What Happened to the Concept of Shame & Guilt in America?

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   gmwilliamsposted 22 months ago

   
   It used to be that people were fearful of indulging in toxic behavior because they would be shamed by family, other authorities, & associates.  Now, the concept of shaming & being made to feel guilty is now passe.  People even rationalize indulging in wrong &/or toxic behaviors much to the detriment of American society.  Do you agree?  Why?  Why not?

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   1. 93

      Nathanvilleposted 22 months agoin reply to this

      I’d be interested to see what others say.
      
      In the UK we still have some integrity; a classic in recent years is when the UK Health Minister (a married man) was caught on CCTV passionately kissing another woman – And shortly after the CCTV footage was published in the NewsMedia the Health Minister did do the honourable thing, and resign.
      
      https://youtu.be/wh8KscD256c

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   2. 86

      tsmogposted 22 months agoin reply to this

      Shaming and giving cause for one to feel guilty is alive and well today in the US society with its many cultures, IMO. The biggie most are familiar with is ‘Cancel Culture’. It is like a TV show spinoff coming from Political Correctness. Recently, the biggie in the media is George Santos in the political arena. In the celebrity arena recently has been body shaming. It is rampant.
      
      A little ways back were the constant barrage of vaxxer vs. anti-vaxxer both weaponized using shame to cause guilt. If standing in line at the market and someone was too close not respecting a six-foot distance a mere mention by asking them to step back weaponized shame to prompt guilt. I am sure most are familiar with the mask issue too.
      
      Sociology says societal norms fall into four areas, which bear penalties if broken including shame prompting guilt formally or informally. Those four are:
      
      ** Folkways – Norms that stem from and organize casual interactions. These are usually unspoken norms that are learned since a child. An example is a child being silent when adults are speaking. It extends to being silent when an authority is speaking like a police officer.
      
      ** Mores – Norm that structures the difference between right and wrong. Here is the area I personally have a conundrum regarding the OP while agreeing with its sentiment to an extent. Immediately, my mind jumped to the decline of religion while remembering that is historically the foundation of right and wrong.
      
      ** Taboo – Strong negative norm; violating results in ‘extreme’ disgust. An example could be falling down drunk in a social setting. Or, a belligerent male macho husband scolding his wife in a social setting or maybe even slapping the s*** out of her. And, from your other thread a single mom.
      
      ** Law – Norm that is formally inscribed at the city, state, and/or federal level. Need I say more?
      
      Shame and guilt have their place in all four of the above and can be both constructive and instructive. Yet, there is also the consideration for weaponized shame and guilt. That is mostly done by one or an organized structure of some kind seeking to manipulate a target be that a person or a group. An example is a narcissist. In other words, exercising shame, (blame), and guilt can become very toxic in many settings from relationships to governments.

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