Shame again

It’s something I have been deeply fascinated about lately. The culture and its role it plays on shame. Particularly on women and minorities.

The culture reinforces rules to get people to fall in line. It never ceases to amaze me how we all bought in to the security money brings or how we obey traffic signals. I’m not calling for moving away from that. But it is quite amazing how we believe following rules is the moral thing to do. And when we don’t, the culture is quick to process, label, or outcast you.

Following the rules is important in working together. We all benefit when we slow down in a school zone. What interests me, however, is when we create extra rules to insulate ourselves from our pursuits. “I can’t possibly get to my art tonight because I have to do the dishes.” Sometimes these things we think we have to do are just an excuse from doing the things we say we want to do.