Jon Ronson
Jon Ronson
Jon Ronsonis a Welsh journalist, author, documentary filmmaker and radio presenter whose works include the best-selling The Men Who Stare at Goatsand The Psychopath Test. He has been described as a gonzo journalist, becoming something of a faux-naïf character himself in his stories...
NationalityWelsh
ProfessionJournalist
Date of Birth10 May 1967
creating way world
We were creating a world where the smartest way to survive is to be bland.
writing trying stories
Obviously, I like to write stories that are page-turners. But I always try my very, very hardest to be as factually true as possible.
writing trying mystery
Trying to solve the mystery is what I enjoy most about writing.
money wall differences
I wondered if sometimes the difference between a psychopath in Broadmoor and a psychopath on Wall Street was the luck of being born into a stable, rich family.
hurt media acting
On social media there's this thing where on many occasions, there's a single proscribed way of acting. Like if somebody dies, everyone has to say "R.I.P.! R.I.P.!" Basically they're saying, "Don't hurt me, I'm a good person."
memories blessing feelings
Feeling no remorse must be a blessing when all you have are your memories
impact insanity what-if
Suddenly, madness was everywhere, and I was determined to learn about the impact it had on the way society evolves. I've always believed society to be a fundamentally rational thing, but what if it isn't? What if it is built on insanity?
silence three behaviour
When I asked Robert Spitzer about the possibility that he'd inadvertently created a world in which ordinary behaviours were being labelled mental disorders, he fell silent. I waited for him to answer. But the silence lasted three minutes. Finally he said, 'I don't know.
hate mistake acting
Twitter hates tabloids, but Twitter is constantly acting like a tabloid, repeating the mistakes of the things we're hoping to better.
dog stars profound
A strange thing happens when you interview a robot. You feel an urge to be profound: to ask profound questions. I suppose it’s an inter-species thing. Although if it is I wonder why I never try and be profound around my dog. ‘What does electricity taste like?’ I ask. ‘Like a planet around a star,’ Bina48 replies. Which is either extraordinary or meaningless - I’m not sure which
stupid people junk
It is slightly chilling to realize there are rational, functional people up there employed to spot, nurture, and exploit those down here among us who are irrational and can barely cope. If you want to know how stupid you’re perceived to be by the people up there, count the unsolicited junk mail you receive. If you get a lot, you’re perceived to be alluringly stupid.
trying psychopath said
Trying to prove you’re not a psychopath is even harder than trying to prove you’re not mentally ill,’ said Tony.
justice wanted draconian
Twitter wanted to become a more egalitarian justice system, but instead it became a draconian one.
names chaos pandemonium
Bedlam: an institution with a history so fearsome it gave its name to a synonym for chaos and pandemonium.