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The main benefit of shaming is to satisfy the savage craving in those witnessing the shaming to feel morally superior to the humiliated party. In that sense, i
by rectang 9y ago
The main benefit of shaming is to satisfy the savage craving in those witnessing the shaming to feel morally superior to the humiliated party.
In that sense, it "works". Other citizens see the shamed party and feel security knowing that there is someone lower than them in the social hierarchy. "It is not enough to win -- others must lose."
When rehabilitation or deterrence is the actual rather than the ostensible goal, more effective methods will be chosen.
- chillingeffect 9y agoI'm glad you pointed this out. One can extend the theory to include the psychology of narcissism, in which the narcissist spreads their shame to others.
- walshemj 9y agoAs Aldous Huxley said. "Alpha children wear grey. They work much harder than we do, because they're so frightfully clever. I'm really awfully glad I'm a Beta, because I don't work so hard. And then we are much better than the Gammas and Deltas. Gammas are stupid. They all wear green, and Delta children wear khaki. Oh no, I don't want to play with Delta children. And Epsilons are still worse. They're too stupid to be able …"