July 1, 2005

Exploring the Good That Comes From Shame

By PETER MONAGHAN

Elspeth Probyn, professor of gender and cultural studies, University of Sydney, Australia

The cultural emphasis on self-esteem and pride veils the benefits of shame, Ms. Probyn argues in Blush: Faces of Shame (University of Minnesota Press). Shame, a universal feeling, alerts us to examine what we are and would like to be, she says. When there is "public silence around shame, it doesn't get discussed, it just gets more deeply embedded."

Q. Why the title "Blush"?

A. All