The Importance Of Cyber Shaming In Hester Prynne's Shame Nation

“Unlike guilt, which is the feeling of doing something wrong, shame is the feeling of being something wrong” (Marilyn Sorensen). In the novel, Shame Nation, the author Sue Scheff, deciphers how cyber shaming has developed into a global epidemic. Reading the novel requires the reader to understand the civility and responsibility that is need when posting online. Also, the utilization of many incidents allows the reader to understand that public and online shaming can be the cause of many life’s ending up destroyed. Public humiliation is the dishonoring showcase of a person, usually an offender, in a public place. These people who have publicly insulted and mentally abused those who are convicted are ensuing what is called narcissism. By ostracizing

In the novel, The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne faces a perpetuating struggle with sin, guilt, and pride. However, when the knowledge of Hester’s sin reaches the people’s attention she is immediately ostracized as a “mistress” and “hussy.” Due to this, Hester physically labels herself with a scarlet letter “A” as a symbol of the sin she had committed. The scarlet letter presents itself as a literal intimation for the people stereotyping her as a slut and whore. The line, “The unhappy culprit sustained herself as best a woman might, under the heavy weight of a thousand unrelenting eyes, all fastened upon her, and concentrated on her bosom. It was almost intolerable to borne. Of an impulsive and passionate nature, she had fortified herself to encounter the stings and venomous stabs of public contumely, wreaking itself in every in every variety of insult; but there was a quality so much more terrible in the solemn mood of the popular mind, that she longed rather to behold all those rigid countenances contorted with scornful merriment, and herself the object” illustrates the thoughts and feelings that were running through Hester’s mind as she stood on the platform in front of the townspeople (Hawthorne 54). The letter had gained much astonishment and anger, even though it stood as a symbol

In the article, “Is the Internet a Mob without Consequence” the author explains multiple instances in which public shaming on the Internet has become dangerous. In specifics, when Justine Sacco had sent out a comedically-disturbing tweet it had received an even uglier response. As the author stated, “Yet as soon as it was clear that she had made similar comments in the past, the Internet turned into a voracious and vengeful mob. Ms. Sacco was tried and judged guilty in a public square of millions and soon attacked in a way that seemed worse than her original statement…within hours, people threatened to rape, shoot, kill and torture her. The mob found her Facebook and Instagram accounts and began threatening the same perils on photos she had posted of friends and family. Not satisfied, people began threatening her family directly” (Bilton line 4-5). This exemplifies the mockery and hate that was targeted specifically at Ms. Sacco in this situation. As soon as a person makes a derogatory comment that offends a race, gender, religion, or country in a negative and hurtful way, those who oppose it will immediately reply to it with an equally and sometimes worse response. It can be stated that the automatic response infiltrated by hate, such as in Ms. Sacco’s instance, can be seen with just as much hatred as Ms. Sacco’s tweet.