Sharlene Tapia

ENG 2 E1

2011-49125

POSITION PAPER
The Shame in Online Shaming

Shaming is not a new phenomenon. In fact, it has been used since Biblical times. It can
be seen from Genesis (Genesis 3:10, He said, I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was
afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.) to Revelation (Revelation 16:15, "Behold, I am
coming like a thief Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not
walk about naked and men will not see his shame."). According to Burgo (2015), Charles
Darwins book The expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals in 1872 which discovered
that expressions of shame is universal. Not only that, but Burgo (2015) also explained that
modern affect theory, by Sylvan Tompkins, which proposes that shame, as one of the nine innate,
genetically predetermined biological component of emotion, appear without experience-based
learning. Burgo (2015) claims that shame is universal and genetically embedded to humans, and
therefore is an inevitable component of human life. Now in the Internet Age, it took a new form:
Online Social Media Shaming.
There is a recent trend in social media shaming in our world today. Although shame is a
universal emotion, shaming or making others feel shameful is a form of repression or social
control which can be good or bad, depending on the cause, duration and extent. Extensive,
extreme and irrational shaming is destructive. Like, the more conventional form of shaming, the
increasing trend in online shaming is caused by humans self-righteous nature and the need to
validate their knowledge, beliefs and values. Shaming is not the problem, but the consequence of
the problem. Therefore, more than focusing on internet shaming, people, especially social

scientists should study and understand humans self-righteous nature and their need to validate
their knowledge, beliefs and values, and how it affects others, and teach humanity about this
understanding, so that institutions, such as the government (on the macro level), and the family
(on the micro level), as well as other institutions, can create an environment where in destructive
social media shaming, or shaming in general cannot propagate.
As I have said, shaming can be a form or repression or social control which can be good
or bad, depending on the cause, duration, and extent. It serves a functionality that can be used as
a negative reinforcement for social control. Shaming can be a tool to right a wrong. It serves as a
break when people go overboard, a reminder to make people stop when its time to stop. But
when the cause, duration, and extent of shaming goes beyond what its supposed to do, it can be
damaging. Social media shaming often goes beyond overboard the intended use of shaming.
With the recent technology, shaming becomes an avenue to exercise peoples self-righteousness
and found solidarity among those with the same knowledge, beliefs and values and condemn
those who go against them. Finding those who are of different opinion become targets to shame.
Those who are targeted often experience depression, insomnia, and other mental health
problems. Jon Ronsons book So Youve Been Publicly Shamed focused on these cases. He
argues online shaming destroys lives, and yet he shames those who shames. He reminds the
shamers, its time to stop. Its time to stop because the cause, duration, and extent of online
shaming goes beyond what is intended to the point where it can already destroy a life. And
people should be aware of that.
Social institutions such as the government should educate the people what can be done to
stop destructive social media shaming. There should be a venue in which citizens can be taught
what can be done in accordance with the law about shaming, defamation, emotional and/or

mental abuse. Family of both the victims and perpetuators of online shaming should conduct
proper corrective measures in which other institutions cannot do.
The root of excessive and extensive social media shaming should be examined further. A
broader understanding of this phenomenon can help ensure a future free of fear from online
shaming. Everyone is responsible in creating an environment where in online shaming cannot
propagate. I just hope everyone is aware of that.

REFERENCE
Alter, C. (2015). Monica Lewinsky TED Talk: I was Patient Zero of Internet Shaming.
Time.Com, N.PAG.
Burgo, J. (2015). How We Use Shame (and Why We Should). Psychology Today.
Retrieved from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/shame/201505/how-we-use-shame-andwhy-we-should
Goldman, L. M. (2015). TRENDING NOW: THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
WEBSITES IN PUBLIC SHAMING PUNISHMENTS. American Criminal Law Review, 52(2),
415-451.