The widely popular actress Katharine Hepburn once said, “Without discipline, there is no life at all.” It’s like a child sitting before a coloring book. If the child opens the book to see no lines, he will not have a standard to achieve. How can the child color within the lines when the lines do not exist? In the same way, people live with a code of conduct and ethics. After all, how can a person make his life morally acceptable if morality is not defined? Morality connects all people and gives one a chance to strive for honor and respect.
On the other hand, one might say that rules are made to be broken. The most fun comes when authority is defied. If you are going to dance, dance on the wild side. Ballroom dancing is boring and useless. Integrity can get monotonous when one never has a chance to break free of responsibilities and the hassle of social acceptability.
I, however, happen to stand in the middle of these two sides. I understand and even appreciate the existence of rules and laws, but I also believe that one cannot always follow the standards set by other men. It’s important for one to respectfully decide his own limits and thoughtfully create a code of conduct for himself. Unfortunately, humans are selfish and cannot be trusted to make proper rules for themselves or even to follow their personal guidelines. I guess I am concluding that I believe in laws, and I also believe in bending the rules and breaking them when necessary.
Yours truly,
Lauren Elisabeth
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