Psychiatrist in conversation

Haller: “We live in an unculture of shaming”

Hate and agitation online. Breathless hunt for chats and plagiarism. Public accusations break people. What has made us so hostile? Is too much of the well-intentioned ultimately to blame? Psychiatrist Reinhard Haller (72) provides important answers.

"Krone": Professor, even celebrities have recently been unable to withstand the pressure of public accusations. With tragic consequences. Is the problem with the hunters or the hunted?
Reinhard Haller: First of all: in both cases you allude to, we don't know the full background. It is not always as superficial as it seems. There are often other factors that we don't know. But in no case is it a lack of resilience. Public accusations lead to enormous stress. This should not be underestimated. Subjectively, it is much greater than people assume from the outside. I've already had the pleasure. You're more or less at the mercy of others. Even if nothing remains of all the accusations in the end. Logging off social media or not reading the newspaper is not enough. It's practically impossible to escape. The public pillory is merciless. Not like in the Middle Ages, limited to three days somewhere in a city, but everywhere and over a very, very long period of time, which can destroy entire livelihoods."