With Hillary the most likely next president, how far behind are the stories of Bill's affair with Monica Lewinsky. While Bill has recovered, there was little consideration about what happened Monica, until she gave a moving TED Talk about her public shaming. And if you think it couldn't to you, think again.
For our next meeting we will explore the blood sport of public shaming with TED Talks by Monica Lewinsky and Jon Ronson. Ronson tells a story of the public shaming of an average person who tweeted a joke.
HERE is a video about the Clinton-Lewinsky affair.
ReplyDeleteShaming has a long history. Public humiliation was done via stocks and pillory. Now institutionalized for criminal offenses, i.e. directories of pedophiles, check boxes on job applications if criminal record. Shunning in religious communities.
ReplyDeleteThen there's the attempted public shaming after entrapment by enticing police personnel at places where known selling of sex generally occurs. Those arrested after being enticed and, apparently, lured into saying some magic words may get their names listed in newspapers as a penalty for their "crime." I wouldn't know, but it may be the only penalty that they get. If minors are involved, I can see this kind of police activity. If not, I oppose it.
ReplyDeleteBoth Norm and Ken have good points. There are different circumstances for shaming. Norm points out that public shaming can be intensional policy for punishment for real crimes. Ken points out that such crimes could have been a form of entrapment. Monica Lewinsky was collateral damage of a political scandal. Jon Ronson gave an example of a victim of a Twitter feeding frenzy.
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