Posted by IsoM on January 14, 2002, at 3:36:00
In reply to Rules, posted by Dinah on January 13, 2002, at 13:03:50
Dinah, I feel just like you do. I hate vague rules meant to be 'understood' but no one really seems to agree on what they are. I like having clear cut rules that are printed out to refer back.
*Proper* rules & principles make life easier. It's the 'no solid rules' that bother me. No matter what you do & how good your intentions are, this sort of situation leaves a person open to being accused of not doing what's expected or right.
> All the recent events have me thinking. Maybe it's just me, but I like rules. I mean there are rules I don't like and I like to complain about those rules, but in general I like having rules. I like knowing what is allowable and what isn't, or even what is expected and what isn't. When the rules are clear cut and consistently enforced, I get a sense of safety. Even as a teenager, I might have argues the merits of certain rules with my parents, but I never really tested them.
> On the other hand, when the rules are "understood" rather than spelled out, or when the enforcement of the rules depends on the circumstances, I always have a really hard time figuring out what's expected of me and that makes me anxious.
> I'm curious as to how other people feel about rules. Do you see rules as constraining or, conversely, do you see them as freeing you to do as you wish within safe and well defined boundaries?
poster:IsoM
thread:16709
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20020112/msgs/16737.html