Alternatives to Guilt

1PolarBear wrote:If a cat $#%^ on the sofa, you put its nose close to it, then put the cat in the litter.
Usually works on the first or second try.
People work the same.

On a large scale, shame is what is used, but it seems "psych 101" is clueless about what it is or how it works. If something bad happens, you take someone innocent that the culprits know is innocent and blame that person for the deed. It usually gets people in line, whether they are part of a conspiracy or not.

Guilt is the Christian spin on shame, but you have no real scapegoat, only one that is eternal and resurrects after killing. And he loves you. It also works for parental figures when they are disappointed, which assumes a loving relationship on both sides.

That's to make other people change. For personal change, it is simply about excellence and do what is right, learn from your mistakes. Develop principles and apply them, or emulate a role model. It takes efforts, discipline and punishment, as well as the ability to reason.

The problem is with weak people that want to change, or would like to change, but don't. That's where something like therapists can come in, figuring out what is stopping the change. Of course it does not work for dishonest people, so there is at least that requirement, and it also takes efforts and discipline and punishment, same as above, because nothing's free. But it can help with the reasoning part.

I think that's about it.