Shaming <TAG1> is an act of public humiliation, condemnation or ridicule of a person for his actions, choices, appearance or beliefs. It could be anything from comments on social media to real-life ridicule.
The goal of shaming — is to cause a person to feel a strong sense of shame, guilt or embarrassment, making them feel inferior.
Public humiliation in ancient times
The concept of shaming is not new. In the Middle Ages, public humiliation was a common method of punishment. People who violated laws or moral standards were put on a pillar of shame, where they became the object of ridicule and throwing rotten vegetables. The goal was not only to punish, but also to make the community feel contempt for the violator in order to prevent such actions in the future.Even in ancient civilizations such as the Roman Empire or China, there were forms of public humiliation used to control society. For example, expulsion or deprivation of civil rights were considered one of the most severe punishments, because they carried with them public condemnation.
The origin of the term «shaming»
The very term «shaming» in the modern context began to be actively used only in the 20th century, especially in academic and psychological circles. The research of the British sociologist had a great influence on its popularization John Braithwaite in the 1980s.
In his book «Crime, Shame and Reintegration» (1989), he introduced the concept of «reintegrative shaming». Braithwaite argued that shaming can be beneficial to society if it is aimed at condemning a bad act, not the person himself. According to his theory, after being shamed, society should «reintegrate a person back, and not push him away forever.
Shaming in the age of the Internet
The real heyday of shaming occurred with the advent of the Internet and social networks. Today, cybershaming (humiliation on the network) — is one of the most common types of bullying.
The Internet allows people to easily and quickly distribute information and photos without feeling directly responsible for their actions. This has led to phenomena such as bodyshaming in comments, slutshamming in public posts, and viral dissemination of personal data, leading to bullying.
The main types of shaming
Body Shaming — it is humiliation or criticism of a person because of his appearance, weight, body shape, height or any other physical features. For example, when someone is called «thick» or «skinny» for the purpose of insulting.
Slut Shaming (Slut Shaming) — is the condemnation of a person (most often a woman) for his sexual behavior, the number of sexual partners, the choice of clothes that are considered «too frank», or in general for sexual looseness.
Bidshaming (Poor Shaming) — is a person's mockery or condemnation because of their low social or financial status, poverty or inability to afford expensive things.
Fatshaming (Fat Shaming) — is a separate type of body shaming that is aimed exclusively at overweight people. Its goal is — to make a person feel guilty about their weight, which often leads to serious health and self-esteem problems.
Summing up
Always remember that your attitude and words carry weight. We all need to be more tolerant and conscious. Every offensive word, every reprehensible comment has serious consequences for the person who receives it.
