This is the perfect time for a modern-day Scarlet Letter–a radically empathetic book about public shaming, and about shaming as a form of social control. It has become such a big part of our lives it has begun to feel weird and empty when there isn t anyone to be furious about. Whole careers are being ruined by one mistake. A transgression is revealed. Our collective outrage at it has the force of a hurricane. Then we all quickly forget about it and move on to the next one, and it doesn t cross our minds to wonder if the shamed person is okay or in ruins. What s it doing to them? What s it doing to us? —