Shame
In addition to hopelessness, another primary indicator of an image is a pervasive sense of shame, a feeling of not being worthy or deserving. A specific shame lives in the inner child of all of us, stemming from the time we discovered, with a great shock, that our parents and our world were not perfect. The child has a great need to believe that he
... See moreEva Pierrakos • The Undefended Self: Living the Pathwork
That sharp turn away from blaming others happens once you finally address your shame. Shame is something everyone has, thanks to our shame-ruled, shame-dispensing culture, but some people obviously have it worse than others. I’ve always been massively ashamed and self-hating, and for a long time, even in Ask Polly, I described shame as a thing you ... See more
Talking about friendship with Heather Havrilesky
I grew up in poverty and felt a deep sense of shame about being poor. But I also always knew that I was white, and that it was better to be white.
Robin DiAngelo • White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism
There is a camera hidden in every floral arrangement at the neverending funeral. This is by far my most glaring personality flaw, but it is also the only thing propelling me forward. I am not writing for myself. Everything is embarrassing, everything is pornographic, everything is morbid and will make an excellent story at some point. I will never ... See more
24, With Tears
I loathe the idea that being unkempt, unclean, and unsanitary is something people might find commonality in. I don’t know that we should feel ashamed of it, but I don’t know that I would’ve admitted my bathroom was disgusting before I cleaned it either. Perhaps we lack a healthy amount of shame in the internet age, shame that can be awakened by bei... See more
24, With Tears
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