ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews what is known about shame and its obverse emotion, pride. It proposes an intimate relationship between solidarity, pride, and cooperation, on the one hand, and alienation, shame, and conflict on the other. The chapter focuses on the emotional components of these relationships, pride and shame. The English language itself places restrictions on discussions of shame. All other European languages, in addition to the crisis emotion of shame, have an everyday shame that means shyness or modesty. Although the emotion of shame seems less dark and intense in French, German, or Spanish than in English, there is considerable evasiveness about it in all Western languages. Even the milder forms of shame, such as embarrassment, are likely to be evaded. The origins of emotions such as fear, anger, and grief are widely recognized: Fear arises from danger to life and limb, anger from frustration, and grief from loss.
