Shame

Interesting piece on Slate.com about the uses of shame in the context of the pandemic, that is in regard to those who break restrictions and the response that should be made to them. To sum it up briefly – so far voices have been very much arranged against shaming people for such actions – but this piece argues the opposite…

Shame is a form of punishment that derives its power from depriving you of your reputation within the society. When people make blanket proclamations that we should not shame others, what they are criticizing, in a very real way, is the ability to make and enforce social norms. Many of those articles that warn against shame, do so partly because COVID-19 is a systemic issue, but that ignores that even in the presence of clear rules and support, it still requires a bit of social cohesion. And as one popular meme points out: Wearing a mask is a lot like wearing pants. The reason many of us don’t stroll through town naked is not because we fear arrest but because we fear shame. It’s worth noting that early research suggests that collectivist cultures—which tend to employ shame more—better contained COVID early on in their outbreaks.

It does seem strange that those who do break restrictions should suffer no ramifications whatsoever – and it does feel – though this is subjective, as if this is a function or product of individualisation of what should be collective responses.