Shame, Fame, and the Technological Mentality

In Shame, Fame, and the Technological Mentality, Dustin Peone interrogates the modern human condition. In the first section, Peone argues that shame and fear are constitutive of social order, but that these affects have been undermined by contemporary ideology. This subversion has created a novel breed of shameless and fearless human beings, with myriad social consequences. Peone next demonstrates an associated change in the role of fame in society: where once the desire for fame was tied to immortality through civic virtue, this connection has eroded, and fame is no longer connected to excellence. In the final section, Peone analyzes the hegemonic role of technological thinking and its responsibility in accelerating these processes. He criticizes and warns against the deification of technology. In response to the technological mentality for navigating the modern world, Peone argues instead for an ethics of prudence and a doctrine of humor.