Glossary
The following Glossary of Terms is included so that you will have an unambiguous understanding of our posting language.
Note: This list will undoubtably expand over time so please check back occasionally for the latest updates.
Honor and Shame Archive Glossary
Accountability
The obligation of individuals or institutions to accept responsibility for their actions and decisions.
Activism
Efforts to promote, impede, or direct social, political, economic, or environmental change.
Authoritarianism
A form of government characterized by strong central power and limited political freedoms.
Bias
A tendency, inclination, or prejudice toward or against something or someone.
Blow the Whistle
To expose wrongdoing, misconduct, or unethical behavior within an organization.
Censorship
The suppression or prohibition of speech, public communication, or other information.
Civic Courage
Bravery shown in standing up for the public good, especially in the face of personal risk.
Civil Rights
The rights of citizens to political and social freedom and equality.
Clicktivism
Using social media or online platforms to support a cause with minimal effort or commitment.
Conflict of Interest
A situation where a person or organization has competing interests or loyalties.
Conscience
An inner sense of what is morally right or wrong in one's conduct or motives.
Corruption
Dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery.
Courage
The ability to do something that frightens one; bravery.
Cover-Up
An attempt to prevent people from discovering the truth about a serious mistake or crime.
Credibility
The quality of being trusted and believed in.
Defamation
The act of damaging someone's reputation through false statements.
Demagogue
A political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular desires rather than using rational argument.
Disinformation
False information spread deliberately to deceive.
Dissent
The expression or holding of opinions opposed to those commonly or officially held.
Due Process
Fair treatment through the normal judicial system, especially as a citizen's entitlement.
Ethics
Moral principles that govern a person's behavior or conducting of an activity.
Fact-Checking
The process of verifying factual assertions in non-fictional text.
Fake News
False or misleading information presented as news.
Freedom of the Press
The right of media organizations to publish the news without government restriction.
Genocide
The deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group.
Good Faith
Honesty or sincerity of intention in conduct.
Heroism
Great bravery, especially in the face of danger or adversity.
Honor
High respect; esteem; a privilege earned through integrity or brave actions.
Human Rights
Rights that every human is entitled to simply by being human.
Hypocrisy
The practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform.
Impunity
Exemption from punishment or freedom from the consequences of an action.
Integrity
The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.
Justice
Just behavior or treatment; the quality of being fair and reasonable.
Kangaroo Court
An unofficial court that disregards recognized standards of law or justice.
Leadership
The action of leading a group of people or an organization.
Malfeasance
Wrongdoing, especially by a public official.
Misconduct
Unacceptable or improper behavior by a professional person.
Misinformation
False or inaccurate information, especially that which is deliberately intended to deceive.
Moral Courage
The courage to take action for moral reasons despite the risk of adverse consequences.
Narrative Control
Efforts to influence or dominate the public's perception of an event or idea.
Nepotism
Favoritism granted to relatives regardless of merit.
Obfuscation
The act of making something obscure, unclear, or unintelligible, often to mislead.
Oppression
Prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or control.
Patriotism
Devotion to and vigorous support for one's country.
Perjury
The offense of willfully telling an untruth in a court after having taken an oath.
Philanthropy
The desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed through generous donations or actions.
Plagiarism
The practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own.
Political Courage
The willingness of a public official to make decisions based on principle, even at personal or political cost.
Propaganda
Information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view.
pTags
Short for Pseudo Tag; Substack does not provide normal Tags functionality (see Tags below), so we have defined pTags to provide some of the functionality that you would expect from s normal Tags system.
Public Shaming
The act of criticizing someone publicly for wrongdoing or unethical behavior.
Reform
The action of improving an institution or practice by making changes.
Reputation
The beliefs or opinions that are generally held about someone or something.
Resignation in Protest
Voluntarily leaving a position due to moral or ethical objections.
Retaliation
Revenge or punishment in response to an action, often for whistleblowing or dissent.
Sanctimony
Pretended or hypocritical righteousness or piety.
Scandal
An action or event regarded as morally or legally wrong, causing public outrage.
Shame
A painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior.
Slacktivism
Supporting a cause with minimal effort, typically through social media actions.
Smear Campaign
A plan to discredit someone through the spread of false or exaggerated information.
Social Justice
Justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society.
Spin
A biased interpretation of an event or information to influence public perception.
Subversion
The act of undermining the power and authority of an established system or institution.
Tags
Short keywords or phrases used to categorize and organize content. Tags help users find related topics quickly and improve navigation by grouping similar items across a website or database. The Substack platform does not provide standard Tags functionality but we have implemented pTags (Pseudo Tags) which act similar to a Tag.
Testimony
A formal written or spoken statement, especially one given in a court of law.
Transparency
Openness, accountability, and honesty in public and private institutions.
Treason
The crime of betraying one's country, especially by attempting to kill or overthrow the government.
Tribute
An act, statement, or gift that is intended to show gratitude, respect, or admiration.
Truth-Telling
Speaking the truth, especially in a situation where it is difficult or dangerous to do so.
Valor
Great courage in the face of danger, especially in battle.
Vindication
The action of clearing someone of blame or suspicion.
Virtue Signaling
Public expression of opinions intended to demonstrate one's good character or moral correctness.
Watchdog
A person or group that monitors the activities of others to ensure ethical conduct.
Whistleblower
A person who informs on a person or organization engaged in illicit activity.
Witch Hunt
A campaign directed against a person or group holding unorthodox or unpopular views.
Wrongdoing
Illegal or dishonest behavior.
Zealotry
Fanatical and uncompromising pursuit of religious, political, or other ideals.