Here is the translation of the given content into English: "" Dad's heartfelt words for his son

Author: Li Hao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features:
1. Self-restraint and self-control, not breaking the rules for one's own desires, not only blocks one's own retreat but also leaves no room for others. Only those who practice self-restraint and self-control can follow the rules, achieve compliance, act with caution, and avoid being disadvantaged. Son, you might think that self-restraint and self-control too restrict self-expression, creating a self-imposed cage or self-sealing method. However, today people have increasingly more freedom, more opportunities, and more space to express themselves. Precisely in this context, self-restraint and self-control, as a prudent approach to life, become even more important. If we are to define what self-restraint and self-control are, it is to legislate for oneself, and consciously restrain oneself by abiding by the laws one has issued for oneself. This is the essence of this principle. The ancients emphasized "acting with caution in solitude," which actually meant that people were often passively restrained by objective factors and ethical rules. In the absence of others' supervision, they could not consciously adhere to strict rules. What was required was obedience to certain ethical concepts and legal norms not only in public but also in private. In modern society, self-restraint and self-control are obedience to self-legislation, a self-imposed regulation. The degree of obedience to this self-legislation reflects the strength of one's self-control. It is not difficult to see that all who "comply with the rules" are motivated by some rule or regulation. Due to the demands of these rules or regulations, we decide to stop or accept certain facts we are unwilling to accept. However, these rules and regulations can generally be divided into two categories: external and internal. The former is established by others for oneself, while the latter is established by oneself for oneself. The ancients emphasized "compliance with the rules" largely out of obedience to and fear of external rules and regulations. In modern society, true "compliance with the rules" is not like this. It is "restraining oneself" under self-legislation and self-restraint, truly arising from an intrinsic need within oneself. It is not like traditional society, where "compliance with the rules" was a form of self-sacrifice, martyrdom, or so-called loyalty. It is a form of self-realization, beneficial to oneself. For example, the famous American scientist, politician, and writer Franklin established several rules for himself in his youth, including moderation—eating without overindulgence, drinking without intoxication, speaking little, and being frugal, and so on. Clearly, when we have such self-legislation and self-restraint, we can consistently abide by them. P54-55