Awkwardness

Book excerpt: Awkwardness offers an overview of the psychology and philosophy of awkwardness, addressing questions like, Why do social interactions become awkward, and why does it matter? What can awkwardness teach us about the gaps in our understanding of the world and of each other? Drawing on the psychology of emotion and social norms, Alexandra Plakias posits a theory of awkwardness and explains how it differs from other self-conscious emotions like embarassment. Plakias explores the reasons why we find awkwardness so unpleasant, and shows how our desire to avoid it leads to negative moral and social consequences. Along the way, this book touches on topics like awkward pauses, cringe comedy, and the question of whether some people are more awkward than others.