Have we no shame? Just a generation ago, outrageous Americans like Joey Buttafuoco and O.J. Simpson would have been scorned. Christian mega-churches would have been viewed with suspicion. Self-help books, the recovery movement, and grade inflation didn't exist.

Today, celebrity is its own reward, and every American has the right to an A and high self-esteem. Much to the joy of Madison Avenue ad agencies and the tabloid press, there is no stigma attached to bad behavior - as long as the perpetrator truly repents, of course. After all, if convicted crack smoker Marion Barry can be the mayor of Washington, why shouldn't John Wayne Bobbitt achieve fame on television talk shows? James B.

Twitchell, critically acclaimed author of Adcult and Carnival Culture, offers a fascinating and original look at shame and shamelessness in American culture, taking to task everyone from conservative hypocrites to bleeding-heart liberals. Whether or not you agree that shame is the building block of a healthy society, you'll find this a provocative and addictive read - and you just may decide to reexamine "the social good of feeling bad."