“Discipline” is a negative word for many people because it is associated with rigorous training, strict rules, and strong-self control. But we fail to realize that freedom comes only through discipline. Discipline compels us to sacrifice immediate rewards and pleasures, but it also gives our lives structure and prevents us from making mistakes. It keeps us from being subject to our impulses and weaknesses and thus frees us to achieve our true goals.
Question: Do people need discipline to achieve freedom?
My essay:
Discipline builds a concrete society where people are all following the rule. However, rules are sometimes implausible and unfair but people are too blind to recognize. In the long run, they become docile servants of the conqueror rather than the democrats they believe they are. Thus, we do not need discipline, or rule to achieve freedom. Socrates and Mark Zuckerberg can be regarded as two epitomes.
Firstly, discipline precludes us from thinking outside the box and making innovations. Those who have refused to toe the line prove to us that they can get success and freedom when they go beyond the boundaries. Centuries ago, Socrates challenged the Athenian authority when he introduced the Elenchus method. In his theory, he believed that people had to actively pose questions to every matters they run into in their lives. Socrates encouraged people to challenge the ideas imposed by the government since it was the only way to make a more thorough and efficient authority. Such belief was undoubtedly deemed as dissident by the government, Warned of imprisonment, Socrates still remained steadfast in his Elenchus. Although he was later sentenced to death, his idea was absorbed by contemporary advocates. Together they improved and promulgated Socrates’s idea to the civilians, gaining support all over the country. The Athenian government thus have to succumb to the so-called insurgents, reshuffling to make a better system. Had it not been or Socrates’s Elenchus and his “insurgence”, we would not have had the archetypal democratic government of classical Greece. As proven by Socrates, discipline is not always necessary to achieve freedom.
Secondly, sticking to the rules not only restricts us from innovative thinking but it also makes us the nonentities in the obedient world. Mark Zuckerberg is another archetype. During his days in college, Mark created a website where people could join and vote for the hottest at school. Gradually, the site grew popular to such an extent that it impeded the Internet speed on campus. Many pupils reproached him for breaking the concrete environment on campus, believing that his site was just a center of the hustle bustle at school. Mark, on the other hand, insisted on freedom of creation and development. Mark decided to drop his university to pursue his dream. Later, he became the CEO of Facebook, the most popular networking site for Internet users all over the globe. Mark did not follow the rule in his university but he did make a success. Had it not been for his “rebelliousness”, we would not have had such Facebook where we can make friends and networking in our daily lives.
In conclusion, people do not need discipline to achieve freedom. Violation is sometimes not a vice but an innovation, as shown by Socrates and Mark Zuckerberg.
In my opinion, my first example is lengthy and unclear at some points. I do not remember many examples so I just find the most familiar ones and draw it to my reasoning. Is it recommended? Please grade my essay. Thank you!