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BOOK: So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson Shamed Chapters…
BOOK: So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson
Shamed Chapters 5-8
I’m giving you some autonomy (Daniel Pink would be proud) to discuss whatever you’d like as long as it relates to someone discussed in chapters 5-8, and has your viewpoint and analysis. Some options:
What about Ted Poe, the judge? Do you think the examples of his versions of public shaming were appropriate? He did make an effort to have his punishments relate to the crimes of the individuals. When Jon Ronson interviews one of them, Mike Hubacek, he’s surprised to find that what seemed like an extreme punishment handed down by Ted Poe, Hubacek credits with turning his life around. What do you think of his perspective/outcome?
What do you think of Gustave LeBon’s mass hysteria/mob mentality/group madness angle, which he published in The Crowd? It’s a bit of a bandwagon fallacy, the idea that just because everyone else is rioting, it’s ok for me to join in. Ronson goes into a psychological discussion related to this phenomenon. Does this excuse our social media shaming behavior? Why or why not?
Consider the interviews Ronson has with the participant in the 1971 study done at Stanford University by psychologist Philip Zimbardo. The focus on the experiment had to do with power of those in authority and control of those who are subservient, and had to be abandoned after six days because it devolved into chaos. Should we discredit the experiment entirely given its flaws, or is there still something to be learned here? How does this relate to social media shaming? Should there be some kind of responsibility not to abuse this newfound type of power? Why or why not? What would that even look like?
What about the consequences of the joke “Hank” made at the tech developers conference? The joke was made between two men and it wasn’t meant to be heard by others. I have to admit I chuckled at the joke. Does that make me a terrible person? Adria Richards would certainly think so. After reading this chapter and the interview Ronson has with Richards, I feel her actions were a bit extreme, taking Hank and Alex’s pictures and putting them on blast, and following it up with telling Ronson “Men are afraid that women will laugh at them and women are afraid that men will kill them.” What do you think about all of this? Am I the one in the wrong? By the way, you can completely disagree with me, and I won’t hold it against you. 🙂 Maybe you can even change my mind. I do want you to consider this: If you were in “Hank”‘s situation, how would you feel? I’m sure everyone has told what some might consider an inappropriate joke or shared questionable thoughts with someone that we wouldn’t share with just anybody. Give me your thoughts about “Hank”‘s situation.
The above said, let’s take a look at the rather extreme circumstances Adria Richards found herself in. As much as I feel her actions regarding the joke were too extreme, it seems to me the absolute vitriol directed at her (by the social media “us”), and the fallout, were as unwarranted (probably more so) than her initial attack on “Hank.” Also, the important details of the awful things she witnessed during her childhood have obviously had an effect on her perspective. How could they not? Did the punishment fit the crime in her case? And who are we to have this kind of power to punish, absence any rules of law, or social rules of decorum at the very least?
Max Mosley’s situation was rather, ummm, interesting, leading to article titles like “F1 Boss Max Mosley Has Sick Nazi Orgy with 5 Hookers” (137). Back at the end of chapter 2, Jon Ronson has a conversation with someone at a party who talked about “The terror of being found out” (31). One would assume that Max Mosley had just felt “found out” when he opened News of the World that Sunday morning. As we come to find out at the end of chapter 7, Max Mosley has no shame, while others in situations such as that felt suicide was a better way out than the public shaming and loss that might occur now that they had been “found out.” You might consider Max Mosley’s rationale: “As soon as the victim steps out of the pact by refusing to feel ashamed the whole thing crumbles” (156). Do you thinks that works…why or why not?
There are a couple of others you could talk about here as well. Ronson’s interview with Mercedes Haefer comes to mind, as well Ronson’s experiences with the Kink shoot and the shame eradication workshop. These chapters corrupted my innocent sensibilities. Anyway, you don’t have to answer all of the questions I’ve proposed.
I’d like you to pick any person discussed in these chapters and discuss your opinions regarding their public shaming attitudes and/or situations..
