
About this episode
Sean Illing discusses the complexities of self-forgiveness with philosopher Myisha Cherry.
It’s easy to forgive other people because you don’t have to live inside their head. Forgiving yourself is different and much, much harder. Sean Illing is joined by philosopher Myisha Cherry to talk about what it actually means to forgive yourself without letting yourself off the hook. They discuss the difference between guilt and shame (one can push you to repair, while the other just makes you want to hide), why even small screwups can leave a lingering moral aftertaste, and how regret can either trap you in self-reproach or become fuel for doing better. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling) Guest: Myisha Cherry (@myishacherry) We would love to hear from you. To tell us what you thought of this episode, email us at thegrayarea@vox.com or leave us a voicemail at 1-800-214-5749. Your comments and questions help us make a better show. And you can watch new episodes of The Gray Area on YouTube. New episodes drop every Monday and Friday. Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
People in this episode
Host: Sean Illing
Guest: Myisha Cherry
Topics covered
- forgiveness
- guilt
- shame
- regret
- self-improvement
- philosophy
Keywords
- forgive yourself
- guilt
- shame
- moral aftertaste
- self-reproach
- regret
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Vox
More episodes of The Gray Area with Sean Illing
- The people who want AI to replace us · June 12, 2026 · 49 min
- Understanding our dreams · June 8, 2026 · 48 min
- Do we really need to work so hard? · June 1, 2026 · 42 min
- The post-sex generation · May 29, 2026 · 48 min
- Talk to strangers · May 25, 2026 · 53 min
- Who needs experts? · May 22, 2026 · 49 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Gray Area with Sean Illing podcast page.