Why are so many people going on TV to talk about and manifest their idiocy, their pathos, even their cruelty? Why do we embrace rich people who have stolen their fortunes? We may not be ashamed enough of what is authentically reprehensible, but we are likewise increasingly unashamed of what never should have discomfited us in the first place. The opposite of identity politics is embarrassment. We are closer than ever to the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Fewer and fewer people are mortified by who they truly are.
