In this divided and partisan society, individual and collective behavior can be narrowed down to two simple but cruel realities. The first is something we’ve all hear once in our lives yet can have many definitions as well as degrees (an “in the eye of the beholder” deal) from individual to individual or culture to culture. This is shame, it can bring people to their knees or the liberator for those who no other weapon against tyranny or displacency (real or metaphorical). For others it seems obsolete and futile to keep in place as a deterrent for individual expression and wonder. In either way it still is the foundation of modern manner and statue for civil law.
Shame as stated in the Funk & Wagnalls New Comprehensive International Dictionary of the English Language is a painful sense of guilt or degradation caused by consciousness of such, unworthy or modest; a restraining sense of pride; that which brings disgrace; a state of ignominy. One fine example of shame lies within our own bodies; let’s say a person is walking down the street naked, not for any reason just because. Then someone walking on that street notices and let’s them know of their disgust finishing off with “have you no shame” or “you ought to be ashamed of yourself” the question now becomes what is shameful (if anything) and where did shame take place? Could it be that the on looking pedestrian bared malice toward the naked person? Another reason could be that the pedestrian sees public nudity as setting a example for children or others or it could just be he finds nudity wrong. This is an example of self shame since the on look found in him shame in another’s individual stance.
Paranoia is another factor, in shame people tend to also feel as though they’re loosing control and have enemies all around them. This leads to many questions like “why me”, “why now”, “what did I do to deserve this” or “what makes you think your so special” many times a person(s) will try to comprehend the going’s on. Sometimes in public he’ll show signs of this uncertainty by looking over his shoulders trying get away when someone’s too close. Paranoia dose not lead to shame but to our next concept that of misery. Also defined in Funk & Wagnalls New Comprehensive International Dictionary of the English Language, misery is an extreme distress, for many it comes with the death of one close or the loss of employment it makes individuals feel unwanted and useless. Paranoia fits in when the constant worries of being brought down can make a person feel failed or unwanted.
In its essence shame and misery will bring a person down only if they believe they are not strong enough to beat it. In cultures like in that of Asia the slightest discrepancy such as blowing of the nose in public or fail in one’s work can lead to shame for whole generations or the community with drastic measures like suicide as your only option. Yet for us who live in our world persistence is our best weapon against defeat (the root of all shame and misery) we must see the glass if not half full at least at half knowing that there’s room for advancement and improvement. We as a people must always remember that falling down is never a crime but staying down is.
