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pat_k

(12,035 posts)
44. Psychopaths do feel shame -- but not "normal" shame
Mon Oct 13, 2025, 04:42 PM
15 hrs ago

Google AI provided a halfway decent explanation.

Psychopaths experience a deep shame, but it stems from their own perceived weaknesses, not from harming others. Unlike typical shame, which arises from violating social norms, their shame is triggered when they are exposed as vulnerable, weak, or helpless, or when they fail to achieve a goal. Research suggests this shame is linked to their psychopathic traits, especially when their facade of power and control is threatened.

What causes this shame?

Exposure of weakness: Psychopaths feel shame when their carefully constructed image of power and control is shattered, revealing vulnerability, desperation, or helplessness.

Failure: They experience shame and anger when they fail to achieve a goal, especially if it makes them look weak or incompetent.

Lack of accountability: Their shame is not for the harm they cause, but for being caught or failing, which they may then project onto others by blaming them.

How this differs from typical shame

Typical shame: In most people, shame is a reaction to violating moral or social standards, leading to remorse for hurting others.

Psychopathic shame: A psychopath's shame is a self-focused emotion related to their own perceived failures and vulnerabilities, not empathy for their victims.

Other emotional responses

Lack of guilt for harming others: Psychopaths do not feel guilt or shame for hurting others; instead, they may rationalize their actions.

Fear and anger: They fear being exposed by people who are mentally stronger than they are or who they cannot control, which can lead to anger.

Emotional suffering: Despite their often-unempathetic nature, psychopaths can experience emotional pain from things like separation, divorce, or dissatisfaction with their own actions.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Trump does not get humiliated. [View all] speak easy Sunday OP
He's got "buttons." Everyone does. paleotn Sunday #1
"Laughing at him and treating him like he's a second rate" speak easy Sunday #2
Could rage be covering for humiliation? electric_blue68 Sunday #28
He is clearly not immune to humiliation. returnee Yesterday #36
Yip, am clickbaited to no end, from otherwise solid podcasters, about how "disastrous," UTUSN Sunday #3
All the hyperbole is just too annoying so my revenge is no clicking on it ms liberty Sunday #4
But...but ALL CAPS! ALL CAPS!!! N/ T. Tom Dyer Sunday #7
He is incapable of shame or accepting blame. surfered Sunday #5
Hard core 3auld6phart Sunday #22
The click bait is out of control Cirsium Sunday #6
Makes you wonder if there is a kickback. Many have no summary or just list guests. . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Sunday #11
Yes Cirsium Sunday #15
Trump does not GET humiliation,he GIVES humiliation. BattleRow Sunday #8
Well shit - calimary Sunday #9
... ancianita Sunday #10
Well, I guess it's because he IS humiliated, by his little ol' self, calimary Sunday #13
Wishful thinking Cirsium Sunday #16
I see. Yes, we see his public humiliation, but that doesn't mean HE feels it. One can be humiliated without ancianita Sunday #18
I agree with your assessment...and more... Escape Sunday #12
Quoted from the 1993 movie "Tombstone" AverageOldGuy Sunday #14
The act of publicly humiliating someone... Joinfortmill Sunday #17
Thank you for saying it, click bait headlines have become absolutely ridiculous Bev54 Sunday #19
Psychopathy and Dementia bmichaelh Sunday #20
Couldn't it be both ? Is embarrassed different from humiliation ? JI7 Sunday #21
One also has to has a conscience to be humiliated kimbutgar Sunday #23
Oh, he feels humiliated GenThePerservering Sunday #24
He felt humiliated at the White House correspondence dinner where Obama roasted him. iemanja Sunday #25
Agreed. True Dough Sunday #26
I don't think he was humiliated. llmart Sunday #30
Made a joke? True Dough Sunday #33
I can think of one time Maru Kitteh Sunday #27
Obama frosted him. He wasn't humiliated. pandr32 18 hrs ago #40
It is literally impossible to shame him. The Mouth Sunday #29
My (faint) hope is that seeing him humiliated GopherGal Sunday #31
Krasnov believes he is never wrong & therefore he AnotherMother4Peace Sunday #32
If tRump was a normal human being capable of feeling shame or embarrassment -- Grammy23 Sunday #34
Yeah. speak easy Sunday #35
Idiots don't understand humiliation. demosincebirth 19 hrs ago #37
You have to have normal human feelings to be humiliated. He has none. appleannie1 19 hrs ago #38
You hit this one out of the park. pandr32 18 hrs ago #39
Yes and nothing will happen to him until it does. themaguffin 18 hrs ago #41
A tantrum is a tantrum, regardless of its source. Torchlight 18 hrs ago #42
A trait he shares with almost all of his Cabinet of Curiosities, and the Dunning-Kruger Caucus in the House. nt eppur_se_muova 17 hrs ago #43
Psychopaths do feel shame -- but not "normal" shame pat_k 15 hrs ago #44
Do not rely on AI slop speak easy 14 hrs ago #45
I evaluated against my knowledge, which is admittedly from the 1990's pat_k 13 hrs ago #46
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