The Importance of Role Playing

The most important requirement of learning is incentive. Men marching to drill reluctantly can no more be taught swiftly and efficiently than a jeep can be taught to run on an empty tank. Success itself is a reward to the soldier. It makes him proud. And morale depends on such rewards. Such awards by his officers and approval from his own comrades. In general, reward is much more effective for learning than is punishment. Punishment excites resentment and tends to make the soldier anxious not to comply if he can get away with carelessness or disobedience. No one wants to see our army defeated and the Gestapo policing New York City.