So You've Been Publicly Shamed

By: Jon Ronson

Narrated by: Jon Ronson

From the Sunday Times top ten best-selling author of The Psychopath Test, a captivating and brilliant exploration of one of our world's most underappreciated forces: shame.

"It's about the terror, isn't it?"

"The terror of what?" I said.

"The terror of being found out."

For the past three years, Jon Ronson has travelled the world, meeting recipients of high-profile public shamings. The shamed are people like us - people who, say, made jokes on social media that came out badly or made mistakes at work. Once their transgressions were revealed, collective outrage circled with the force of a hurricane, and the next thing they knew they were being torn apart by an angry mob, jeered, demonized, sometimes even fired from their jobs.

A great renaissance of public shaming is sweeping our land. Justice has been democratized. The silent majority are getting a voice. But what are we doing with our voice? We are mercilessly finding people's faults. We are defining the boundaries of normality by ruining the lives of those outside it. We are using shame as a form of social control.

Simultaneously powerful and hilarious in the way only Jon Ronson can be, So You've Been Publicly Shamed is a deeply honest book about modern life, full of eye-opening truths about the escalating war on human flaws - and the very scary part we all play in it.

Jon Ronson is an award-winning writer and documentary maker. He is the author of two best sellers, Them: Adventures with Extremists and The Men Who Stare at Goats, and two collections Out of the Ordinary: True Tales of Everyday Craziness and What I Do: More True Tales of Everyday Craziness. He lives in London.

This is an updated edition with new afterword, written and narrated by Jon Ronson.

©2015 Jon Ronson (P)2015 Audible Ltd

Critic reviews

"A work of original, inspired journalism, it considers the complex dynamics between those who shame and those who are shamed, both of whom can become the focus of social media's grotesque, disproportionate judgments" ( Financial Times)

A great investigation and self reflection

I love listening to Jon Ronson's voice and I find his story-telling engaging. This is an interesting examination into our love of public shaming and the affects on people's lives and the whole of society.

Gripping Listen with Engaging Voice

This book was an interesting listen that allowed to me to gain insight into a side of the internet I rarely thought much about. Through its study of many different stories and analyse of the cause and effects of each, I have a deeper understanding of how shaming is prevalent in a world where we take things like the internet for granted. Overall an enthralling read

1 Part Enlightment to 2 Parts Black Cloud

What did you love best about So You've Been Publicly Shamed?

I was introduced to Jon Ronson through TAL and love his voice, wit and humanity

What other book might you compare So You've Been Publicly Shamed to and why?

It has the same compelling draw as Malcolm Gladwell's work

Which scene was your favorite?

The opening is like something out of Phillip K Dick novel - pretty unbelievable.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The subject is completely fascinating but it is definitely an exploration of the cruel underbelly of society.

Excellent book!

Great book, well-researched and narrated. Deeply relevant to contemporary society. Enjoyed listening to it a lot.

Fascinating topic, great narration

Would you consider the audio edition of So You've Been Publicly Shamed to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the print version of this book, but Jon Ronson is such a great narrator I think you lose something by not listening to him voice his work.

Which character – as performed by Jon Ronson – was your favorite?

Jon Ronson as a character in his own books is very funny and engaging. He's definitely my favorite.

Any additional comments?

These days if you're not on Twitter, you probably feel like you should be. This book makes you think twice about how you should and can use the power that social media gives us all.