Have you ever been in a confuses state of Guilt?
Guilt is a feeling that arouses in a person when he does
something he considers as wrong.
An individual tries to reduce his/her guilt when the feeling
of being guilty arouses and this can be done in several ways
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Balancing
the bad act by performing a good act
An individual with the feeling of guilt can
decide to free his/her conscience from such feeling by displaying a good act
towards the person he/she has offended
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Subjecting
oneself to unpleasantness
When an individual feels guilty, he/she can
subject him/herself to some kind of unpleasantness by punishing his/herself for
his/her bad act.
A child who failed his examination may
decide to appease his parents by denying himself of television throughout the
holiday.
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Minimizing
the negative aspect of the guilt arousing actions
In the African context, the best way to reduce feeling of
guilt or the best way to show you are guilty is by balancing the bad act with a
good act. You offer a helping hand; subject yourself to doing a favour,
performing a good act even when it is not favourable for you.
Effect of Guilt
The feeling of guilt can lead to pleasant and unpleasant
behaviour depending on the nature of the individual.
Isolation: The
feeling of guilt tends to lead to isolation; an individual might want to avoid
contact with the person he/she has offended. The individual tries everything
possible not to meet, see, take or touch the offended. There is a tendency to
comply less or not to comply at all when there is a need to meet the offended.
Isolation occurs when the offender who feels guilty is afraid
of discovery or embarrassment.
Display of pleasant
behaviour / change in personality
The feeling of guilt tends to lead a person to display positive
behaviour towards the offended, like always ready to offer a helping hand, always
willing to do a favour etc.
All this is done because doing something good to the
offended will make the person feel better.
The effect of guilt is maximized when the person who feels
guilty can help without coming in contact with the offended.
The feeling of guilt is not totally reduced when confession is
not made. Confession is good for t spirit, soul and body; it is seen as a form
of expiation.
Finally guilt can be responded to in two ways, expiate it by
doing something good or by isolating from the offended which in most cases is
not the best option. Irrespective of whatever action is taken confession has to
be made for the feeling of guilt to be reduced completely.
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