Arts & Culture
The Role of Honor and Shame in Mediterranean Honor Cultures
Quick fact
Anthropologist Julian Pitt-Rivers observed in 1950s Spain that a man's honor was so tied to his family's reputation that he was obliged to respond violently to any insult, regardless of his personal feelings, or he would be considered shameful.
Why this is interesting
Imagine living in a town where your worth is decided by everyone else's opinion—not by your own achievements. What would you do to protect that public image?