The Butterfly Effect with Jon Ronson

By: Jon Ronson

Narrated by: Jon Ronson

From best-selling writer Jon Ronson and the executive producer behind the TED Radio Hour and Invisibilia, Audible Originals presents a new seven-episode series, The Butterfly Effect with Jon Ronson.

[Contains explicit content] Hear the story of what happened when the tech industry gave the world what it wanted: free porn. Lives were mangled. Fortunes were made. All for your pleasure. Follow writer and narrator Jon Ronson as he uncovers our web of desire.

About Jon Ronson:

Known for exploring the fringes of society, Jon Ronson is a best-selling writer, noted documentarian, and screenwriter – including the award-winning Frank and critically acclaimed Okja. He is the author of international hits So You've Been Publicly Shamed, The Men Who Stare at Goats, and The Psychopath Test, amongst others. A TED Talk favorite, Ronson is also a regular contributor to public radio's This American Life, the New York Times magazine, and GQ magazine.

A Note from Jon:

Hi everyone,

Welcome to The Butterfly Effect. It's sort of about porn, but it's about a lot of other things. It's sad, funny, moving and totally unlike some other nonfiction stories about porn - because it isn't judgmental or salacious. It's human and sweet and strange and lovely. It's a mystery story, an adventure. It's also, I think, a new way of telling a story. This season follows a single butterfly effect. The flap of the butterfly’s wings is a boy in Brussels having an idea. His idea is how to get rich from giving the world free online porn. Over seven episodes I trace the consequences of this idea, from consequence through to consequence. If you keep going in this way, where might you end up? It turns out you end up in the most surprising and unexpected places.

So if you're thinking, why do I want to listen to a show about the tech takeover of the porn industry, I have two things to say:

1. Why wouldn't you want to listen to a show about the tech takeover of the porn industry? That's a great idea for a show.

2. Would you want to listen to a show about three women destroying a mysterious Norwegian man's stamp collection? Well, that happens at the end of episode 2. At the end of Episode 3 a woman becomes convinced that she played a part in a murder committed by an Italian priest. At the end of Episode 4 a boy in Oklahoma is forced to move to a house on the very, very edge of his town.

I hope you like our show,

Jon Ronson

If you don't already have the Audible app, download it now, in the iOS App Store or the Google Play store to listen to The Butterfly Effect.

©2017 Audible Originals LLC (P)2017 Audible Originals LLC

fantastic as always!

Ronson is a fantastic narrator and storyteller. This was touching, strange and beautiful, as well as disturbing at times. definitely worth a listen.

Pros and Cons of free porn.

I have to admit the only reason why I got this is because it was free. i am so glad I gave this a chance. This podcast, interview, investigative journalism really made me think of what actually happens when porn becomes free. Jon Ronson does a very good job being objective. He not only follows the Grandfather of free porn but also the actors, the victims of free porn, the people who have anxiety becuase of the easy access.

I will never think of Pornhub the same way again.

amazing and surprising

just when you think I know where the story is going you are surprised by the profoundness.

fabulous series, unexpected joy!

wasn't sure what to expect, so I got the title and started listening ... found it eye-opening and fun. at times sad, but overall hopeful. definitely recommend this!

Like NPR

Would have given it 5 stars but it was only 7 chapters! I wanted more. Very intriguing, well written and narration was great.

An interesting view of the new reality

Would you consider the audio edition of The Butterfly Effect with Jon Ronson to be better than the print version?

An interesting take on an industry that I have little interest in but using a big picture view, this example of"creative destruction" makes this an intriguing listen. In this case the term "creative destruction" is used to mask characters that in reality are thieves and pirates. Anyone in an industry such as broadcasting or real estate should listen and pay attention to this story.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When he speaks of the original owners and developers of the business model and their lack of vision.

Captivating

Love Jon ronson, he's a fantastic reporter and understands how to take an obscure starting point and craft a captivating journey from it. Couldn't stop listening and physically reacting to these stories. Thank you

Surprising

At face value most people hear that teen pregnancy is at an all time low and less teens are having sex and they think that's good. What they don't think about is the reason for that is because teens are at home watching porn on the internet. The male teens are then becoming adults and having erectile dysfunction issues. This is just one of the many effects The Butterfly Effect examines. The Butterfly Effect starts slow, but becomes interesting very quickly. You might even see certain issues in society in a new light.

listen to this

to be honest I only downloaded this because it was at no cost and was searching for for my next listen. I had very little idea what it was going to be about. (mind you given the content and backdrop of this series the irony of the prior statement is not lost on me) the description cited the salacious word porn. and while this does involve the world of pornography it really uses it as a tool to illustrate the interconnectivity of the world we now live in and how one little thing can effect many people. give it a listen. don't let a taboo connected to one word stop you from gaining a macroscopic view of the post internet world and it's effects on our conceptions of individuals, and the world itself.

Surprised me.

I've seen Jon Ronson's TED Talks and find him very interesting. This leap into the world of porn was incredibly in depth--not with raunchy sex but with the human side of life. I didn't think I'd listen to the whole thing but found myself sitting in my car unable to turn it off. That he got to the deepest issue--that we all have things in our past that hurt us or that we are trying to escape--that was the best insight.