Sunday, January 06, 2008
(10:32 AM) | Adam Kotsko:
Catholic Guilt vs. Evangelical Shame: A Thought-Experiment
As an adult convert to Catholicism, I never fully experienced the infamous "Catholic guilt" that affects those raised in the bosom of Rome. If one were to try to define Catholic guilt, it seems to me that it would have to be an exaggerated dutifulness that does not allow one to enjoy ill-gotten gains -- that is, Catholic guilt spoils all your fun.Many might initially think that evangelicals also experience guilt in much the same way, such that the Catholic Church's reputation for uniquely skillful guilt-cultivation is undeserved. In my experience, however, evangelicals do not normally experience guilt, but rather shame. Unlike guilt, shame carries a libidinal charge that in a certain way enhances one's fun, generating the thrill of transgression.
