In the past, societal norms regarding discipline and corporal punishment were quite different from today's standards. Parents had the authority to physically discipline their children without much scrutiny, and this extended to other people's children as well. This reflects a time when such actions were accepted and even commonplace, indicating a cultural acceptance of physical punishment as a legitimate method of behavior correction.

David Sedaris, in his book "Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls," highlights this shift in attitudes towards discipline in his exploration of childhood experiences. His commentary invites readers to reflect on how societal values have evolved over time, particularly regarding the treatment of children and the boundaries of acceptable discipline methods.