I got smacked and “spanked” (beaten) as a kid and it didn’t do much for my self-esteem. I’m better, thanks for asking but still have very strong feelings on this subject.
Anybody who was “spanked” and thinks it was OK is not remembering clearly the feelings of powerlessness, shock, and despair. If you’re one of those people, I invite you to take some time and really, viscerally remember what it was like to be beaten by a parent: you won’t care to use euphemisms about it anymore, if you truly remember. Some people spend their whole lives and never fully recover from this socially “acceptable” practice.
No matter how you candy-coat it, you’re still hitting another human being. And, you’re definitely not picking on someone your own size either.