Why is shame so powerful? Why do we feel so guilty for being bad people?

Our society today is full of self-righteous hypocrites, judgmental busybodies, and people with an inferiority complex.

A big part of this is due to a lack of understanding of the effects of shame and guilt. Shame and guilt are both tools that help us become better people, but they have very different results. Let’s take a look at how this works and why we feel so guilty.


There are three primary purposes of shame and guilt. Here are the benefits.

1. Guilt is a Sign of Goodwill

Shame and guilt help us make amends when we do something wrong or hurt someone. It reminds us of our past actions and lets us know that we are undeserving of our good fortune. In essence, it’s saying “I’m sorry.”

In many religions, shame and guilt are seen as an integral part of spirituality. God, in the Old Testament, uses shame and guilt to push his chosen people to keep their commandments.

1. Guilt is a Way to Learn from Our Mistakes

Guilt is a reminder that we need to change our behavior so that we don’t repeat the same mistakes over and over again. This is important because it’s easier to learn from our own mistakes than someone else’s.

When we experience guilt, we are subconsciously saying “hey, I should really stop doing this thing”. We are reminded of our past actions and can use this information to improve upon our current habits.

1. Guilt Promotes Personal Responsibility

Being guilty is a sign of personal responsibility. If we are feeling guilty, we’ve done something wrong. We feel bad because we didn’t do everything right. By experiencing guilt, we are acknowledging our own shortcomings and taking personal ownership of our mistakes.

By acknowledging that we are responsible for our own actions, we’re also saying that we are accountable for our own lives. It’s a way of motivating us to act in ways that will make us happier and healthier.

These are only some of the benefits of guilt and shame. There are probably a few other reasons we feel guilty, but those are the three main ones.

Feel free to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.