28/01/2026
Shame and guilt sit deep in the human psyche because they are social emotions tied to belonging and identity. 🎭
They help regulate behaviour, but when they are not understood or processed, they can become defensive and destructive. This plays out not only in our personal lives, but also in our social and collective relationships.
👎🏽Psychologically, shame is “I AM BAD,” while guilt is “what I DID was BAD/WRONG.”
Guilt relates to behaviour and can lead to repair.
Shame targets identity and often leads to withdrawal, denial, or aggression and in some cases destruction (self/other).
When topics like Australia Day/ Aboriginal dispossession are raised, some people experience collective or inherited shame. Even if they personally caused no harm, the idea that their group benefited from injustice can feel like an attack on who they are. That threat to identity triggers protection, not reflection. The mind responds by minimising, rejecting, or reframing history to reduce discomfort.
On a personal level, shame often shows up as self-judgment/hatred, avoidance, or anger/aggression.
Guilt, when processed safely, allows learning and growth.
The difference matters, because guilt can move us forward, while unexamined shame keeps us stuck.
Guilt on the other hand allows space for responsibility and learning.
🤦🏽♂️Shame collapses that space and turns the conversation into something to escape.
This is why discussions about history often provoke anger or defensiveness rather than “curiosity.”
Psychological maturity doesn’t require personal blame or self-hatred. It requires the ability to separate identity from history, to acknowledge truth without turning it into a verdict on one’s worth.
When shame is named and learned from that, it can shift into responsibility and meaningful repair. This is where healing and transformation happen.
Love,
Haran