SHAME QUOTES

quotations about shame

Shame quote

Who would envy a man who could not feel shame? Who would associate with a man who glories in his shame? In either case he evinces a heart depraved, a mind demoralized.

JOSEPH BARTLETT

Aphorisms on Men, Manners, Principles and Things


Shame is an unhappy emotion invented by pietists in order to exploit the human race.

BLAKE EDWARDS

Victor/Victoria

Tags: Blake Edwards


A man without shame stops at no vice.

PROCOPIUS

attributed, Day's Collacon


Shame is closely related to guilt, but there is a key qualitative difference. No audience is needed for feelings of guilt, no one else need know, for the guilty person is his own judge. Not so for shame. The humiliation of shame requires disapproval or ridicule by others. If no one ever learns of a misdeed there will be no shame, but there still might be guilt. Of course, there may be both. The distinction between shame and guilt is very important, since these two emotions may tear a person in opposite directions. The wish to relieve guilt may motivate a confession, but the wish to avoid the humiliation of shame may prevent it.

PAUL EKMAN

Telling Lies

Tags: Paul Ekman


Whate'ers begun in anger ends in shame.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

Poor Richard's Almanack, 1734

Tags: Benjamin Franklin


When guilty shame wears a mask of curiosity, men are turned inside out, becoming strangers to themselves.

KOBO ABE

Secret Rendezvous

Tags: Kobo Abe


The difference between guilt and shame is very clear--in theory. We feel guilty for what we do. We feel shame for what we are.

LEWIS B. SMEDES

Shame and Grace

Tags: Lewis B. Smedes


Shame derives its power from being unspeakable.

BRENE BROWN

Daring Greatly


Even when we do wrong, accountability is helpful, compassion is helpful, apology and forgiveness are helpful, but shame is not.

DEBRA CAMPBELL

"Peeling the Onion of Abuse and Shame", Huffington Post, September 14, 2017


Soap won't wash away your shame.

DEPECHE MODE

"Shame"

Tags: Depeche Mode


We live in an atmosphere of shame. We are ashamed of everything that is real about us; ashamed of ourselves, of our relatives, of our incomes, of our accents, of our opinion, of our experience, just as we are ashamed of our naked skins.

GEORGE BERNARD SHAW

Man and Superman

Tags: George Bernard Shaw


Shame is a particularly acute risk for mental illness.

NICOLA GATES

"Financial stress is widespread for Australians and it's taking its toll", Sydney Morning Herald, September 4, 2017


I don't think shame is a bad thing. I think it actually moves you and pushes you to think differently about things.

BRYAN STEVENSON

"Is it time to tear down monuments to the Confederacy?", CBS News, September 10, 2017


Time shall unfold what plighted cunning hides:
Who cover faults, at last shame them derides.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

King Lear

Tags: William Shakespeare


O shame! Where is thy blush?

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Hamlet

Tags: William Shakespeare


Shame is probably the hardest emotion to sit with, to express. People go out of their way -- people drink themselves to death, people will murder -- not to feel shame. It's that much of a kicker.

RICK GOODWIN

"No room left for hate", St. Catharines Standard, September 8, 2017


Shame isn't a quiet grey cloud, shame is a drowning man who claws his way on top of you, scratching and tearing your skin, pushing you under the surface.

KIRSTY EAGER

Raw Blue


The tendrils of shame clutched at them, however they turned, all the dirty words they knew commented on all they did.

JAMES BALDWIN

Another Country

Tags: James Baldwin


Live in thy shame, but die not shame with thee!

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Richard II


A shamefaced man makes a bad beggar.

HOMER

The Odyssey

Tags: Homer