From an evolutionary perspective, feelings of guilt/shame are triggered when your actions result in something you didn’t want to happen; this can include harming others or just be breaking a taboo. Ruminating on the topic makes you consider the “what-if” options, come up with better solutions, and if you encounter the same problem again you’ve run simulations and are more prepared.
Insufficient guilt is the remorseless sociopath, who makes arrogant errors forever because they don’t dwell on their shortcomings.
Excessive guilt is the paranoid loner, who avoids taking any action or interacting with anything because the most predictable path is stasis.
Moderate guilt is just enough guilt not to do it again.
oh and as a parting meme: catholic-style confessionals are an instantiation to directly apologise to God-As-Harmed-Entity-By-Sin and to promise it won’t happen again to permit Shame Catharsis
From an evolutionary perspective, feelings of guilt/shame are triggered when your actions result in something you didn’t want to happen; this can include harming others or just be breaking a taboo. Ruminating on the topic makes you consider the “what-if” options, come up with better solutions, and if you encounter the same problem again you’ve run simulations and are more prepared.
Insufficient guilt is the remorseless sociopath, who makes arrogant errors forever because they don’t dwell on their shortcomings.
Excessive guilt is the paranoid loner, who avoids taking any action or interacting with anything because the most predictable path is stasis.
Moderate guilt is just enough guilt not to do it again.
oh and as a parting meme: catholic-style confessionals are an instantiation to directly apologise to God-As-Harmed-Entity-By-Sin and to promise it won’t happen again to permit Shame Catharsis