23 Comments
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Wendy Wardell's avatar

I can see it now! A 'Get Me Out of Here, I'm a Virtue' game show where has-beens like Shame, Modesty and Consideration battle it to death to be crowned 'Still Relevant'. Probably not a ratings winner.

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Matthew F.'s avatar

Most depressing “Inside Out” spinoff idea ever.

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K2SO's avatar

Spot on. Along with Monsieur Manners, Madame Moderation, and Baroness Respect, poor old Mister Shame has been given the arse to the detriment of us all.

There was an excellent David Frum article in the Atlantic about 6 months ago about the erosion of moral teaching in institutions since the 1950. The premise was that with the cultural revolution and the growth of moral relativity in the '60s we stopped teaching kids basic standards of interpersonal human behaviour through schools and other institutions. That's how we got to a place where morality now equals "whatever I want right now, regardless of how it affects anyone or anything else." Shame on all of us, I guess.

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Rik's avatar

Mr Shame can now join Miss Consequence in the dole queue, and later they can get together with Democracy, Equity, Nuance, Truth, Accountability, Greater Good and old mates Knowledge and Expertese and get on the beers and talk about the good old days, and how shit things are now.

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Camille Peters's avatar

That was brilliant and well worth the price of an annual subscription. I just got made redundant today and still found it hilarious, even if rather alarming about the state of the world. Thank you.

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John Birmingham's avatar

Jeez Camille. Now I really have to produce! Hope something awesome turns up for you

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Camille Peters's avatar

I was planning on leaving my employer for a number of reasons, just not so soon. Now I can leave with a decent financial buffer (hello tax free redundancy package!) and focus on finding a job more congenial to my talents. Something better will turn up soon.

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John Birmingham's avatar

This comment is a good start to my day!

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Valerie Kennedy's avatar

Every cloud has a silver lining. Sounds like time for a little holiday somewhere warm!

How did your exit interview go Camille? I hope you enjoyed it 😀

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halwes's avatar

Hey mate. Sorry to hear that. Hope it turns around quickly for you and that you got a gold plated hovercraft handshake and you're heading for the Maldives.There have been a trickle of redundancies lately. I desperately hope it doesn't turn torrential.

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isabel robinson's avatar

Shame has no hope while Self-righteousness rules the day.

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AusMossy's avatar

More frequently than is probably normal a memory of something I said or did in the last 60 years will unexpectedly pop into my consciousness and make me cringe with shame. I envy Trump and his ilk their complete lack of remorse for the idiotic crap they’ve inflicted on us.

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Valerie Kennedy's avatar

I have the same problem :(

I blame it on my Catholic indoctrination from an early age! You're taught to feel eternally guilty, and Shame follows you all your life!

Like so many of my age group, born in the last days of the Boomers generation, I rejected all that when I saw though that, and realised Irony wasn't yet dead, but it was stage 4 terminal.

Perhaps Shame's downhill run is linked to less people identifying as "people of faith"?

I find this unlikely though; a great number of people who loudly claim to be Christians have no Shame.

Especially if they are in a position of power.

Poor old Irony didn't stand a chance, and Shame was also destined to become extinct.

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AusMossy's avatar

I’ve never really been a person of faith, not since I was about 7 and stopped going to Sunday School. Morrison certainly loves to claim some holier than thou persona, but he’s the most shameless liar and cruel, empathy free, sociopath ever to rise to PM that I can recall. I guess it’s the narcissism that abrogates the shame.

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Michael Barnes's avatar

Well Disney's Inside Out 3 has taken a odd turn.

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Paul Brennan's avatar

Don’t worry, Shame. According to every successful business leader I’ve encountered over many years, their successes were always on the back of their many failures. I’m sure you will bounce back soon! In the meantime, how about you apply for a job at Centrelink while you consider future opportunities. Based on the findings of the recent enquiry, they could sure use your talents.

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Suzi Hammond's avatar

Well, this has left me breathless! So timely. A great pity Messrs Trump, Cohen, & Miz Daniels have failed to even notice their various versions of transactional venality even as it plays out in public - let alone be shamed by it. I've often wondered if the folks most plagued & tormented by shame are, in fact, the least of our worries.

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Dave Irving's avatar

Yes. You can always count on shame to compel decent behaviour.

Although your mileage may vary on what is decent.

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Gai Trewinnard-McNeill's avatar

Yup...shame has definitely gone the way of irony. Especially within the ranks of the RWNJs. *sigh*. I have to wonder if there isn't a correlation with the decline in educational outcomes somewhere in there as well.

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Evan Hughes's avatar

I'm still ashamed of shit I said in 1971, FFS. Christ, I feel old.

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Matthew F.'s avatar

Have MUP done an “On Shame” entry in their series yet? If not this strikes me as groundwork for a pretty good pitch. Or do they not get the same writers back twice?

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Jason McLaughlin's avatar

Not heroes wear capes John...but you're the hero we need now.

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Stephen B Williams's avatar

Well said

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