I just read a very interesting article by Ruth Ostrow over at The Australian in which she gives us a social commentary on the use of social media and how the public act of shaming intersects. There are lots of good quotes, including some from Monica Lewinsky. Lewinsky has a TED talk on the issue of shame as well: see here. The author address the argument that public shaming is crucial to social good and I think, at the very least, successfully defeats the social media version of shaming. The question as to a fair trial and guilty before proven innocent (what is it our law system is built on??) is very important if we want to hold dearly some tenets of the Magna Cata.
But I find how shame was spoken of most eluding:
The word derives from European words that mean: to cover, to veil, to hide from feeling exposed. It’s linked to reputation and a desperate need to be publicly loved — hence safe and accepted in the community.
This is why Christians hold so dear the concept of Jesus Christ’s atonement so dear. As in Christ’s atonement we can stand before God, not feeling exposed, but clothed wonderfully glorious, part of a new community now–called ‘the body of Christ’ and ‘the church’.
Here is the link to Ostrow’s article.