Explores the sources of violence within ourselves & the way these are encouraged by orthodox child-rearing practices. Challenging the way in which we rationalize punishment & coercion as being for the child s own good , Miller illuminates the cost in compassion & humanity in later life. She argues that child abuse is still highly regarded in our society as long as it is defined as childrearing, & that parents beat their children in order to escape the emotions stemming from how they were treated by their own parents. Her message is clear: People whose integrity has not been damaged in childhood . . . will feel no need to harm someone else or themselves .