Politics of Indirect Embarrassment

Thesis: Only members of oppressed, dispossessed, disenfranchised, and otherwise Other groups feel second-hand embarrassment.  That is, when one of their members does something that meets the negative stereotypes of the dominant culture, there is a sense of embarrassment among others in the group that are fighting the negative stereotype.

I see myself as a member of several groups, most of which are Othered in one way or another.  Punks, Communists, Latinos (sorta), Men (I'll make the argument more fully below), I see myself in solidarity with the working classes, although I wouldn't call myself a member, I'm definitely bourgeoisie in terms of social and economic class, I'm also pretty definitely White.

I feel embarrassment for others when: punks fulfill the worst stereotypes of obnoxious, selfish, drugged up and stupid.  Communists are either paranoid, stupid or "moon bats".  Latinos are lazy and smoke a lot of dope.  Working people are ignorant, conservative, and hawkish.

With men, since most of my friends/liberal East Coast American social group have cultural standards that demean macho men, macho men are definitely Othered in my social context as men.  Sincerely sexist commentary is embarrassing to me.

As far as bourgeois people and White people acting according to their worst negative stereotypes, it doesn't embarrass me, as much as make me angry (since their worst negative stereotypes are connected to their abuse of power).  Since acting stupid is not a part of the stereotype of the White bourgeoisie (since they have power), it isn't something that causes second-hand embarrassment.