Humiliation is a punishment or act which is designed to attack the victims’ identity.
Embarrassment is self inflicted while humiliation is meted out by the perpetrator, or set up by an unfortunate set of circumstances. It is traumatic and lays down repressed scars in the psyche.
It is a part of our primitive brain which keeps the top of the heirarchy dominating those lower down. Being humiliated is linked to powerlessness. It keeps those lower down the chain in place. In torture it is a big part of the stripping away of the identity of the victim. 

Did it play a part  in the Brexit vote? A section of the community who feel marginalised and humiliated hit back. The anger and hurt popped out in a way which was unrelated to the original hurt. 
Even if it is sabotaging and detrimental to that part of the community. The helpless anger triggered by the impact of the humiliation was the bigger force. Maybe this explains the idea that Brexit was not a vote against Europe. But an expression of pent up anger of the humiliated. 

After WW1 Germany was punished and humiliated. The anger and shame of this humilliation created a rage fuelling WW2. The study of humiliation shows that it plays a big part in war conflict across the world.
Humiliation is a part of us: how we are made. But its consequences are dangerous. 

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Disclaimer: This weblog is the view of the writer and for general information only
This article is designed to provoke argument and critique