In the book "A Complicated Kindness" by Miriam Toews, the quote highlights a character who is obsessed with shame, treating it as something to be traded or distributed rather than experienced personally. This person seems to spread feelings of guilt or embarrassment like a dealer, engaging in the act of sharing shame without actually feeling it themselves.

The quote emphasizes the paradoxical nature of this character’s relationship with shame—they manipulate it as a currency, possibly to influence others or hide their true feelings. Ultimately, it underscores a disconnection from genuine emotion, viewing shame as a commodity rather than an internal experience.