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jhbandcats's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.5
For what this book is, it’s excellent, but I kept wanting more. I can’t really articulate what that “more” might be, however. I wanted Jon Ronson in my living room so I could ask him what he thought about the whole US political situation. (Joe Biden announced today he’s dropping out of the race.) Trump has repeatedly been publicly shamed and he’s proud of it - it’s part of his populist allure. Why do some people wither under public shaming and others thrive?
I was reminded of a chapter in Douglas Preston’s collection of non-fiction articles, The Lost Tomb, about the vitriolic hatred of Amanda Knox. She wasn’t shamed but the tide of rage against her was the same. (She isn’t mentioned in this book.)
Ronson’s premise is that with the internet, public shaming is everywhere and it’s worse than ever because it never goes away. Being literally pilloried ended in the mid-1800s (except in Delaware, it seems). After a few hours, the miscreants would be released, their punishment over, their shame gradually dissipating as they again walked among their disgusted neighbors.. Not so with the internet.
Ronson interviews shamers, people shamed, and people working in the shame “industry.” People who have been publicly shamed are more likely to be absolutely crushed by it. They feel their lives have been destroyed. This is a very sad book to read as a result. Should someone lose their best job ever because they made a stupid, ill-considered joke on social media?
It reminded me of the woman who called the cops on the Black birdwatcher in Central Park. People were horrified at her racist behavior that could have had deadly consequences. She was, I felt, appropriately shamed - she lost her job, her dog was taken away, life as she knew it was over. (This book was published before that incident.) But what she had done had a real victim, an actual person. When someone makes a stupid joke on the internet, there is no actual victim. Why then is the anonymous rage so overwhelming?
So much to think about here.
I was reminded of a chapter in Douglas Preston’s collection of non-fiction articles, The Lost Tomb, about the vitriolic hatred of Amanda Knox. She wasn’t shamed but the tide of rage against her was the same. (She isn’t mentioned in this book.)
Ronson’s premise is that with the internet, public shaming is everywhere and it’s worse than ever because it never goes away. Being literally pilloried ended in the mid-1800s (except in Delaware, it seems). After a few hours, the miscreants would be released, their punishment over, their shame gradually dissipating as they again walked among their disgusted neighbors.. Not so with the internet.
Ronson interviews shamers, people shamed, and people working in the shame “industry.” People who have been publicly shamed are more likely to be absolutely crushed by it. They feel their lives have been destroyed. This is a very sad book to read as a result. Should someone lose their best job ever because they made a stupid, ill-considered joke on social media?
It reminded me of the woman who called the cops on the Black birdwatcher in Central Park. People were horrified at her racist behavior that could have had deadly consequences. She was, I felt, appropriately shamed - she lost her job, her dog was taken away, life as she knew it was over. (This book was published before that incident.) But what she had done had a real victim, an actual person. When someone makes a stupid joke on the internet, there is no actual victim. Why then is the anonymous rage so overwhelming?
So much to think about here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Outing, Gaslighting, and Classism
vegantrav's review
4.0
typical Jon Ronson nonfiction: engaging, fascinating, at times humorous, though-provoking, written in a pleasant, conversational style
addresses the the issue of people who are attacked and shamed on the internet for their mistakes, their bad jokes, their faux pas, and their petty crimes (focuses particularly on Jonah Lehrer and Justine Sacco)
also provides some good analysis of the nature of shame, why we shame others, and the harmful effects of shaming
quick, easy, extremely interesting read
addresses the the issue of people who are attacked and shamed on the internet for their mistakes, their bad jokes, their faux pas, and their petty crimes (focuses particularly on Jonah Lehrer and Justine Sacco)
also provides some good analysis of the nature of shame, why we shame others, and the harmful effects of shaming
quick, easy, extremely interesting read
pennsnape's review
5.0
4.5 stars. Wow, I couldn't put this book down, it's so thought provoking. It's left me wary of my own footprint on social media. It's also changed my opinion completely on public shaming. Well written food for thought.
aqsa_ayman's review against another edition
3.0
There were some really interesting case studies in here. Ronson looks at at a diverse set of people, some who actually did immoral things as well as those who just shared distasteful jokes that spiralled, and especially how they reacted to the shamings. Every time he thinks he might have a plausible reason for why some people can be shamed so much more than others, he meets another person who makes him rethink his hypothesis. I really liked that about the book, as well as the fact that Ronson has quite a Louis Theroux vibe to him. And starting the book off with his personal experience of being trolled by a spambot was brilliant.
I just don't know what happened towards the end. I kept drifting off and losing focus, maybe because it began to feel samey. There are plenty of memorable stories here, and the reminder to think about the repercussions when spreading hate around the internet (even though it'll never feel like hate at the time) was sorely needed, but I can't say that the details of the book will stay with me.
I just don't know what happened towards the end. I kept drifting off and losing focus, maybe because it began to feel samey. There are plenty of memorable stories here, and the reminder to think about the repercussions when spreading hate around the internet (even though it'll never feel like hate at the time) was sorely needed, but I can't say that the details of the book will stay with me.