Black Mirror and psychological distance from guilt/responsibility

[Late Boomer]

I've been studying Jung lately and contemplating the concepts shadow and projection, especially when it comes to collective shadow and projection. 

I wonder in what ways we make easier to self-deceive and participate in terrible acts without feeling guilt.

One is obviously mob mentality and diffusion of responsibility. If you feel anonymous, you're more likely to go along with violent acts, especially if the group is projecting its shadow and you're convinced the victim or victims deserve what they're getting. Lynch mobs and vigilantes will commit atrocious acts and feel justified. It seems like the only way to make someone feel bad about those acts afterward is to convince them "they got the wrong guy," which is difficult to do in any case. 

I'm also wondering what role technology plays. If you see it happen on a screen violence isn't as real to you as it would be if you saw it in person. 

Does psychology have a name for the phenomenon where you get into dangerous situations while trying to take a photo because it feels like you're a distant observer? I experienced that when I was a newspaper reporter. I sometimes got way too close trying to take pics. Although there was also the element of risk-taking for a purpose - I felt it was worth it at the time. Still sometimes I would think whoa, I shouldn't have been standing there.

I'm a fan of Black Mirror, although I kinda quit watching when society got bad enough. I always get in arguments with people on the Black Mirror subreddit over the episodes involving vigilantism - especially White Bear and Shut Up and Dance. 

It's like a Rorschach test. Some people see the anti-vigilantism message I thought was obvious. The rest view the episodes like, "I felt bad at first, but whew. What a relief the person was guilty and got what they deserved." They think those were happy episodes where justice was served. To me it seems obvious the story is telling us, the anonymous vigilantes in Shut Up and Dance and the tourists and operators of White Bear Park are guilty in a way that mirrors what the subject of the torture did. 

I think the internet and social media at large are doing that to all of us. The more layers of distance they can put between you and whatever foul thing is being done, the less likely you're going to feel bad about it. If you're willing to extrapolate far enough, a dollar bill in your hand is a little piece of murder. But there are a lot of layers between you and whatever gave value to that dollar. 

[Stovo]

Here's a spanner in the works, western cultures are pretty much the only places that are guilt based. The rest of the world is shame based. 

[Late Boomer]

2 hours ago, Stovo said:

Here's a spanner in the works, western cultures are pretty much the only places that are guilt based. The rest of the world is shame based. 

Can you clarify? Not sure if I agree. Are you talking about the concept of guilt based on what's against the law or if you got caught? Isn't shame the idea of being perceived as less-than based on violating social norms? Or the feeling you get if you think of or get exposed over the ugly thing you're keeping secret? 

I would argue that we do operate based on shame. A big part of the right wing reaction to Civil Rights activism and BLM involve repressed shame. There is also the idea of being "canceled" for violating certain norms. That's public shaming. In the South we have a sort of face culture. If you call us trash or tell someone their mother is a whore you're going to get a fight over honor. The Lost Cause myth is a reaction to shame.