Shame is valuable and important to maintain healthy societies and individuals. When we refuse to shame bad behaviour, we subject society and people to moral and ethical decay.
Exactly. What's worse about it is it's not just used to justify our own bad decisions. It can be (and has been) used to justify other people's bad decisions to ourselves AND others. Thus, allowing bad decisions to spread.
A courageous and both logically and morally clear essay--very thought-provoking and convincing!
We are living in a time when the courage to stand up and speak the truth is more vital than ever--before it's too late.
I love this insight: "They could just say nothing. Instead, they choose to deflect responsibility away from the players who keep the game alive to the game itself. An inanimate, intangible entity that can’t possibly fix itself. What does that accomplish besides perpetuating a game that shouldn’t be played?"
The funny thing is everyone knows the right thing to do. Not everyone has the courage to call out the game
Right, Janahan! I think sometimes people are afraid to call out bad behavior because they can't quite justify why it's bad.
Especially if there are no written rules against it.
But rules are only written after unwritten disapproval from enough people.
Agree - "Don't hate the player, hate the game" - I feel like it's just used to justify bad decisions.
Exactly. What's worse about it is it's not just used to justify our own bad decisions. It can be (and has been) used to justify other people's bad decisions to ourselves AND others. Thus, allowing bad decisions to spread.
It's kinda like the opposite of striving for perfection. It's like a blanket excuse to not try.
A courageous and both logically and morally clear essay--very thought-provoking and convincing!
We are living in a time when the courage to stand up and speak the truth is more vital than ever--before it's too late.
I love this insight: "They could just say nothing. Instead, they choose to deflect responsibility away from the players who keep the game alive to the game itself. An inanimate, intangible entity that can’t possibly fix itself. What does that accomplish besides perpetuating a game that shouldn’t be played?"
Thanks for your kind words, Chris!
I think sometimes we conflate courage with some grandiose act. But small, indiscriminate, everyday acts add up. So they matter, too.
Totally agree!