Goodreads Book Review: So You've Been Publicly Shamed

So You've Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I wasn't really sure how to peg Jon Ronson's "So You've Been Publicly Shamed." It's not the sociological research-meets-self-help that Brene Brown is known for, despite covering similar territory to her research on shame. But then I read the endorsement on the back cover by Jon Stewart, where he refers to Ronson's work as "investigative satire," and yes, that seems to be the best way to characterize it. Despite the heavy subject matter, it started out funny and immensely readable, with one story flowing effortlessly into another. Somewhere in the middle, it started to lag for me. Still, I am giving it 4 stars, rounding up from 3.5, merely because it sheds light on a phenomenon that is so ubiquitous today.

Despite the title, this book deals with a very specific type of shame unique to the 21st century: internet shame. Beyond that, it focuses mostly on the shame delved out on one social media platform in particular: Twitter. That may seem a little narrow, but people who have immersed themselves deeply into Twitter have attested to it being especially toxic. I wish Ronson had explored this more...what is it about this specific platform, which is the common denominator in the stories he tells about people who have been recipients of public shame?

The stories Ronson tells are of people who have erred in some way, shape or form only to find themselves victim to a form of mob "justice" that goes as far as receiving death threats and calls for them to be fired. Their "crimes" run the gamut from telling crude or tasteless jokes to plagiarism. These individuals are not necessarily all blameless, but in all cases the backlash they receive is vastly disproportionate to their initial "crimes."

In between these stories, Ronson explores the history of public shaming (think 18th-century stocks) and the ways it is used (or rejected) in our contemporary justice system. He also explores research which might provide rational for this phenomenon, and in the process clarifies misconceptions about the Zimbardo research study taught in virtually every psychology program. Finally, he explores the psychological ramifications of shaming on the shamee. It is here that his book is most reminiscent of Brene Brown's work. Clearly shame, rather than being a motivator, can have devastating emotional effects on the recipient.

In the end, "So You've been Publicly Shamed" is inconclusive, and I felt it ended on a kind of pessimistic tone. The largest takeaway was that feedback loops are at work in people's online behavior: people are reinforced for having the "correct" opinions which keeps discourse narrow, with people afraid to voice dissent for fear of being shamed. I wanted more on this: people are afraid of stepping out of line, yes, but do people join in with the shamers so as to not align with the shamee and become shamed themselves?

I also was left with a feeling of "what do we do now" other than just step away from the internet or particularly toxic platforms. A common thread in the stories that Ronson tells is that people who take part in heaping cruelty on others were motivated by feeling that they were actually doing something good. In fact, a certain type of "callout culture" that easily turns into shaming has become prevalent in social justice circles online. Thankfully, there are people within activist circles who are "calling out" callout culture and offering alternatives for sociopolitical engagement minus the shame. Dropping a few links here:

https://www.theodysseyonline.com/call...
http://nique.net/opinions/2018/02/11/...
https://thebodyisnotanapology.com/mag...

So while I wanted a little more from Jon Ronson with this book, it is a very necessary one for today's society and a worthy read for those trying to navigate the online world with their sanity intact. And perhaps tread lightly on Twitter!




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