Should and Should Not's

[reeay]

You know when you tell little children not to do something, they more likely will? When children are instructed to do what they are supposed to do, they respond better bc expectations are more explicit.

e.g., Don't run down the hall vs. Walk down this hallway.
Thou shalt not lie vs. Thous shalt tell the truth or Thou shalt be honest

Perhaps bc the cue word 'run' or 'lie' is in the command, for one who is yet learning rules and ways of the world, these cues are likely taken literally. Vague commands such as 'don't run' or 'walk' are also ineffective bc it's not specific enough for younger minds. A younger mind needs more explicit rules bc younger people are still going thru their intellectual & moral developmental process. At some point, a command needs to be coupled with a rationale - walk down this hallway so we may get to where we need to go in a safe, orderly manner. Then at a further point, the person may make own decision on own actions.

If we go thru these developmental stages, so too could our society go thru these stages.