Book Review

The Honor Code: How Moral Revolutions Happen
By Kwame Anthony Appiah

While The Honor Code makes some important points, it strains to fill out its slim 225 pages. The main point presented here would be more fittingly presented in a long essay rather than a short book. Mr. Appiah looks at three cases; dueling, footbinding and the Atlantic slave trade, to make his case that immoral practices rarely end because of overwhelming moral arguments. Instead, the deciding factor is whether an immoral practice, and its participants, is exposed to ridicule, contempt or shaming. If those who participate in a practice believe that they can do so with pride and dignity, and the practice benefits them, then it is unlikely to end. While the book could have been more well written, I believe the argument that is set forth is solid; shame and ridicule are usually more effective tools in changing behavior than moral or ethical arguments.
As activists, we should keep this point in mind. Very often we get caught up in making complicated moral arguments and forget that most people are more likely to be driven by what their neighbors think of them. When making arguments against various forms of animal abuse we should keep in mind that very the best argument is often that those engaged in the abuses should be ashamed.