Ariana+C’s+Final+AmEx+Speech+2016

So when I was in 2nd grade I went to Chris Kalpaca’s birthday party. I had the biggest crush on Dylan Tamburri. While we were “flirting”...or what I thought flirting was as a 7 year old, we were jumping at Pump it Up when I heard a loud rip and a felt a breeze. “Uh...I can see your Beauty & the Beast undies…” said Dylan. Being embarrassed as hell, I ran out of the room crying. I eventually went to the front office, and found myself getting my pants stapled together by an employee.
 * Embrace Your Embarrassment **

So, you’re probably wondering why I just embarrassed myself in front of a whole crowd by telling this story. In the moment it was the most humiliating thing that ever happened to me, but now, I realize it was a blessing in disguise. Although it’s people's worst nightmares, embarrassment is vital. It actually signifies than an individual's values are inline with his or her society’s values. When taking a step out of the “social norm” the embarrassed reaction is a way to portray an individual's desire to conform back to the standards of society.

Most of us see embarrassment as a negative, unpleasant emotion full of blushing and clammy hands, but what people fail to understand are the positive effects of embarrassments and how it actually improves you as a human. And if you don’t believe me that spitting your food out while talking to your crush, or aggressively pulling a door when it obviously says in huge letters “PUSH” isn’t great for your wellbeing, then look at the scientific evidence to back it up. According to Independent.com, a sociologist named Erving Goffman performed a study in the 1950s and theorized that embarrassment plays a role in human evolution. Goffman states, “When people get embarrassed, they often hang their heads, act nervously and avert their gaze - actions that resemble submissive behaviors in non-human animals, which help to avert harsh or aggressive reactions.” Also in his study, he concluded that these types of behaviors in humans signal that people were willing to develop long-term bonds with each other. Other studies have been done, according to Psychologytoday.com, where a series of tests were performed to examine the characteristics of individuals who shared their most humiliating moments. The results showed that people who displayed more embarrassment were viewed as significantly more trustworthy and generous compared to an average person who is egotistical and pretends like they’ve never accidentally double tapped someone else’s instagram post from 3 years ago.

In my opinion, the importance of embarrassment isn’t truly portrayed until it occurs right in front of us. So I thought it would be a smart idea (with the permission of these individuals) to share some of the most humiliating stories of APUSH students.

When Sarah was younger she was quite gullible. Her older brother lied to her and convinced her this small rock was magical. Most kids would normally cherish it or show it off to their friends. Instead, Sarah thought it would be smart to shove the whole rock up her nose. I’m not sure what was going through her mind, but the moment her mom found out was most likely embarrassing...but not as embarrassing as when Brooklyn was running and fell into a sewer hole. “I literally showered for like 3 days straight after that” said Brooklyn. Although, there’s two students in this class who didn’t necessarily fall into the sewer waste, but actually produced it...in public.

When Emma was...well I probably shouldn’t say her age since this wasn’t too long ago, she had to pee so badly. As she told me, “When you get to the point when you’re about to pee your pants, it consumes your whole body and you don’t know what to do.” So, as expected, she peed her pants, in the back corner of a department store since her full bladder had officially “consumed” her. But the most important part of an embarrassing moment is how you play it off right? Eventually Emma proceeded to get paper towels and pretend like she spilled water.

Josh...our next victim. I wanted to save the best, well grossest, for last. When josh was little he was playing in a playground. I’m not going to fluff up this story because it is what it is. Josh shit on the playground. After, another kid picked it up and said “wow, look at this cool rock.” Hopefully Sarah won’t shove THAT up her nose. Josh, with blushed cheeks, felt the pure emotion of embarrassment.

I want to grow old in an America that embraces embarrassment and realizes it’s one of the healthiest emotions. I want to see people get embarrassed all the time..multiple times a day. It plays a role in human evolution. The world needs people to get humiliated. It’s a tool to display our generosity and trustworthiness. So remember, if any of you guys ever rip your pants at one of Chris Kalpaca’s birthday parties, embrace your embarrassment and staple your pants with pride.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/levoleague/2012/02/28/ever-wish-you-felt-less-embarrassed-onstage-turns-out-embarrassment-might-be-playing-in-your-favor/#449e4d2c3dba http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/why-embarrassment-is-a-healthy-emotion-a6754826.html https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/intense-emotions-and-strong-feelings/201112/embarrassment
 * Sources **