NationStates Jolt Archive

What's the difference between guilt and shame?

Imagine you have just been mean to someone, do you feel guilty about it or ashamed of what you've done? What does either mean?

Often you may feel both but there is a difference in terms of emotional feeling, where does this difference stem from, what's the base cause of either?

Does guilt come from fear of being punished whereas shame comes the thought that people may think badly of you? If that's correct, which is a better reaction?

I ask because I've always heard the West has a guilt-based morality whereas the East has a shame-based morality.

Is there a difference?

Guilt is internal, shame is external.

Or to put it another way, if you feel something you did was wrong because it went against your own internal moral code (Wherever that may come from), that is guilt. If someone else makes you feel that what you did was wrong due to an external moral code, that is shame.

And yes, by and large, the west operates on guilt whereas the east tends to go with shame.

Guilt is internal, shame is external.

Or to put it another way, if you feel something you did was wrong because it went against your own internal moral code (Wherever that may come from), that is guilt. If someone else makes you feel that what you did was wrong due to an external moral code, that is shame.

And yes, by and large, the west operates on guilt whereas the east tends to go with shame.

wot you just sed!

Shame is powerful because like it was said in previous posts, it's externalised and people can see it more easily than guilt.

Guilt means you were responsible for it, and doesn't necessarily carry a negative connotation because we've come to use it in a positive manner. We see admissions of guilt when it's positive.

guilt is when you know you have done something wrong, shame is when you feel bad about yourself because of something you have done.

I feel guilty that I didn't put the clothes in the dryer last night, I don't feel ashamed though, I am only human and to tell the truth it wasn't my job.

I feel ashamed that I laugh at dead baby jokes.

guilt is when you know you have done something wrong, shame is when you feel bad about yourself because of something you have done.

I feel guilty that I didn't put the clothes in the dryer last night, I don't feel ashamed though, I am only human and to tell the truth it wasn't my job.

I feel ashamed that I laugh at dead baby jokes.
I think you're mixing up the current language uses with the base ideas, Smunkee.

I think you're mixing up the current language uses with the base ideas, Smunkee.

it's possible, I am very tired today.

I read your post though, it sounds more like what I thought I was trying to say but re-reading my post is confusing as to what I actually said........if that's coherent at all.