The Importance of Maintaining a Sense of Shame in the Modern Era
Social and Moral Functions:
- Global: Shame can function as a regulator of social and moral behavior. It helps individuals adhere to social norms and avoid actions that could harm others.
- Local (Indonesia, East Java): In Indonesian culture, shame (isin in Javanese) is very important. It is a mechanism for maintaining social harmony and respecting traditional values. Maintaining a sense of shame can help maintain behavior that aligns with prevailing religious, customary, and ethical norms.
Self-Control and Responsibility:
- Global: Shame can encourage self-control and responsibility. When someone feels shame for their actions, they are more likely to improve themselves and avoid similar mistakes in the future.
- Local (Indonesia, East Java): Shame can encourage individuals to act more carefully and responsibly in their daily lives. This is particularly relevant in the context of families and communities, where individual actions can impact the family's reputation.
Empathy and Social Awareness:
- Global: Shame can increase empathy and social awareness. When someone feels shame for behavior that hurts others, they become more aware of the impact their actions have on others.
- Local (Indonesia, East Java): In a culture of mutual cooperation, shame can encourage individuals to be more concerned about the common good. Individuals who have a sense of shame tend to avoid actions that could harm the community.
Balance with Self-Esteem:
- Global: It is important to maintain a balance between shame and self-esteem. Too much shame can lead to mental health problems such as depression and anxiety.
- Local (Indonesia, East Java): In cultures that emphasize social harmony, it is important to ensure that shame is not used to suppress individuals or inhibit healthy self-expression. Education and social support can help individuals develop a healthy and constructive sense of shame.
Challenges in Modern Times in Indonesia
Changing Values:
- Global: Traditional values that emphasize shame may conflict with modern values such as individualism and freedom of expression.
- Local (Indonesia, East Java): Globalization and modernization can erode traditional values that support shame. It is important to find ways to nurture shame without hindering social and economic progress.
Social Media:
- Global: Social media can exacerbate shame through social comparison and cyberbullying.
- Local (Indonesia, East Java): Unwise use of social media can lead to excessive shame and damage social relationships. Digital literacy and education about healthy social media use are crucial.
Mental Health:
- Global: Excessive shame can contribute to mental health problems.
- Local (Indonesia, East Java): It is important to raise awareness about mental health and provide support for individuals experiencing shame-related issues.
Conclusion
Nurturing shame remains important in the modern era, but it must be done wisely and in a balanced way. Shame can serve as a regulator of social and moral behavior, encouraging self-control and responsibility, and increasing empathy and social awareness. However, it is important to ensure that shame is not used to oppress individuals or inhibit healthy self-expression. Education, social support, and digital literacy can help individuals develop healthy and constructive shame in global and local contexts.