We all have moments of regret, don’t we? I can think of countless instances in my life that I wish I could erase—like that impulsive decision to chop off my hair or my questionable fashion choices from the ’90s. And who could forget the time I confused the gas pedal with the brake while parallel parking, resulting in an unfortunate crash? There’s no shortage of embarrassing memories from my freshman year of college. Thank goodness I grew up before social media became a thing; I shudder to think of my blunders being immortalized online.
Mistakes are a part of growing up. Children, teenagers, and adults all mess up from time to time. While there should certainly be consequences for our actions, the stakes have escalated in our digital age. An apology now seems insufficient; we also face the relentless scrutiny of social media and the unforgiving court of public opinion.
With just a smartphone and a social media account, a simple mistake can be magnified and shared with the world. Every little faux pas is up for public scrutiny, making it nearly impossible to learn from our errors without facing humiliation. Did someone park incorrectly? Snap a photo of their license plate and share it online. Unsatisfied with a teacher’s email? Post it for others to criticize. Witness someone dressed in a way you disapprove of? Capture it and write a scathing blog post.
Public shaming has spiraled out of control, and the most vulnerable among us—our children—are often the ones who pay the price. Take, for instance, the tragic story of a young girl who took her own life after her father filmed a video of him shaving her head as punishment. Or consider the mother from South Carolina who made her son wear a tutu in public as a form of discipline. Recently, I came across a mom who made her children give away their toys and posted a photo of their sad faces on Facebook, seeking likes and shares. Even more shocking was the viral video of a man publicly shaming parents for leaving their baby unattended in a restaurant.
It’s perplexing why some are driven to publicly shame others. While these actions may stem from a place of desperation or confusion, they can have devastating consequences. I doubt parents who resort to these extreme measures intend to harm their children. Instead, they may be acting out of anger or a desire to assert control.
In a world where social media validates our experiences and emotions, we may feel justified in sharing videos or photos of perceived bad behavior. We want to call out what we see as wrong, believing we’re doing a public service. However, this constant need for attention and validation often overlooks the real-life consequences of our actions. The internet can feel like a high school cafeteria with popularity contests and judgment, where we forget that behind every share is a person—sometimes a child—whose life can be irrevocably altered.
Public shaming can destroy trust and inflict irreparable damage. Experts argue that humiliation teaches nothing but fear and can be more harmful than physical punishment. Thankfully, not all parents resort to such drastic actions; many understand that children make mistakes and are willing to offer second chances.
Imagine if we could return to a time when our missteps were just family stories shared at gatherings, rather than viral moments to be dissected online. Wouldn’t that be refreshing? I almost long for the days of the mid-90s—bad haircut and all.
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In summary, public shaming has become a pervasive issue that affects us all, especially our children. While mistakes are part of life, the digital age has made it too easy for these errors to be exploited, leading to significant emotional and psychological harm.