--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Gawker thrived on embarrassment and…" description: "\"Gawker thrived on embarrassment and shame, seeking to demolish not just celebrities or politicians but average random people whose sins it would expose..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81e/ben-domenech-4128_journalism_gawker-thrived-on-embarrassment-and-sham_268207.jpg" --- # Gawker thrived on embarrassment and shame, seeking to… ![“Gawker thrived on embarrassment and shame, seeking to demolish not just celebrities or politicians but average random people whose sins it would expose for traffic and commenters who gloried in its actions.” quote by Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81e/ben-domenech-4128_journalism_gawker-thrived-on-embarrassment-and-sham_268207.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81e/ben-domenech-4128_journalism_gawker-thrived-on-embarrassment-and-sham_268207.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81e/ben-domenech-4128_journalism_gawker-thrived-on-embarrassment-and-sham_268207.jpg) > “Gawker thrived on embarrassment and shame, seeking to demolish not just celebrities or politicians but average random people whose sins it would expose for traffic and commenters who gloried in its actions.” [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The outlet thrived on exposing private flaws, targeting anyone for sensationalism and audience amusement. **In simple terms:** Gawker exploited shame for clicks. Key Takeaway Beware sensationalist media. Themes media ethics privacy celebrity culture Mood critical reflective Type media ethical When to use this quote - online commentary - celebrity scandals - public shaming Key Concepts tabloid journalism digital outrage Questions to Reflect On - Is exposing private lives ever justified? - How does shame‑based content affect public discourse? A Different Perspective Risk of undermining trust; may cause real harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politicians/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Shame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame/) ## Related quotes > [There is no shame in therapy, no shame in seeking help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-fletcher/there-is-no-shame-in-therapy-no-shame-in-seeking-help/) [Tom Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-fletcher/) > [There is no need to suffer silently and there is no shame in seeking help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-no-need-to-suffer-silently-and-there-is-no-shame-in-seeking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gawker was a site built to destroy lives. Its mission was to discover the worst moment in a person's life - and then publicize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/gawker-was-a-site-built-to-destroy-lives-its-mission-was-to-discover/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [There was a rivalry - and some pie-throwing. But that was probably because Gawker and Radar had more in common than they wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/there-was-a-rivalry-and-some-pie-throwing-but-that-was-probably/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [Henry Blodget does occasionally have a new idea. If you're making a point about aggregation or the emptiness of modern journalism, he's far from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/henry-blodget-does-occasionally-have-a-new-idea-if-you-re-making-a/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [There's tremendous SEO value in Gawker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-cernovich/there-s-tremendous-seo-value-in-gawker/) [Mike Cernovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-cernovich/) > [Gawker started out speaking the truth to power, and then it became about bullying anyone who didn't conform to their social justice orthodoxy. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-cernovich/gawker-started-out-speaking-the-truth-to-power-and-then-it-became/) [Mike Cernovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-cernovich/) > [I can't go on Gawker. I actually think the writing is really funny, but there is a chance that somebody is undercutting me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zooey-deschanel/i-can-t-go-on-gawker-i-actually-think-the-writing-is-really-funny-but/) [Zooey Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zooey-deschanel/) > [Critics say Internet advertising suffers from limitless inventory, which depresses prices. These exclusive front-page sponsorships are not limitless. If HBO doesn't move quickly enough,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/critics-say-internet-advertising-suffers-from-limitless-inventory/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [Is there Gawker ethics? I mean, I guess there's Gawker ethics. It's a dangerous thing to talk about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/is-there-gawker-ethics-i-mean-i-guess-there-s-gawker-ethics-it-s-a/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [I regret the stories we didn't do - the stories that we knew about and talked about but didn't have all of, so didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/i-regret-the-stories-we-didn-t-do-the-stories-that-we-knew-about-and/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) > [“If you don't want to be a gawker, you've gotta join the circus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-califa/if-you-don-t-want-to-be-a-gawker-you-ve-gotta-join-the-circus/) Patrick Califa > [I was a fly on the wall at Gawker Media during the heyday of this thing called blogging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-pilon/i-was-a-fly-on-the-wall-at-gawker-media-during-the-heyday-of-this/) [Mary Pilon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-pilon/) > [I have a very clear perception what the Internet is in my mind. I'm free. I'm not defined by what they say is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-drudge/i-have-a-very-clear-perception-what-the-internet-is-in-my-mind-i-m/) [Matt Drudge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-drudge/) > [Three-quarters of our sites - Kotaku, Gawker, Jezebel, Deadspin, Gizmodo, Lifehacker - are led by editors who built their careers within Gawker Media. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-denton/three-quarters-of-our-sites-kotaku-gawker-jezebel-deadspin-gizmodo/) [Nick Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-denton/) ## More by Ben Domenech > [In a healthy republic, there is a need for figures who understand that the presidency is not the be-all and end-all of the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/in-a-healthy-republic-there-is-a-need-for-figures-who-understand-that/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [Much of the media failed to anticipate the potential Trump represented as a disruptive populist force, understand why his supporters trusted him, or offer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/much-of-the-media-failed-to-anticipate-the-potential-trump/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [Engaging in a sycophantic way with any politician in the short term is tempting. 