Is Shame Necessary?, Jennifer Jacquet
Is Shame Necessary?, Jennifer Jacquet
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Is Shame Necessary?
New Uses for an Old Tool

Author: Jennifer Jacquet

Narrator: Jennifer Jacquet

Unabridged: 5 hr 18 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 02/17/2015

Synopsis

An urgent, illuminating exploration of the social nature of shame, and of the ways in which it might be used, sparingly and pointedly, to promote political change and social reform.In cultures that champion the individual, guilt is advertised as the cornerstone of conscience. Yet while guilt holds individuals to personal standards, it proves impotent in the face of corrupt corporate policies. In recent years, we have been asked to assuage our guilt about these problems as consumers, by buying organic foods or fair trade products, for example. Yet, unless nearly everyone participates, the impact of individual consumer consciousness is microscopic. Jennifer Jacquet persuasively argues that the solution to the limitations of guilt can be found in shame, retrofitted for the age of democracy and social media. She demonstrates how shaming can function as a nonviolent form of resistance that, in turn, challenges institutions, organizations, and even governments to actuate large-scale change. She argues that when applied in the right way, the right quantity, and at the right time, shame has the capacity to keep us from failing other species in life's fabric and, ultimately, ourselves.

About Jennifer Jacquet

Jennifer Jacquet is an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Studies at New York University. She works at the intersection of conservation and cooperation, focusing on the human dimensions of large-scale social dilemmas, such as overfishing and climate change. She formerly wrote for the Guilty Planet blog at Scientific American.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Robert on July 06, 2017

A thought-provoking book about a topic we seem too ashamed to talk about, at least rationally. Probably the most important part of the book shows the limitations of guilt, which is personal and, therefore, leads us to act as consumers rather than as activists seeking to change the way things are don......more

Goodreads review by Chris on July 09, 2020

Great book, but I'm torn on her argument. As someone who was unfairly publicly shamed in 2019, I'm always trying to learn more about the subject. The author does a great job discussing effective shaming, and the core of the book is about getting big corporations to do the right thing, but when it co......more

Goodreads review by Cal on November 22, 2023

A really important reflection. Often we hear about shame being a hindering individual emotion in those with mental health issues. Whilst this might be true, this book focuses on shame as an important interpersonal emotion to establish societal shame. Exploring the distinction between shame and guilt......more

Goodreads review by Rory on March 10, 2022

Shame is unavoidable, but whether it is ‘necessary’ is less clear. The book includes a lot of interesting material but it does not always press the hard questions. The author distinguishes between a ‘guilt’ which is a private failure with regard to personal standards, and a ‘shame’ which is a public......more

Goodreads review by Paul on October 03, 2020

Following a public boycott of canned tuna, the tuna industry reformed its fishing methods to stop killing dolphins. What are the uses and limits of shaming? That’s what Jennifer Jacquet discusses in this book. Shame is defined as “exposing a transgressor to public disapproval.” It is used to hold pe......more

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