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jhbandcats's review against another edition
4.5
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.
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Outing, Gaslighting, and Classism
rory_john14's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Antisemitism, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Police brutality, Murder, Pregnancy, Outing, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Torture, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and War
byelingual_kegan's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Addiction and Alcoholism
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, and Gaslighting
aqtbenz's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and Sexual harassment
kunma's review against another edition
5.0
I'm definitely going to be thinking about this for a long time
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
gimbal's review against another edition
4.25
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Suicide
daniellekat's review against another edition
1.25
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
a_reader_of_book's review against another edition
5.0
Ronson discusses many different cases of public shaming, often trying to illuminate both sides of the issue equally. I seriously commend him for this! Instead of making quick judgements, he seeks answers and understanding. I think a lot of us need to use this as an example for ourselves, especially nowadays. I found myself literally dropping my jaw in shock while reading many of the chapters. From the historical use of public shaming, to various scientific studies of human behavior, to deeply personal narratives of regret, Ronson highlights the many aspects of shame and the very real repercussions. I could honestly go on and on about this book. If you are looking for a compelling non-fiction read, this is it!
While I connected to all of SYBPS, the last few pages describing the feedback loops utilized online really says it all for me:
"...they're turning social media into 'a giant echo chamber where what we believe is constantly reinforced by people who believe the same thing.' ...'It locks people off in the world they started with and prevents them from finding out anything different. They get trapped in the system of feedback reinforcement. The idea that there is another world of other people who have other ideas is marginalized in our lives.' ...We see ourselves as nonconformists, but I think all of this is creating a more conformist, conservative age. ...We are defining the boundaries of normality by tearing apart the people outside it."
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Sexual content and Sexual harassment
cielthedeal's review against another edition
4.0
I'd rate it a 5 on exploring the complex emotions of shame and how we (society both on and offline) inflict it. The book didn't go where I thought it would and really explores the nuances in shame as a punishment in formal (legal cases) and informal (online) settings - interviewing people who are both the perpetrator (victim of shame?) and the judge.
But then I'd rate it a 3 on the "off the paved path" tracks the book takes. Sometimes Ronson goes off his main message and I think we're going somewhere interesting, and then it turns out the end of the road is not at all related to the original idea or theme and I'm like, how did I end up here?
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Suicide, Antisemitism, Car accident, and Murder
christinacarrig's review against another edition
4.25
Minor: Bullying and Suicidal thoughts