Many Americans are more worried about their reputation than their conscience, a study shows.<\/p>\n
They worry less about guilt and fear and more about avoiding shame, according to the study from LifeWay Research that was conducted in the autumn of 2016.<\/p>\n
Shame has become particularly powerful in American culture in the internet age, said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research. A single mistake or embarrassing moment posted on social media can ruin a person\u2019s life.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s our biggest cultural fear?\u201d he asked. \u201cShame.\u201d<\/p>\n
McConnell added, \u201cWhat\u2019s surprising is not that personal freedom, ambition, and doing the right thing are valued by Americans. It\u2019s that risk to our reputation is what matters most.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mixed motivations<\/p>\n
Shaming has been a part of American life since the days of \u201cThe Scarlet Letter.\u201d Set among the Puritans, the novel tells the story of Hester Prynne, a young mother forced to wear a scarlet \u201cA\u201d after committing adultery, considered a crime at the time. But Americans gave up on public shaming of criminals in the 1830s, according to journalist Jon Ronson, author of \u201cSo You\u2019ve Been Publicly Shamed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Since then, Americans have been more concerned about issues like guilt over wrongdoing, McConnell said. That\u2019s shaped how churches have presented their faith to the public, he said.<\/p>\n
McConnell said LifeWay Research wanted to know if guilt is still a major issue for Americans. That might affect how Christians talk about their faith, he said, since Christianity also addresses needs such as shame and fear. \u201cWe wanted to know: are churches addressing the issues Americans care about most?\u201d McConnell said.<\/p>\n
Researchers asked 1,000 Americans three questions to discover their feelings about fear, shame, guilt and other issues.
\n \u2022 Which of these feelings do you seek to avoid the most?<\/p>\n
\u2022 Which of these desires is strongest in your life?<\/p>\n
\u2022 Which of these directions do you value the most?
\nThirty-eight percent of Americans say they avoid shame the most. Thirty-one percent say guilt, while 30 percent say fear.<\/p>\n
Education and age play a role in what feelings Americans avoid. Those with graduate degrees (44 percent) are more likely to avoid shame than those with high school diplomas or less (34 percent). Americans ages 25 to 34 avoid guilt (37 percent) more than those 55 and older (27 percent). Middle-aged Americans — those 35 to 54 — are the most likely age group to worry about shame at 44 percent.<\/p>\n
Nones — those who claim no religious identity — avoid guilt (35 percent) more than those who are religious (30 percent). Those who are religious avoid shame (39 percent) more than nones (33 percent). Those from non-Christian faiths are most likely to avoid shame (48 percent).<\/p>\n
McConnell wonders whether Americans see shame as a bigger threat to their reputation or self-worth than guilt.<\/p>\n
\u201cGuilt says, I deserve to be punished,\u201d he said. \u201cBut shame says, I am worthless.\u201d<\/p>\n
Personal freedom still crucial<\/p>\n
LifeWay Research found Americans still prize independence. When asked to name what they desire most from a list of options, 40 percent name personal freedom. Thirty-one percent say respect, while 28 percent say they desire to overcome.<\/p>\n
Men (44 percent) are more likely to choose personal freedom than women (37 percent). The nones — those with no religious affiliation — are more likely to choose personal freedom (50 percent) than Christians (38 percent). Personal freedom also matters most for those 18 to 24 (51 percent).<\/p>\n
The more Americans attend religious services, the less they value personal freedom. Among those who attend services less than once a month, 44 percent value personal freedom most. That drops to 36 percent for those who attend more than once a month.<\/p>\n
Americans without evangelical beliefs (42 percent) are also more likely to value personal freedom than those with evangelical beliefs (32 percent).<\/p>\n
The desire to overcome, the study shows, matters more to Hispanic Americans (37 percent) than to white Americans (25 percent). Those from non-Christian faiths (40 percent) value overcoming more than Christians (27 percent).<\/p>\n
Christians (35 percent) were more likely to desire respect than nones (21 percent) and those from non-Christian faiths (22 percent).<\/p>\n
Make Mom proud<\/p>\n
Some of the most interesting findings, said McConnell, came when researchers asked Americans, \u201cWhich of these directions do you value most?\u201d<\/p>\n
Their options:
\n \u2022 Reaching my potential<\/p>\n
\u2022 Bringing honor to family and friends<\/p>\n
\u2022 Having friends in high places
\nAlmost no one (3 percent) chose having friends in high places. Instead, Americans were split almost down the middle between reaching their potential (51 percent) and bringing honor to family and friends (46 percent).<\/p>\n
McConnell sees a link between the two. Americans are ambitious, he said, but it\u2019s not always ambition for its own sake.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want the people we love to be proud of us,\u201d he said. \u201cFew of us want to let our family and friends down.\u201d<\/p>\n
Among other findings:
\n \u2022 Those with a graduate degree (57 percent) value reaching their potential more than those who are high school graduates or less (47 percent).<\/p>\n
\u2022 Nones (63 percent) value reaching their potential more than Christians (46 percent).<\/p>\n
\u2022 Christians (52 percent) value bringing honor to family and friends more than nones (33 percent).<\/p>\n
\u2022 Those without evangelical beliefs (53 percent) value reaching their potential more than those with evangelical beliefs (42 percent).<\/p>\n
\u2022 Those who attend a religious service once a month or more (56 percent) value bringing honor to family and friends more than those who attend less than once a month (42 percent).
\nMcConnell is skeptical of one finding in the survey — the idea few Americans value having friends in high places. He wonders whether some Americans are ashamed to admit they want to be well connected.<\/p>\n
Perhaps, he said, making Mom proud is more powerful than having rich friends.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all want to be appreciated by the ones we love,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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