In a recent piece on his YouTube channel, professor of philosophy Hans-Georg Moeller argues that we have seen a recent rise in the use of the word “cringe” to describe a new, online form of embarrassment. Cringe has elements of shame in it, but is distinct in that it is an embarrassment “by proxy.” It is the feeling that you get when you experience someone else who has unintentionally embarrassed themselves through something they have posted online.

It is a form of shame, but one experienced on behalf of others rather than experienced directly through one’s own actions. Moeller compares this to a German term that has also become popular in recent years as well—fremdschämen—which literally refers to “friend shame”—shame for your friends.

One of the central examples of cringe that Moeller uses is one from the recent Black Lives Matter protests where a group of white celebrities each recorded short videos of themselves taking account for........

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