First Friday Discussion: Hiding Yourself - Shame and Guilt

This month we will discuss the psychology, sociology, and philosophy around shame and guilt. "Like shame, guilt occurs when we transgress moral, ethical or religious norms and criticize ourselves for it. The difference is that when we feel shame, we view ourselves in a negative light (“I did something terrible!”), whereas when we feel guilt, we view a particular action negatively (“I did something terrible!”). We feel guilty because our actions affected someone else, and we feel responsible."

What to Expect/What to Bring
As usual, we will socialize for an hour before the discussion begins at 8:30. We will wrap up around 10:30 and then share what each group discussed.

Feel free to bring food to share! (Last month, Benjamin shamed those who didn't bring quality food!)

Discussion Questions/Ideas:

• Self-Evaluation and Diminished Self-Worth
• Internalized Standards and Ideals
• Moral Implications of Shame
• Shame as a Social and Political Force
• How do you hide yourself for the benefit of others?

Common Areas of Shame

1. Money and work
2. Family
3. Parenting
4. Motherhood or fatherhood
5. Appearance and body image
6. Mental and physical health
7. Addiction
8. Sex
9. Surviving trauma
10. Being stereotyped/labeled
11. Aging
12. Religion

Links:

https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/dropping-the-mask/

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-scientific-underpinnings-and-impacts-of-shame/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psN1DORYYV0

Also, PLEASE think about these ideas before arriving to make the discussion better for everyone!