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But their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/when-barack-obama-arrived-in-washington-many-in-the-media-welcomed/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [I think what it really means is a recognition that Donald Trump has the potential to take over the Republican Party and change it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/i-think-what-it-really-means-is-a-recognition-that-donald-trump-has/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [And for those of us who have, you know, looked in sort of the established order of the political fray over the course of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/and-for-those-of-us-who-have-you-know-looked-in-sort-of-the/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [It used to be you could just write vaguely conservative things while running a Starbucks - now, you can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/it-used-to-be-you-could-just-write-vaguely-conservative-things-while/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [It is unhealthy to live in an environment where every aspect of our culture requires a great sort, where creative talents are for some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/it-is-unhealthy-to-live-in-an-environment-where-every-aspect-of-our/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [Writers who do great work must be coddled and encouraged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/writers-who-do-great-work-must-be-coddled-and-encouraged/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [I will not apologize ever, for any reason, for publishing the views of people who don't make a living in politics about why they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/i-will-not-apologize-ever-for-any-reason-for-publishing-the-views-of/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [The first time I watched 'The Magnificent Seven' on TV on a Sunday afternoon, I knew it was going to be a different kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/the-first-time-i-watched-the-magnificent-seven-on-tv-on-a-sunday/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [The government in Havana is best understood as a cross between violent left-wing radicals and organized crime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/the-government-in-havana-is-best-understood-as-a-cross-between/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [We all consume Netflix and other streaming services in different ways. 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He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/when-i-was-much-younger-my-siblings-and-i-would-routinely-tune-in-to/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [Racist assumptions, ethnolinguistic assumptions of inferiority or superiority, are as old as mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/racist-assumptions-ethnolinguistic-assumptions-of-inferiority-or/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) [Explore all 115 Ben Domenech quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) ## More Journalism quotes > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Having small children and being an investigative reporter would seem like a difficult mix, but it worked well for me. I was often working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-abramson/having-small-children-and-being-an-investigative-reporter-would-seem/) [Jill Abramson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-abramson/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [One lesson to learn is that the press and the broadcasters are not neutral. And it seems we have to learn it each time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-loach/one-lesson-to-learn-is-that-the-press-and-the-broadcasters-are-not/) [Ken Loach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-loach/) > [If you want to change something by Tuesday, theater is no good. Journalism is what does that. But, if you want to just alter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/if-you-want-to-change-something-by-tuesday-theater-is-no-good/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Newspapers have an extraordinary amount of local content, including real estate listings and restaurant reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimbal-musk/newspapers-have-an-extraordinary-amount-of-local-content-including/) [Kimbal Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimbal-musk/) > [If, for instance, they have heard something from the postman, they attribute it to a semi-official statement; if they have fallen into conversation with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/if-for-instance-they-have-heard-something-from-the-postman-they/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [In essence, I see the value of journalism as resting in a twofold mission: informing the public of accurate and vital information, and its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/in-essence-i-see-the-value-of-journalism-as-resting-in-a-twofold/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Drill in exact translation is an excellent way of disposing the mind against that looseness and exaggeration with which the sensationalists have corrupted our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-weaver/drill-in-exact-translation-is-an-excellent-way-of-disposing-the-mind/) [Richard M. 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They're getting news wrapped up in opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-samuels/people-think-they-re-getting-objective-information-but-they-re-not/) [Lynn Samuels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-samuels/) [Browse all 8,189 Journalism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Gawker thrived on embarrassment and shame, seeking to demolish not just celebrities or politicians but average random people whose sins it would expose for traffic and commenters who gloried in its actions.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Domenech" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/gawker-thrived-on-embarrassment-and-shame-seeking-to-demolish-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Journalism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/gawker-thrived-on-embarrassment-and-shame-seeking-to-demolish-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81e/ben-domenech-4128_journalism_gawker-thrived-on-embarrassment-and-sham_268207.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81e/ben-domenech-4128_journalism_gawker-thrived-on-embarrassment-and-sham_268207.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81e/ben-domenech-4128_journalism_gawker-thrived-on-embarrassment-and-sham_268207.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Gawker thrived on embarrassment and shame, seeking to demolish not just celebrities or politicians but…” — Ben Domenech", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ben Domenech", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Gawker thrived on embarrassment and shame,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/gawker-thrived-on-embarrassment-and-shame-seeking-to-demolish-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/gawker-thrived-on-embarrassment-and-shame-seeking-to-demolish-not/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```