Shame: a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior. (Oxford Languages)
After last week’s insurrection and acts of sedition, one would have thought the trumplicans would have reacted differently to the events. They must have come to the realization of how close so many of them came to harm’s way. A mob, once a mob, and it appears, to some degree, a well-organized mob, will not distinguish who the target is once whipped into a frenzy. At that point, everyone to them becomes a target.
The trumplicans though, seem not to be too bothered by the events of the breach of the Capitol Building. They seem fine their workplace, the very hallowed halls of our democracy, the very seat and inspiration for democracy around the world, was desecrated. They seem fine their lives were at risk. They seem fine democracy actually almost came to an end on January 6, 2021.
By their actions before, and their actions after, the trumplicans seem to have no shame.
Shame, for so many, believe it to be a bad thing. As with anything, the teaching and experience of shame is not politically correct. It is bad parenting. It is something ones does not make another feel. But it is the lack of shame that has helped bring us to this point in history, and in some ways to this point in society.
The fact that the trumplicans are continuing to perpetuate the Big Lie of fraud in the election, to perpetuate the will of the people has not been heard, and to perpetuate the lame duck is fit for office is something for which they should feel quite shameful.
But they aren’t. They aren’t because for so many of them, they are of an age when shame went out of fashion. When one would get a trophy for just participating. When parents and caregivers began to believe they should be their child’s friend, abdicating their role as parent. Getting to the point where anything that happened to their child, the child has little to no responsibility or accountability, especially if the child was (is) in a middle-class family. Josh Hawley is only 41, Marjorie Taylor-Green is 46. Ted Cruz is 50. Lauren Boebert is 34. Marco Rubio is 49. Devin Nunes is 47. Eduard Flores is 40. Derrick Evans is 35. Jacob Chansley is 33. Jenna Ryan is 50.
None of them feel badly for lying and spreading misinformation/disinformation. They revel in creating chaos for the sake of power. They have no regard for other human beings they feel are less than they are. They have no shame for the wrongs they have done, and the wrongs they continue to do.
It is time for shame to make a comeback. A reasonable, not abusive comeback. But it should be something a person feels when they know they are doing wrong and for which they accept no responsibility.
If it doesn’t, and these people are not held to account, not have justice served to them, to not make them feel ashamed and accountable for their actions, then nothing will get better.
Here we are. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like where we are. In fact, I’m petrified and terrified of where we are as a society. I’d like these people to feel extremely ashamed of themselves and take responsibility for their actions. Then, and only then, can we move towards unity again.
Personal Reflections of a Middle-Aged Man 