Culture
Why Shame Is A Useful Cultural Motivator
Shame is an emotion no one likes to feel, but it does have some pro-social outcomes when it’s used in a moral way. We feel shame as a result of how we see ourselves and how we envision others see us. In this way, feeling shame is both a private and a public experience that influences our behavior and thoughts about who we are.
By Robyn Riley5 min read
On the surface, shame appears to be a negative emotion, one that makes us feel alienated, flawed, and self-conscious. Our current culture, which is obsessed with the avoidance of any and all negative emotion, tells us there’s no good reason to ever feel shame about yourself (unless, of course, you deviate from that positivity culture) and you should always feel pride in yourself no matter what.