I see headlines all the time describing encounters that so and so “owns” so and so. Owning someone isn’t a win and it doesn’t convince anyone. In fact, these probably backfire. Shaming usually paralyzes people and it certainly isn’t productive. (Credit to Brene Brown for her research on shaming.)

The people who do these are conflict entrepreneurs, as Amanda Ripley has called them, trying to profit from the widening political divide. By clicking on and reading their story, you feed the beast, and they get paid. If we all boycotted this content, it would go away (or at least lessen) and would stop widening the gap.

Plus, something I’ve noticed, the people who matter don’t pay any attention to shaming. It makes them dig in their heels and justify their actions.

Don’t try to change people by shaming them.