First

I wonder...
Say you walk into a room, on a table is a beautiful delicious looking cupcake. Nobody is around. What keeps you from eating it? Is it fear of punishment? Someone is going to catch you and punish you for eating it?

I have a healthy fear of punishment, which started me stealing sweets oddly enough. At some point in my young life someone had eaten the icing my mom was planning on using to frost a cake. No child would admit to having eaten it. So my dad lined us up and started swatting us. I was the oldest so I went first. I was outraged! My siblings both got whacked in turn, then it was my turn again. I was shaking with anger and crying, and it was decided that since I had the strongest reaction I must have been the one to do it.  I wasn't allowed to express anger, that was disrespectful. But guess who started snitching icing after that? If I was going to be punished for something I was darn well determined to do that thing before I paid the price.

 I still refrain from eating someone else's cupcake. But it's not because I think my butt will burn if I do. So what's my motivation?