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by game masta on January 31st, 2006

game masta

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What causes embarrassment?

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Answers. 8 helpful answers below.

  • by Jon Perryman on February 1st, 2006

    Jon Perryman

    Although there is no proof or conformation, I believe that embarrassment is a survival or basic instinct. It seems to re-enforce the need to fit in and avoid uncomfortable situations. By being embarrassed, it stops you from getting into embarrassing situations. In situations where embarrassment occurs easily, it makes you more careful. Embarrassing situations cause loss of status in society.

    Some examples: One of ex-presidents stumbled and tripped several times and this caused him to be percieved as far less presidential. When appearing before an audience, you become nervious because you could easily embarrass yourself. Kids get embarrassed when they don't wear the right clothes when with their friends but not with their family. They want to be accepted by their piers. When dating, more things become embarrasing because you don't know what your date will find as unacceptable behviour.

    This is just my perception though.

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  • by CuriousGTime on February 1st, 2006

    CuriousGTime

    Embarrassment is caused by doing something awkward in your culture. As humans, we grow up following a certain set of norms that society ingrains in us. Part of this includes the notion of "feeling bad," embarrassed, or awkward about certain things in front of others. But these things change from culture to culture. For example, people from different cultures stand at different distances from each other. Some cultures have a notion that people need a certain amount of physical personal space, so if people stand too close to one another, they will feel awkward and want to move further away. Other cultures are more intimate and would feel awkward if everybody stood far apart. So to directly answer the question - society has ingrained in us the notion of what to be embarrassed about and what is considered acceptable behavior.

    A few more examples of why culture is the reason:
    - Different cultures (such as the Egyptian culture) find it strange if you finish everything you're eating off of your plate. If you lived in that culture, you would likely be embarrassed to finish everything off of your plate and therefore leave a small portion of food. Other cultures (such as parts of United States) find it strange if you don't clear your plate of food. I know of some people who would be embarrassed or feel awkward if they didn't clear their plate.
    - Different cultures greet each other in different ways. In Russia and Italy it is common pratice to kiss somebody on the cheek to greet them. However, that would cause embarrassment for most people in the United States because our culture does not generally follow that practice unless you are very intimate with the person or they are family.

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  • by Clyde Gifford on February 1st, 2006

    Clyde Gifford

    I once knew a man that never became embarrassed, no matter what he said or did. I hope I never know another one! A moderate dose of embarrassment keeps use level headed and grounded.

    In answer to the query about the man with no conscience, he was never diagnosed to my knowledge. He simplely had no thought or consideration for anyone and would do or say anything. Whatever he did it was to get what he wanted and he would use any means to get it. He even told me himself that (nothing he said or did) bothered him.

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  • by Anonymous on February 1st, 2006

    Anonymous

    Albert Einstein was quoted as saying:
    "Humans are the only animals who become embarrassed... or need to."

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  • by LynfromNM on February 1st, 2006

    LynfromNM

    When weaknesses or private quirks are exposed to public scrutiny, when our public mask is stripped off, when we make very public gaffes, we may feel that others are seeing a side of us we wanted to keep hidden. I remember being professionally dressed and "perfect" for a job interview, shaking the interviewer's hand, backing up to sit in a chair and it rolled out from under me. I landed in a heap on the floor! That was terribly embarrassing, but I got up, laughed (allowing the interviewer to do the same) and we went on with the interview. I remember my best friend and I standing outside a fancy hotel, waiting for our dates, looking sexy and sophisticated (in our opinion). Someone walking past brushed against me and I lost my balance. I fell off the curb, rolled down a short ramp and landed at the feet of my date, who was just arriving! This stripped off the facade of my sophistication in a heartbeat! I don't watch American Idol because I spend the entire time being embarrassed for people who truly think they have a shot at a music career, but in this public forum they are revealed as delusional.

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  • by Anonymous on February 6th, 2006

    Anonymous

    alcohol.

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  • by babyfree on January 31st, 2006

    babyfree

    As a human being it is possible for an embarrassment.According to Carl Jung,the famous psychoanalyst,in order to achieve self-actualisation-acceptanse, peace, contentment, purposefulness, fulfillment,health, happiness and joy- one must practise compassion, love, charity, warmth, forgiveness,friendship, kindness, gratuted, and trust. Your pride can cause an embarrassement to.When your are pompous, treating people in a condecending manners can also be a cause. The most important of all is when you are chearing on you man, when you are a prostitude, you cause so much embarrasement to self because when people see what you do they stink on you in order words they don't respect you as a result of you attitude towards people.

    Also dressing can also be a cause. Some people dress like an halot, they can't even dress in a decent way.

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  • by Tondoteottotote on February 1st, 2006

    Tondoteottotote

    Living.

    Living causes embarrassment because life has many embarrassing things to throw your way. There's simply too many to list, so it was far easier to sum it up in just one word.

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