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jenmangler's review against another edition
2.0
Started off quite interesting and then petered out into not much of anything. Ronson raised some really interesting questions but often didn't pursue them.
mrbrownsays's review against another edition
4.0
Very good book and he reads it well in the audiobook version. I knew most (possibly all) the anecdotes which rather makes his point for him.
lethaldose's review against another edition
5.0
This book was so interesting. Exploring the effects public shaming has had on those that have been shamed, looking a how and if they ever recover. Jon Ronson explores how we have used shaming in the past even reaching back to the Stanford Prison Experiment. Every story he tells here is interesting and thought provoking. After reading this it may change how your react and treat people over social media. I am curious to see if this book has any long terms affects on me
the_sunken_library's review
4.0
An interesting read. While some criticise Ronson of not having a focus, of a meandering narrative with no real "discovery" or message at the end i feel they have missed the point of this book, sadly. This is an exploration of us as humans; as individuals and as a faceless collective. It is always truly terrifying to discover the lengths "normal humans" will go to if they can be one in a crowd.
Ronson discusses with honesty and humour the destruction of people via social media, for what are in general minor transgressions. A crap joke, a photo taken in jest. He looks at why these situations blew up and how/if the focus of the Internet's inevitable venom and bile survived/recovered.
Ronson is a journalist, he's here to discuss and open our minds not tell us how to think. For me, this book will make me think twice before i simply witness or actively join in on a public shaming - i will relax, breath and think "is this really that bad?" are these people really the monsters twitter/Facebook etc makes them out to be.
Whats scary recently is that the internet and social justice is silencing so many voices. Telling people to not be themselves or suffer the consequences. Its censorship through shame and its something we must confront if we wish to stop it.
Ronson discusses with honesty and humour the destruction of people via social media, for what are in general minor transgressions. A crap joke, a photo taken in jest. He looks at why these situations blew up and how/if the focus of the Internet's inevitable venom and bile survived/recovered.
Ronson is a journalist, he's here to discuss and open our minds not tell us how to think. For me, this book will make me think twice before i simply witness or actively join in on a public shaming - i will relax, breath and think "is this really that bad?" are these people really the monsters twitter/Facebook etc makes them out to be.
Whats scary recently is that the internet and social justice is silencing so many voices. Telling people to not be themselves or suffer the consequences. Its censorship through shame and its something we must confront if we wish to stop it.
nerv_atz's review against another edition
4.0
a pretty cool book that views public shaming from both sides but you need to keep in mind that this book was written in 2014. so i might say some things are a little outdated.
dunnadam's review against another edition
4.0
The book got me thinking, which I appreciated. It's the kind of book that you end up reading out loud to your spouse and co-workers and stay up late reading. At the start of the book a lot of the shamings were outrageous which got me talking and thinking, and we surrounded by interesting history on public shaming in general. As the book went on the shamings became more shall we say deserved, and the analysis seemed to lessen. Much of the second half of the book is taken up with things like Ronson attending a seminar on how to lose your shame which dissolved into anarchy and kind of proved nothing.
There's no neat bows on this package, no easy answers. It got me thinking about shame, what is my part. For example James Frey, I read two of his books before the scandal and enjoyed them, none after. He didn't commit a crime, I think he should still be able to write and publish, but if I personally still hold a grudge and refuse to read the new work am I contributing to the shame circle? When someone does something wrong, as we all do, what is the process for letting go? I need just a little bit more answers, still enjoyed the book very much.
There's no neat bows on this package, no easy answers. It got me thinking about shame, what is my part. For example James Frey, I read two of his books before the scandal and enjoyed them, none after. He didn't commit a crime, I think he should still be able to write and publish, but if I personally still hold a grudge and refuse to read the new work am I contributing to the shame circle? When someone does something wrong, as we all do, what is the process for letting go? I need just a little bit more answers, still enjoyed the book very much.