Things Fell Apart

BBC
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Things Fell Apart

Explore the origins of the culture wars, ad-free

2,99 €/month or 29,99 €/year

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.

  1. S2. Bonus episode: An Audience with Jon Ronson

    17 JUL

    S2. Bonus episode: An Audience with Jon Ronson

    Jon Ronson’s second season of unexpected human stories from the culture wars focused on the divisions that erupted in the wake of the Covid lockdown. It was a number 1 hit podcast and received five star reviews. In a fun, free-flowing live discussion from the Hay Festival in Wales, Jon turns the tables on himself and asks his audience to ask him anything they like. Series Producer: Sarah Shebbeare

    27 min
  2. S2. How Things Fell Apart, with Jon Ronson and Adam Buxton

    13 MAR

    S2. How Things Fell Apart, with Jon Ronson and Adam Buxton

    In this bonus episode, Jon Ronson's friend and fellow podcaster Adam Buxton chat about the latest season of Things Fell Apart. They discuss their favourite moments from the show and how to best navigate the culture wars, all while also chatting about lockdown, fatherhood, social anxiety and how a rough time at Cardiff High School made Jon Ronson a better journalist.

    37 min

  3. 9 JAN

    S2. Ep 8: Mikki’s Hero’s Journey

    How a former actor and model, burned by Hollywood and devastated by the death of his brother, has become an important culture warrior, fueling the flames of every story we tell this season. Written and presented by Jon Ronson Produced by Sarah Shebbeare Original music by Phil Channell

    37 min

  4. 9 JAN

    S2. Ep 7: You’ll Own Nothing and You’ll Be Happy

    How a young man with a novel idea for affordable accommodation, and an Oxford man with a plan for bus lanes, and a Danish woman writing a thought experiment about car rentals, unwittingly became hate figures for conspiracy theorists. Written and presented by Jon Ronson Produced by Sarah Shebbeare Original music by Phil Channell

    33 min

  5. 9 JAN

    S2. Ep 6: A Hierarchy of Trauma

    How a bestselling book about trauma - lockdown’s number one bestseller - helped the culture war over free speech burst out of colleges and into the workplace. A shift some people pejoratively call the Great Awokening. Written and presented by Jon Ronson Produced by Sarah Shebbeare Original music by Phil Channell

    33 min

  6. 9 JAN

    S2. Ep 5: Things Weren’t Going Back to Normal

    How a schism between a mother and her teenage daughter during lockdown contributed to Governor Ron DeSantis enacting new and far-reaching laws in Florida. Written and presented by Jon Ronson Produced by Sarah Shebbeare Original music by Phil Channell

    36 min

  7. 9 JAN

    S2. Ep 4: Spicy Brando

    How a disenfranchised young man, maddened by the strict lockdown laws in Michigan, joined a club of like-minded men and suddenly found himself under arrest for the most unlikely and horrific crime. Written and presented by Jon Ronson Produced by Sarah Shebbeare Original music by Phil Channell

    35 min

  8. 9 JAN

    S2. Ep 3: Tonight’s the Night, Comrades

    How an American media polarized over Antifa led to an innocent family on a Twilight-themed lockdown-escaping camping trip getting barricaded in the woods by armed, hostile townspeople. Written and presented by Jon Ronson Produced by Sarah Shebbeare Original music by Phil Channell

    31 min
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Explore the origins of the culture wars, ad-free

2,99 €/month or 29,99 €/year

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Hosts & Guests

About

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.

Information

  • Channel
    BBC
  • Creator
    BBC Radio 4
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2024
  • Episodes
    22
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © (C) BBC 2024
  • Show Website
    Things Fell Apart
  • Provider

    BBC Studios Distribution Limited has identified itself as a trader for this podcast and confirmed that this product or service complies with European Union law. Address 1 Television Centre 101 Wood Lane London London W12 7FA United Kingdom Phone Number +44 7590176301 Email bbcstudiosaudiodistribution@bbc.com

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