Why Is Character Assasination Un-forgivable ?
if someone harms you and you forgive them, you have thought them how to harm you again. If you punish them you teach the whole world a lesson. cit Niccolò Machiavelli
This quote suggests that forgiving those who harm you, such as through character assassination, enables further harm. Instead, it advocates for punishment as a deterrent, implying that forgiveness is not the appropriate response.
Character assassination is a deliberate strategy to undermine your social standing. After all we are very much still animals, this is scientifically proven, and so the instinct to size you up and see how far it can go is not excusable but it's normal. Furthermore your character in the eyes of the various witnesses, as planned, will deteriorate, this is the desired outcome.
Wilde’s trial exposed his private life to vilify him as a moral outcast.
Wilde’s writings reveal existential despair, These outcomes underscore character assassination’s capacity to destabilise identity and well-being.Forgiving character assassination enables recurrence, as seen in the relentless attacks on Wilde. Their lack of reprieve underscores the quote’s logic: forgiveness may signal weakness, while punishment reinforces social boundaries.
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“Attempts at character assassination occur when it is too conspicuous to pierce your target with a bullet.”
Jealousy is often the feeling responsible for this. Something just doesn't sit right and so the scrutiny begins, looking for every evidence, trail, or rumour that can confirm these suspicions. Deborah Bravandt’s quote (“What is the source of Character Assassination? Jealousy…”) external attacks, like those on Wilde stem from envy of their unique identities
Wilde’s id, the seat of primal desires, likely drove his pursuit of aesthetic pleasure and romantic relationships with men, which clashed with the Victorian population. The internalised moral standards condemning homosexuality as sinful. His ego, tasked with mediating between id and superego, initially managed this conflict through his flamboyant persona, which sublimated his desires into art and wit. However, the public exposure of his private life during the trials overwhelmed his ego, as societal judgment demanded punishment, leading to a collapse of his psychic balance.
Freudian theory frames character assassination as a superego assault on the ego, leading to unconscious guilt and life-threatening distress, as seen in the cases. Machiavelli's quote reinforces this by portraying such acts as malicious and unforgivable, aligning with Freud’s emphasis on the ego’s need for self-preservation against societal condemnation.
If Wild was alive today, my advice would be to remove himself voluntarily from society. Even though today he would face far less criticism. Removing yourself from the abuse sends a message. The message is you're no longer ok with the situation because of your self imposed value. This is extremely important as humans we often water down our identity to fit into spaces we'll regret eventually. Identity, in psychological terms, is a composite of self-concept, values, beliefs, desires, and social roles. Freud would frame it as the interplay of the id (authentic desires), ego (self-presentation), and superego (internalized societal norms). Existentially, identity is the authentic self, shaped by free choices and personal meaning, as per thinkers like Jean-Paul Sartre.The superego, representing societal norms, pressures the ego to suppress id-driven impulses to conform. For example, Wilde’s flamboyant identity clashed with Victorian morality, your curiosity and childlike approach clash with the masks people have had to grow up with. Solomon Asch’s conformity experiments (1950s) demonstrate how individuals alter behavior to align with group norms, even when they know it’s wrong.
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This mirrors the pressure to “water down” identity to avoid ostracism. Henri Tajfel’s theory suggests individuals derive self-esteem from group membership, prompting them to conform to group norms at the cost of personal identity. Watering down identity creates dissonance, resolved by either embracing conformity or reclaiming authenticity. The regret stems from resolving this dissonance in favour of conformity, as seen in Wilde’s post-prison exile, where he lamented his lost self.
Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs places belonging above self-actualisation, driving individuals to prioritise social acceptance over authenticity. Wilde’s initial efforts to charm Victorian society reflect this. The historical cases show severe consequences of non-conformity—imprisonment, execution, ostracism and judgement. Fear of such outcomes drives identity suppression, as seen in modern contexts like social media, where individuals self-censor to avoid “cancellation,” a modern form of character assassination.
Michel Foucault’s concept of disciplinary power explains how institutions (courts, media, society) enforce norms, compelling conformity. The media’s role in Wilde’s case pressured him to temper his flamboyance pre-trial. To avoid such attacks, individuals preemptively dilute their distinctiveness, fearing the “bullet” of character assassination. Wilde’s initial watering down of his identity (masking his sexuality with wit) failed to protect him from Victorian society’s superego, leading to character assassination and regret in De Profundis.
Machiavelli’s quote supports resisting forgiveness, as Wilde’s compromise invited further harm, aligning with the phrase’s warning against diluting identity. Prioritise authenticity, resisting Freud’s superego or Sartre’s bad faith. Regret stems from losing one’s ego strength, as seen in the historical figures’ psychological collapse. Conformity enables systems of character assassination, as Smith’s quote critiques. Resisting this through authenticity challenges oppressive norms, reducing the cycle of harm and regret. Social media, workplaces, family and cultural norms continue to demand identity dilution, leading to mental health issues (anxiety, depression) akin to the historical cases’ outcomes. The phrase’s importance lies in its call to resist, preventing regret and fostering resilience.
Author:
Campbell Kitts
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