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Aleks Krotoski explores whether technology is changing our experience and relationship with shame.

In this episode of The Digital Human Aleks Krotoski asks if social media is creating a new era of shame. Psychotherapist Aaron Balick explains how shame needs a witness in order to be felt, we need to be able to see our selves through the eyes of another. If we break a social norm we are made to feel shame. Shame is a powerful emotion that can control our behaviour and infiltrate every aspect of our lives, influencing the way we live. Seraphina Ferraro's experience of shame went further, she found herself trapped in an abusive relationship by shame. Even after leaving Seraphina felt too ashamed to speak about what had happened. However, she discovered that the antidote to shame is empathy, others sharing their own experiences of shame has helped her in her recovery. Aleks explores the cost of shaming someone offline and online and the price of that shaming by those who have been shamed. Is technology increasing our ability to shame and how does this online shaming impact lives offline?

Produced by Kate Bissell.

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30 minutes

Last on

Wed 11 Apr 2018 23:30

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Dr Aaron Balick

Dr Aaron Balick
is a psychotherapist based in London and author of β€˜The Psychodynamics of Social Networking: connected up instantaneous culture and the self.’ Β He has written on the psychology of stranger shaming online.

Jennifer Jacquet

Jennifer Jacquet
is Assistant professor at New York University and her book β€˜Is Shame Necessary? New uses for an Old Tool’, was inspired by guilt over what we are doing to the planet but sheds an interesting light on the phenomenon of shame.

Dr Erin Pritchard

Dr Erin Pritchard
is a lecturer in disability and education at Hope University in Liverpool. Β Her current research focuses on surveillance in public places and how this impacts on dwarfism.Β Β 

Sophie Wilkinson

Sophie Wilkinson
was sitting on the tube one day when a man decided to take a photo of her eating. Β Her photo ended up on the Facebook Group β€˜Woman who eat on tubes’ a place online to shame women who eat on subway systems around the world.

Seraphina

Seraphina
Seraphina lives in Philadelphia. Five years ago she experienced how shame can trap you in an emotionally and sexually abusive relationship. She shares her story to highlight the controlling power of shame.

Broadcasts

  • Mon 6 Nov 2017 16:30
  • Wed 11 Apr 2018 23:30

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