identity-destruction
The transformation of a person's public image into a distorted caricature that overrides their true self, often resulting from mass online condemnation.
1 chapter across 1 book
So You've Been Publicly Shamed (2015)Jon Ronson
The chapter chronicles the viral public shaming of Justine Sacco following a racially insensitive tweet, illustrating the rapid escalation of social-media mob justice and its devastating impact on individual identity and reputation. It contrasts this anonymous online cruelty with Judge Ted Poe's controlled use of public shaming as a judicial tool aimed at reducing recidivism, ultimately highlighting the shift in power dynamics where ordinary people, empowered by social media, have become the most formidable agents of public humiliation. The narrative probes the psychological trauma, ethical dilemmas, and collective cruelty inherent in contemporary public shaming culture.