shame

1. Novel by Salman Rushdie about the Pakistani dictator Zia ul-Haq. Got him into big trouble in Pakistan.

2. English version of the name of the novel Lajja by Taslima Nasrin, about religious intolerance in Bangladesh. Got her into big trouble in Bangladesh.

"Shame" is the title of the most recent violent drink-driving commercial shown in Ireland in Summer 2001. These ads are constantly shown in Ireland, especially around the holidays, and have become increasingly violent in recent years, as advertisers try shock tactics to get the Government's message across. There are almost always several deaths a week on this small island due to drink-driving.

The £200,000 film, written by Julie Annie Bailie (creative director with the McCann Erickson ad agency) has already won many international awards, including that of best public service ad in the world at the Hollywood Radio and Television Awards.

It begins by showing a boy playing football with his father in the garden, and moves to a young man having a few drinks with his mates. They then have a quick game of football, echoing the happiness of the little boy, and afterwards the man drives home. It's made obvious to the viewer that he's only had one or two drinks.

The car suddenly clips the kerb, and the scene switches back to the boy, standing triumphantly on his football, before the car does a somersault, crashing through the wooden fence. The scene cuts to the father looking out the window just before the bottom of the car hits the boy. The father rushes over and, seeing that his son is dead, begins crying. The man gets out of the car and we see the distraught look of 'Shame' on his face.

This ad does appear to have been effective, with a survey taken some months afterwards showing that 61% (up from 13%) of Irish adults now believe that drinking any alcohol at all will affect your driving.

Adapated from the Irish Independent, 24 July 2001, p11.

Shame (?), n. [OE. shame, schame, AS. scamu, sceamu; akin to OS. & OHG. scama, G. scham, Icel. skomm, shkamm, Sw. & Dan. skam, D. & G. schande, Goth. skanda shame, skaman sik to be ashamed; perhaps from a root skam meaning to cover, and akin to the root (kam) of G. hemd shirt, E. chemise. Cf. Sham.]

1.

A painful sensation excited by a consciousness of guilt or impropriety, or of having done something which injures reputation, or of the exposure of that which nature or modesty prompts us to conceal.

HIde, for shame, Romans, your grandsires' images, That blush at their degenerate progeny. Dryden.

Have you no modesty, no maiden shame? Shak.

2.

Reproach incurred or suffered; dishonor; ignominy; derision; contempt.

Ye have borne the shame of the heathen. Ezek. xxxvi. 6.

Honor and shame from no condition rise. Pope.

And every woe a tear can claim Except an erring sister's shame. Byron.

3.

The cause or reason of shame; that which brings reproach, and degrades a person in the estimation of others; disgrace.

O Csar, what a wounding shame is this! Shak.

Guides who are the shame of religion. Shak.

4.

The parts which modesty requires to be covered; the private parts.

Isa. xlvii. 3.

For shame! you should be ashamed; shame on you! -- To put to shame, to cause to feel shame; to humiliate; to disgrace. "Let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil."

Ps. xl. 14.

 

© Webster 1913.

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Shame, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Shamed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Shaming.]

1.

To make ashamed; to excite in (a person) a comsciousness of guilt or impropriety, or of conduct derogatory to reputation; to put to shame.

Were there but one righteous in the world, he would . . . shame the world, and not the world him. South.

2.

To cover with reproach or ignominy; to dishonor; to disgrace.

And with foul cowardice his carcass shame. Spenser.

3.

To mock at; to deride.

[Obs. or R.]

Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor. Ps. xiv. 6.

 

© Webster 1913.

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Shame, v. i. [AS. scamian, sceamian. See Shame, n.]

To be ashamed; to feel shame.

[R.]

I do shame To think of what a noble strain you are. Shak.

 

© Webster 1913.