The Fashion Of Shame

This writer was thinking about shame the other day. She was listening to a podcast with writer Jon Ronson about public shaming. And that got this writer thinking back to last summer and her own summer of shame. Someone tried to publicly shame this writer for an opinion. An opinion based on facts both historical and scientific. And in trying to shame this writer her unknown public profile assassin accused this writer (le gasp!) of shaming others.

Clearly this writer's accusers had never met this writer before. This writer loves shame. This writer grew up doing ballet and full on American dance competitions. This writer has an impervious shame shield. And necessarily to having a shame shield this writer has an amazing bullshit meter.

So, dear reader, let us look into shame. Throughout history shame has been used to keep society in line. For better and worse shame has kept people of all types and persuasions from breaking out of the mould. Feminists throughout history have been shamed. Both men and women who want to try something new or who question the norm are still shamed.

So, dear readers let us women band together to direct our finely tuned shame weaponry at those who deserve it. Those who are destroying the planet and those that would keep us from achieving everything we can. These dear readers are deserving of shame. But, dear reader, those who may be more talented than you. Those that share a different but acceptable opinion from you. Those who are offering facts that contradict the fragile world view you have created. These people are not deserving of shame.

Because dear reader, what we have forgotten when boasting of our foremothers' ability to deflect shame

is that their differences changed the world. It is through differences that we become better. Darwin showed us that stresses are what makes us stronger. They are how we as a people and a culture learn and become the best version of ourselves.

So dear reader let us conclude on this thought: do not take each other down. Use your powers for good and strengthen your shame shield. And we will become the best that we can be.