By Barbara McAllister
Word of the Day: Ostracize
To ostracize someone is to banish or exile them from a society or group. Originally it was a political process in ancient Athens, by which any citizen, including political leaders, could be physically expelled by popular vote from the city-state for 10 years. Today it more likely refers to individuals ignored or excluded on social media sites.
In ancient Greece, ostraca were pottery shards used as ballots. Athenians voted at a popular assembly to banish a candidate by anonymously scratching his name on a piece of pottery, or ostracon. The process was meant as a safeguard against tyranny during the early days of democracy. Names of those thought to be potential tyrants or a danger to democracy could be banished from Athens for 10 years if they received 6,000 votes. Once a year, citizens would nominate people who they felt threatened democracy because of political views, dishonesty, or probably just general unpleasantness. Once the vote to ostracize was held, there was no possibility of appeal. The person was given 10 days to organize his affairs before leaving the city. If they refused to go or attempted to re-enter the city before the punishment had been completed, they were sentenced to death.
Names anonymously scratched on shards of pottery is not that dissimilar to anonymous comments or the like/unlike button on modern social media sites. Studies show it is part of our evolution to want to be connected to a social circle. Long-term ostracism, whether physical or conceptual, can lead to feelings of alienation, anger and depression. The ancient Greek method had the advantage that the ostracized person remained a citizen, kept his personal property, could still serve in public life and was able to return with his status intact after his sentence was complete. Today the internet has a global reach with the ability to amplify and permanently document negative opinions.
