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Listening to shame | Brené Brown | TED
Guilt says 'I did something bad'. Shame says 'I am bad'. Only one of those is true. 💬
Who it's for
Brown gives viewers a simple distinction they can use on themselves: shame is a focus on the self, guilt a focus on the behaviour, and she reports that guilt is linked with repair while shame is linked with harmful outcomes.
Feelings it meets
What it is
Researcher Brené Brown's talk from TED2012 (March 2012). Drawing on personal anecdotes and her research, she discusses the 'vulnerability hangover' that follows emotional exposure, distinguishes shame from guilt, examines how shame shows up differently across genders, and presents empathy as central to addressing shame.
Where to find it
YouTube, official TED channel (free). Also on TED.com, which offers an interactive transcript.
Before you start
Heads up: Briefly lists suicide and addiction.
Age: Ages 14+
Praise shames me, for I secretly beg for it.Rabindranath Tagore, Stray Birds, no. 207
