We live in an atmosphere of shame. We are ashamed of everything that is real about us; ashamed of ourselves, of our relatives, of our incomes, of our accents, of our opinions, of our experience, just as we are ashamed of our naked skins.

Summary

This quote suggests that shame permeates our lives, causing us to feel ashamed of various aspects of ourselves and our existence. It highlights our tendency to hide or feel embarrassed about our true selves, our family, our level of income, our accents, our beliefs, and even our life experiences. The comparison drawn between this shame and the shame we might feel about being physically exposed reinforces the idea that shame influences how we view and present ourselves to the world.

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