Being Monica

Description

In this Ivey Business Journal Q&A, Monica Lewinsky — former White House intern and “patient zero” of online harassment — talks with Ivey Professor Gerard Seijts about what it takes to survive shame and bullying on a global scale. She offers two important considerations for victims of public humiliation. First, many people — those bullied and otherwise — suffer from shame or some form of public humiliation, and there is no reason to suffer in silence. Second, victims should know that they can survive the shaming. Resilience, she says, is like a muscle that can be built up. It may be safer to remain silent in the short term, but allowing others to define you exacts too high a price — both psychologically and socially. In her time of need, Lewinsky had a network of support, including family, close friends and professionals. Such a core group of people in one’s real life is the best defense against being humiliated online. Finally, she says, we need a cultural revolution when it comes to empathy and compassion in our society. More people need to click with compassion. When content providers earn advertising dollars from clickbait, they are encouraged to offer more articles rooted in shame and public exposure. Every time people click on gossip, or an article celebrating a public shaming, they are “feeding the beast.”