Shame

Summary

‘You should be ashamed of yourselves’ is a commonly heard charge. All those who violate the morals and order of society should be ashamed: tax evaders, corrupt business fraudsters, motorway speeders. Shame, it is said, is hard to bear and calls for remorse, repentance, atonement. Yet shame can also be brushed aside. After 1945, many Germans did not want to acknowledge the crimes and the murders of millions perpetrated by the National Socialists. Even today, attempts are still made to relativize these crimes by pointing out the atrocities committed by others. In contrast, the first President of the Federal Republic, Theodor Heuss, predicted that the Germans would never again be able to cast off the shame for the crimes that had been carried out in their name. Nonetheless, Heuss said that they should attempt to make amends with the victims and thereby restore their own integrity. Against this background, the chapter discusses the thesis that we are on the way to a shameless society that prioritizes selfish gratification over civilized behaviour, as well as the comeback of morality-driven political struggles and campaigns in recent years.