Shame is the belief "I am a bad person" It comes with a sinking feeling in the gut, unable to meet anyone's gaze, a wish to dig a hole, jump in, and pull the hole in after you.

I have the hallmarks of shame. Crappy self esteem. A mantra machine that whispers derogatory things in my head. (Loser...Who do you think you are...why do you try...incompetent...I knew you couldn't...Failure...) Feel that I ought to be punished. (But no clue for what...)

I am broken. Incomplete as a human being. But I don't say that in a voice of self pity and shame, but as a matter of fact statement, that I can back up with a reasonable case.

I know what shame is. The good nuns and priests of St. Mary's school saw that I understood the nature of sin, and my total lack of any value in the eyes of God. But while I show the hallmarks of shame in my personality, I don't feel shame. I feel other emotions to some degree. but currently, no shame.

I don't even feel ashamed of not feeling shame! {joke, admittedly feeble..}

Can a Part subsume an entire emotion? Is there some part that is doing all the shame stuff for me?