliation, or really any activity that you can inflict on the controlee or get them to inflict on themselves that they don't like.
Of course, one person's punishment is another person's reward. For some of us, twenty lashes is a dread prospect. For others, it's the beginning of a lovely evening.
Many D/s relationships include the pretense of punishment as an item of play in its own right: acts that both partners can pretend constitute punishment, but which in fact constitute reward or mutual play. "You've been a bad girl, I'm going to have to spank you for that"; "Well, since you couldn't hold off coming, you'll have to clean that up with your tongue"; "If you won't stay still, I'm just going to have to tie you up." All of these sounds, on the surface, like punishment, but any kinky person knows better. For many people who are into dominance and submission, but also into keeping things light, this sort of thing can be a major part of erotic play.
In BDSM
In a BDSM context, "discipline" most often refers to the punishments imposed by the dominant on the submissive for breaking a rule, or to the overall regimen of control enforced by a D/S relationship.
In consensual spanking, discipline typically refers to the spanking act, which means spankee and spanker are playing with the ideas of rules and punishment. Typically, the spankee may break a "rule", knowing this will cause the spanker to initiate a spanking session. While discipline can have many contexts, discipline in a family setting is a common one. In a household, punishment and spanking is called domestic discipline.
See Also
See also [ How to run an institution with strict discipline ]
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