Dignity, say Campbell and Manning, “exists independently of what others think, so a culture of dignity is one in which public reputation is less important. Insults might provoke offense, but they no longer have the same impact as a way of establishing or destroying a reputation for bravery.” They elaborate on this: It is even commendable to have thick skin that allows one to shrug off slights and insults, and in a dignity-based society parents might teach children some version of “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”—an idea that would be alien in a culture of
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