The Shame Machine

Who Profits in the New Age of Humiliation

Hardcover, 272 pages

Published March 22, 2022 by Crown.

ISBN:
978-1-9848-2545-2
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4 stars (1 review)

Examines how (predominantly American) society uses shame, and explores how shame could be put to better use.

3 editions

The Shame Machine

4 stars

I picked this up because it was recommended as a book about shame and social media, but O'Neil's interest actually runs far deeper than that. The key is in the subtitle: who PROFITS from the shame that we feel. O'Neil does talk about social media and its particular dangers, but profiting from shame goes far beyond Facebook -- O'Neil writes perceptively about the diet industry, for example, even divulging how it has impacted her personally throughout her life. So while the book was not exactly what I expected, it definitely covered a wide range of topics and I'm glad that I read it.