Shame Is Big Business: Who's Really Profiting From Your Insecurities?

Dr. Eleanor Vance · 2026-10-11

Have you ever noticed how quickly a mistake can turn into a public spectacle? One wrong tweet, one awkward photo, and suddenly the internet is judge, jury, and executioner. But here's the uncomfortable question: who benefits from all that shame? ### The Shame Economy Philosopher Jack Russell Weinstein recently sat down with data scientist Cathy O'Neil on the podcast *Why? Philosophical Discussions About Everyday Life* to dig into this. They talked about online humiliation, consumer manipulation, and the ethics of exploiting human insecurities. And what they uncovered is unsettling. Social media platforms don't just host shame—they monetize it. Every outrage-driven click, every hate-share, every pile-on generates ad revenue. The algorithm doesn't care if you're laughing or crying, as long as you keep scrolling. > "Shame is a product. And like any product, someone's selling it, someone's buying it, and the rest of us are paying the price." – paraphrased from the discussion ### Corporations Cash In on Your Insecurity It's not just social media. Corporations have turned personal shame into a marketing strategy. Think about it: - **Anti-aging creams** that promise to erase wrinkles you didn't know you had. - **Diet programs** that profit from body shame and crash-diet culture. - **Financial products** that prey on fear of missing out (FOMO) and status anxiety. O'Neil points out that these industries don't just respond to demand—they manufacture it. They create the problem (you're not good enough) and then sell you the solution (buy this). It's a cycle that keeps us anxious, ashamed, and spending. ### The Ethics of Exploitation So is it immoral? Weinstein and O'Neil don't offer a simple yes or no. But they do suggest that when profit depends on making people feel small, something has gone wrong. We're not talking about healthy accountability. Public shame isn't the same as justice. Often, it's just entertainment dressed up as moral outrage. And the people profiting from it are rarely the ones holding the moral high ground. ### What Can We Do About It? You can't opt out of the internet entirely. But you can choose not to feed the machine. - **Pause before you share.** Ask yourself: does this add value, or just outrage? - **Support companies that don't use shame as a sales tactic.** Look for brands that build people up instead of tearing them down. - **Practice empathy online.** Behind every viral moment is a real person. The next time you see a public shaming spiral, remember: someone's making money off it. And it's probably not you. --- *Listen to the full conversation on Why? Philosophical Discussions About Everyday Life for a deeper dive into the ethics of shame, profit, and manipulation.*