Re:The Positive Side of Shame
by tempsy on Tuesday January 28, 2020 @02:24PM
(#22173112)
I think it depends on the mental state of the person being shamed.
People who experience childhood trauma (sexual, physical, emotional, etc.) are particularly at risk for developing a chronic, toxic sense of shame that follows them throughout life.
If you as the shamer shame someone who is in that position, it would only compound their shame and be extremely unhelpful, since it is something they already feel about themselves. Of course, it's difficult to know whether someone feels toxic shame about themselves as the "shamer", which makes it impossible to know if it would be "helpful".
Point is, because it's impossible to know whether the recipient of shame feels "toxic shame" about themselves, I would never purposefully engage in "strategic shaming" as a way to help someone.
People who experience childhood trauma (sexual, physical, emotional, etc.) are particularly at risk for developing a chronic, toxic sense of shame that follows them throughout life.
If you as the shamer shame someone who is in that position, it would only compound their shame and be extremely unhelpful, since it is something they already feel about themselves. Of course, it's difficult to know whether someone feels toxic shame about themselves as the "shamer", which makes it impossible to know if it would be "helpful".
Point is, because it's impossible to know whether the recipient of shame feels "toxic shame" about themselves, I would never purposefully engage in "strategic shaming" as a way to help someone.