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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
aqtbenz's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and Sexual harassment
samarakroeger's review against another edition
4.0
I think this is fascinating as an examination of public twitter shamings in the early 2010s, a very-much pre #metoo era of social media and discourse. The people in here had their lives ruined by a minor or moderate mistake that was unfortunately captured online and amplified by a crowd of strangers who faced no consequences.
I especially appreciated the parts about the absolute ineffectiveness of prisons. Shame is a counterproductive emotion in most scenarios.
Personally, I think that #metoo is public shaming at its most effective — and that is because it is focused on empowering victims, not just randos.
I know he recently wrote an updated afterword, but that wasn’t in my edition :(
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide
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
sam_rm94's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty
Moderate: Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, 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
avasbookmark's review against another edition
4.25
Moderate: Mental illness, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual harassment
alexianovoa's review against another edition
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Animal cruelty
christinacarrig's review against another edition
4.25
Minor: Bullying and Suicidal thoughts