The Culture of Shame

In The Culture of Shame Harvard psychiatrist Andrew P. Morrison argues that shame pervades our culture. From its early references in Biblical stories to the works of philosophers such as Nietzsche and Sartre and contemporary novelists Philip Roth and Toni Morrison the experience of shame emerges as a theme of human experience. Yet until recently the psychology profession did not acknowledge the role of shame focusing instead on guilt. Indeed our modern culture which emphasizes independence and personal responsibility tends to view shame as the mark of an inferior or self-absorbing individual. Shame which Dr. Morrison defines as a feeling of intrinsic self-worthlessness is now seen to underlie a range of psychological problems. With clarity and insight Dr. Morrison traces the development of shame from infancy through its more sophisticated forms and explores the roots and expression of shame in our society. Shame gives rise to a wide array of disorders including depression addictions and eating and sexual disorders as well as emotional problems linked to trauma gender race illness old age infertility and gender. In our society shame manifests itself through alienation lack of motivation and feelings of meaninglessness. In The Culture of Shame Dr. Morrison exposes the many masks of shame and examines the way shame paralyzes us individually and culturally. He explains the language of shame and its painful consequences. Through powerful case studies he illuminates the impact of shame on the lives of individuals and how shame can be overcome. Serious comprehensive and authoritative The Culture of Shame is destined to take its place as an important contribution to the literature of human nature.