I’ve been enjoying the show since the first episode, but I feel that season 2, episode 5 is the true example of the careful balance Jon has of topics. We get to hear the mom express very legitimate concerns. And we hear how certain politicians used her story, fabricating details, to their own fearmongering ends. We hear the reason some of the policies she’s struggling with came to be. The very real, legitimate reasons, and how, perhaps, some individuals are warping them. People on both sides have actual issues, and other people, ON BOTH SIDES, are misrepresenting those issues. Love the show, because it makes me think about both sides.

not worth the rehash of "Tales of Idiot Yanks"

I was a bit lost and confused after the 2024 election. I couldn’t understand how some of my friends and family saw things so differently than I did. I couldn’t stomach my usual True Crime podcast and came upon this and finished both seasons within a two week span. The perspective this gave me- it calmed me. It allowed me to settle a bit and think through what is happening with a different lens. I sure hope there is another season soon- incredible podcast and work. Will be getting Jon’s book to tide me over!

The first season was okay, but starting with season 2 Jon attempts to both play both sides on issues including COVID and COVID denialism, Vaccine denialism, and the existence of trans people. And inso doing completely ditches any semblance of journalistic integrity. Shameful work from Jon Ronson.

Unfortunately the formatting for these reviews doesn’t come thru. Sry for the block of text. I swear it was easily parsed paragraphs when I first wrote it! lol. • Fun game: listen to an episode, say season 2 episode 2, when things really start to become egregious. Take notes. Write down what the episode told you happened. • Now go look into it yourself. See who she was long before the supposedly unjustified arrest. She was already a conspiratorial liar. An antivaxxeer working g with other antivaxxers for decades beforehand. Everything down to her yacht club story is a lie and it’s just presented as fact. Look into the arrest and what happened after. • The entire narrative of the episode is dishonest, and dishonest with a motivation. I’d like to be charitable and say the show just has bad reporting and doesn’t do any fact checking… but given how much they like to let right wing propagandists spout off completely unchallenged, and even try to back up those lies (even when info in the same episode contradicts them), it’s hard to think this isn’t intentional. • I mean, this is the guy who was asked a question on knowledge fight and claimed he couldn’t know the answer to said pertinent question, when the answer is the first google result. “Turn over the cell line”?? IT SAYS RIGHT ON THE RETRACTION that SILVERMAN TURNED OVER THE CELL LINE AND CONFIRMED CONTAMINATION. He shouts it from the rooftops. Ignoring inconvenient answers to questions is more than a red flag. WHY ARE YOU on knowledge fight SAYING NO ONE IS ACCUSING HER OF MAKING IT ALL UP WHEN EVERYONE IS, and she definitely did? It’s even on her Wikipedia that they are, and the sources explain all the details!• –She got fired for stealing another scientist’s work and arrested for stealing the lab’s material and property that she had no right to– and no that didn’t turn a good scientist bad. She was always bad and you know it if you read anything about her at all– And more generally than that one story, they’re pandering to the “anti-woke” fools, who are at best dupes of conspiracy theory thinking, and at worst outright fascists manipulating people. • The Where There’s Wome podcast has like three episodes on this if you’re interested

All of Jon Ronson’s work is stellar. But Things Fell Apart is by far the best one. His fact checking is spot on and his manner of storytelling is down right addictive. Thank you for seeing and telling all sides! He’s the first I’ve seen to transcend the culture wars.

A joy to listen to. Fabulous storytelling. Binged both seasons over a weekend.

I wanted to listen to this but could not get this notion out of my head that this is so out of touch. Like oh wow another white dude saying he thinks things are fine as they are and anyone who tries to change them is “hysterical”?

Jon Ronson has an extraordinary way of connecting the dots, and his interviews are done with the deft and even hand of a remarkably skilled, curious and intelligent man. I would nominate him as the most important and accessible journalist on the topic of conspiracy theories today.

I listened on the rec of a different podcaster I like. But despite some really great episodes (1000 Dolls, Miracle, etc), Ronson “disappears” critical but inconvenient facts. Which makes me question whether those great episodes are trustworthy at all! Like: nowhere in the episode about the Pulse nightclub shooting does he say that it was (a) carried out by a jihadist and (b) was not targeted specifically at the LGBT community (the shooter had no idea it was a gay club; he was trying to kill as many young americans as he could). This undermines the whole rationale for why the advocacy group thought the response should be to partner with schools. This kind of omission / obfuscation happened so often throughout many episodes that I had to stop listening because I lost trust in Ronson’s ability to tell a complete story. He’s clearly an activist, not a journalist - as long as you’re eyes wide open on that, listen away.

These episodes are amazing: each following out of the one before, as though illustrating season one's central metaphor of the ripples a pebble sends out through water. It's as balanced as it is fair: its merely being there means something. Season one: episode 3 is one of the most moving things I've ever heard.

I found this through an interview on Offline. Really well done! I’m blowing through the episodes.

A balanced investigation into what causes so many of us to scream at, and hate each other. Definitely a must-listen!

I love the idea of dogging into the small things that turn into a major issue in America, but it’s hard to get any nuance in a half hour. Multiple of his stories are just begging for the other half to be said and in the 15 episodes I listened to, he never did.

It’s an interesting podcast, but the British are afraid of freedom.

Jon Ronson is the absolute best. Everyone gets a fair hearing and he is great about withholding judgement and letting his readers/listeners decide. This series is great because he leads you down a road and shows you all the sights along the way. He’s very fair and tries to give as much information as possible. My absolute favorite journalist!

I love this writer. He confronts the strange and bizarre of the world with humility and respect no matter how wild the situation. And I always learn something valuable from his work.

