The idea of public shaming, or shaming, has been a way to inflict a lasting impact on a wrongdoer so that he or she can never do wrong again. From the puritanical days of stockades and the Scarlet Letters, to the songs and shameful celebrity feuds of today, public shaming has always seemed like a way for others to punish those who have done something that is not socially acceptable to teach them a lesson. In today's society, social media opens up a new realm of public shaming. Unlike the Puritans who could put someone in a stockade, public shaming is now so extremely accessible that it now poses an even greater threat to those being humiliated. Although punishments in the early years were brutal and sometimes extremely painful, as Early American Life Magazine notes "Whipping, stocks, and pillories were the three most common instruments of corporal punishment in the colonies." Today's social media and celebrity feuds are extremely prevalent in society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Instead of addressing an issue to someone in private, doing so in public somehow maintains the effect of the topic because others are included and can express their opinion. However, public shaming isn't the best way to deal with an issue—in fact, when University of Chicago freshman Derek Caquelin mentions the topic, "let's be honest: emotionally it's been tough." Today, public shaming of the rich and famous proves to be an effective way to target the controversial side. Public shaming could be considered more than just an attack post on social media, but could be used in things like magazines, news media, and even in pop culture through music and other popular means of social interaction and entertainment. In fact, a music group called AFV recently released a music video intended to shame JPMorgan and other big banks. The group's lead singer says: "My main motivation in creating this video was to express outrage at the government's total failure to hold the financial sector accountable for what is clearly criminal behavior." Today it has become very popular among artists use their art as an outlet for public shaming. I view public shaming as a gentle but effective way to get someone to learn a lesson. It should be done wisely and carefully, but its ultimate effects could prove beneficial to those who feel shame and for those who feel ashamed..
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