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Definition Essay On Shame

2149 Words9 Pages

Rowyn Bailey
English 11
4/7/2023

Feelings of guilt and shame are often perceived as dreadful and negative, but that isn’t always the case. Overcoming personal guilt has the potential to bring awareness to one’s personal morals, and to express desire to make amends with those impacted. So why is guilt deemed as a bad feeling? Guilt is defined as acknowledgement of one’s wrongdoings, this emotion is defined negatively due to people experiencing feelings of helplessness and consumption of emotional energy from their faults. Those who hold shame for their mistakes are the ones who are impacted more by emotional fatigue and demolished self-esteem. Emotional burdens like guilt and shame don't necessarily have to have a negative impact. These …show more content…

Yiwei Wang, a communication researcher for the Journal of Social Psychology proclaimed “Guilt motivates reparative actions like apology and confession, while shame prompts harm-doers to hide the offense. Guilt is elicited by conducting negatively evaluated behaviors whereas shame arises from negatively evaluated self after making misdeeds.” (pg. 675 / par, 3) The definition of guilt is to be the culprit of wrongdoing, impacting others by one’s actions. Negativity of one’s misdeed is developed through their personal analysis of themself and the mistake made. This is where the possibility of shame arises. As Wang states, Shame is caused by a negative self evaluation from a mistake: and it is this emotion that initiates those feelings of insecurity and regret many people associate with guilt. Guilt doesn’t need to be tied with shame, there are many instances where people are able to accept their mistakes with no hard feelings. In these cases it is easier to admit, acknowledge, and apologize for the mistake made. The ability to apologize has the power to relieve tension between the victor and the victim. This also shows that the culprit has acknowledged the effect of their wrong actions and admitted to their faults. Mistakes amongst people alter our relationships, they can either strengthen or wound them, it all depends on resolution and owning up to one’s fault. “Wrongdoing creates rifts in relationships, straining the bonds we have built. If the community is going to stay together, these rifts need to be repaired. Repair happens when wrongdoers inhabit their fault: feel guilt and give it its natural expression in apology and amends. Thus, insofar as resentment and indignation elicit guilt in wrongdoers, they catalyze the reparative work that is so essential to healing the bonds we

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