Series 2: was once again convinced to give this a try. But it’s the same old same old by a manipulative git with saccharine charm. Btw ep 1 is about George Floyd aka “Perry” This was recommended on the podcast The Fifth Column and I hoped Robson would be as even-handed. Alas, based on the first episode, Ronson gives us warmed over servings of the progressive media stew, with the usual omissions and inaccuracies 👎👎👎

Love this series. However Jon seems to display a leftward leaning bias. Specifically the myth about the litter box in schools consumed a lot of the energy that should have been dedicated to the LGTBQ+ influence towards prepubescent children, and the attempts to insulate parents to this activity.

The topic and the way it’s done may be good editorially but Jon Ronson’s delivery (speech) leaves a lot to be desired. You simply can’t hear him properly. He can’t speak with a volume and tone that is suitable for a podcast. It’s faint, flaccid, listless, and spiritless. IMHO if ya can’t do it proper don’t do it. Had to sadly abandon it because it was becoming annoying.

… of engaging and nuanced storytelling. It’s a hands-down one of the best podcasts out there.

In the first season, Ronson was in his element, telling personal stories that reflect broad cultural trends. In the second, Ronson is a creature of the very swamp he's criticizing: Nut-picking unflattering profiles of his ideological opponents, failing to acknowledge his own biases, hypocritically accusing others of culture war while doing the same thing himself. It's one-sided and disappointing.

This is an excellent podcast.

Came here from Knowledge Fight, but the both sides-ism in Ep. 3 is ridiculous. Not going any farther.

I listened to a couple episodes of Season 1, and was so disappointed. This show could have been great if it took more of a fair look at each situation. However, in each episode I listened to, it was obvious that the host viewed a certain “side” as the villain. Anyone who wants to start a podcast on such sensitive, nuanced issues, please tread more carefully than this.

Disappointed with this season. Seems narratively driven to offer ‘explanations’ for Right Wing Delusions in America. Expected better from Jon.

Season 1 was great. Season 2 platforms some very harmful people and ideas without deep enough discussion around them. It presents thoroughly debunked ideas on a level playing field with mainstream theories.

Season two was great. I bonged it like a beer today, and now I’m drunk with clarity. Nobody does stories like Jon Ronson. Unique material, and great reporting.

…Things Fell Apart. I’m SO EXCITED for Season 2! This podcast does a excellent job of exploring the origins of the “culture wars” and the driving forces behind modern conspiracy theories.

Good overall, but the liberal bias of Mr Ronson shines through no matter how hard he tries to be fair. For example, in episode 8, he should have interviewed John McWhorter in depth, as he did with Deangelo, instead of just including a very short clip of him criticizing her on Real Time.

So glad there will be a season 2!!

You will hate it if what you want to hear is someone spew out your beliefs without question. So, if you are a person who as soon as someone touches one of your beliefs that person is automatically wrong, don’t bother. You will end up mad a probably belittling the bravery and the hard work of those interviewed in the podcast so that you can continue believing that you own the only truths out there. If, on the other hand, you are not afraid of looking back so that we, as a society, can move forward, even if it means feeling uncomfortable and maybe daring to adjust your beliefs a millimeter or so, you’re in for a treat.

I had an unfortunate personal connection to her and also despise what she’s done. Jon interviews her in a way that lets the world see what a hurt, dangerous soul she is.

He think he cute

Top-notch journalism: edifying AND entertaining. I LOVE Jon Ronson’s sense of humor and always want MORE RONSON!! … but he was totally right to step back on this series and simply allow the interviewees to tell their stories with minimal framing. But sadly, the people who most need to hear this won’t listen…. Because it’s more gratifying to mainline Fox News and whichever dangerous narcissist takes Alex Jones’s place. Groan.

I’m a big fan of all of Jon Ronson’s work, and I think this is his best podcast yet. I really liked the variety of topics covered in this podcast, where each episode is a different story. Every story was thought-provoking and touching in its own way. Really excellent podcast.

Turns a blind eye to anything the host doesn’t agree with. Just another cog in the culture war he pretending to try to explain.

Well researched and well thought out. Highly entertaining. Ronson always hits his mark.

I was intrigued by the premise, but drone-drone-drone-blah-blah-bleat was too much to take.

Very well done podcast.

Look, I hold no brief for reactionary evangelicalism, but the idea that the entire pro-life movement was dreamed up by one hack filmmaker is shallow nonsense. If this podcast is a series of just-so stories that explain complex social phenomena in a way that confirms the priors of the sort of person who searches for BBC podcasts on complex social phenomena, then I don’t really see the point.

Well done! I look forward to every episode! Until I got to ep 8

Best pod I have listened to in a long time. We’ll done Jon.

Latest favorite podcast and oh-so timely. Jon is a compassionate host who tells the most incredible stories of how things came to be. Infuriating, enlightening, engaging, and my only complaint is I wish there were more episodes!

Jon! I had to listen to each episode back to back. Excellent content - magnificent commentary and I can’t wait for a new episode to drop now. I appreciate so much the subject matter that was addressed and am glad to have found a podcast that allows me to listen and learn. Please don’t ever stop! You have a fan for life.

Thank you Jon for a thought provoking read. (I've recommended many times). You and Louis have the unique ability to disarm people, in a non- judgmental manner (If you're judging-we can't tell). Thank you for keeping with journalistic principles and integrity, and thank you for being open so we can hear all sides of the story! 🫡

I’m not a religious person or Christian. But this feels like a pseudo intellectual attack on Christianity and evangelism. I’m an atheist and it isn’t my cup of tea.

Love this series! I binged all episodes during my dog walks in the mornings. I love hearing the truthful origin stories. No drama, no judgment - just educational honesty.

Amazing show! I’m looking forward to another series.

Used to listen to his radio show back in the before times. He really was a line between witch trials and QAnon. Thank you, Jon Ronson