Do We Share a Moral Order?

doi:10.1017/9781009493741.009

Chapter 6 - Do We Share a Moral Order?

The Inevitability of Blame and Its Hostile Emotions

from Part II - Hostile Antagonistic Political Emotions

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 May 2026

James M. Jasper

Edited by

Lucy Osler and

Thomas Szanto

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Lucy Osler: Affiliation:
University of Exeter
Thomas Szanto: Affiliation:
University of Flensburg

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Summary

Blame and indignation are an inevitable part of politics, central to motivating participation. They identify villains whom we loath and fear and attempt to defeat or constrain. In a world of disagreement and politics, these hostile emotions are strategically useful whether or not they are morally justified. This is especially true in a society that lacks a shared moral foundation, which I fear is more hope than reality. One category of emotions consist of long-run affective commitments, including both feelings towards groups and sources of moral admiration and disapproval. These emotions are impossible to dismiss as irrational. I examine both ‘hate groups’ and anti-hate groups to show that they are both driven by affective commitments, closely tied to cognitive elaboration. If nothing else, hostile emotions towards outsiders or scapegoats may strengthen the collective identity of one’s own group.

Keywords

blame indignation affective commitments moral order hate groups

Information

Type: Chapter
Information: For, Against, Together
Rethinking Antagonistic Political Emotions
, pp. 128 - 144
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009493741.009 [Opens in a new window]
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2026

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