If you've ever yelled at someone on social media about, say, cancel culture or mask-wearing, then you are a soldier in the culture wars - those everyday battles for dominance between conflicting values. The acclaimed writer and podcaster Jon Ronson has seen friends swallowed up in them to the extent that it's ruined their lives. Jon was curious to learn how things fell apart, and so he went back into the history of the culture wars to find some of the origin stories: the pebbles thrown in the pond, creating the ripples that led us to where we are today. He had no idea what he'd find, but he's uncovered some extraordinary people and the strangest, yet most consequential tales.
What this show covers
culture warsJon Ronsonfatherhoodsocial anxietyAdam BuxtonHollywoodculturegriefMikkipersonal transformationmisinformationhousingconspiracy theoriesmedia cultureurban planning
What listeners will find here
Jon Ronson and Adam Buxton unpack culture wars, podcasting, and personal backstories
This bonus episode preview suggests a conversational detour from the main series, with Jon Ronson and Adam Buxton reflecting on the latest season of Things Fell Apart. Based on the show notes, it blends favorite moments from the show with wider talk about culture wars, lockdown, fatherhood, and social anxiety.
From Hollywood burnout to culture warrior: Mikki’s turning point
This preview, based only on the published show notes, introduces an episode about Mikki’s transformation from former actor and model to a key “culture warrior” in the season’s larger story. It appears to connect personal loss, disillusionment with Hollywood, and his growing influence on the narratives the show is exploring.
How ordinary ideas became conspiracy lightning rods
This preview is based only on the episode’s published notes. Jon Ronson appears to trace how three seemingly unrelated ideas about housing, transport, and car use turned their creators into targets for conspiracy theorists.
How a bestselling trauma book became a flashpoint in the free-speech culture war
This preview is based only on the episode’s published notes. Jon Ronson appears to examine how a hugely popular book about trauma may have helped move debates over free speech from college campuses into workplaces during what some call the "Great Awokening."
Jon Ronson opens the floor in a live, anything-goes Hay Festival Q&A
This preview is based on the published show notes, not the full audio. The episode features a live, free-flowing discussion from the Hay Festival in Wales, where Jon Ronson invites the audience to ask him anything after a season focused on culture-war divisions following Covid lockdown.
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