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The Butterfly Effect
Listening 3 hours and 27 minutes
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] Free for a limited time, hear the story of what happened when the tech industry gave the world what it 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.
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] Free for a limited time, hear the story of what happened when the tech industry gave the world what it 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.
3 pages, Audible Audio
First published July 27, 2017
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3109 people want to read
About the author
Jon Ronson
33 books5,707 followersJon Ronson is a British-American journalist, author, and filmmaker. He is known for works such as Them: Adventures with Extremists (2001), The Men Who Stare at Goats (2004), and The Psychopath Test (2011).
He has been described as a gonzo journalist, becoming a faux-naïf character in his stories. He produces informal but sceptical investigations of controversial fringe politics and science. He has published nine books and his work has appeared in publications such as The Guardian, City Life and Time Out. He has made several BBC Television documentary films and two documentary series for Channel 4.
He has been described as a gonzo journalist, becoming a faux-naïf character in his stories. He produces informal but sceptical investigations of controversial fringe politics and science. He has published nine books and his work has appeared in publications such as The Guardian, City Life and Time Out. He has made several BBC Television documentary films and two documentary series for Channel 4.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 534 reviews
January 25, 2025
A compilation comprising a number of short documentary episodes focused on the impact of free pornography, now so widely available via the Internet. We are introduced, through a series of interviews, to a young Canadian man who seems to have kicked off the phenomenon and we also get to meet others who are either involved in the production of the porn films or are otherwise impacted by them. A porn filmmaker rues the fact that a film he shot two months ago is already available for nothing via the Internet, a female porn star tells of the moment her thirteen year old daughter was shown videos of her in action by a friend and a teenage boy tells how he fell foul of strict laws concerning sexual text messages he sent to a girl, partly due to his having viewed pornography. The tenor, though not judgemental in itself about the viewers of porn, is almost universally negative. There is a makeweight story of hope thrown in at the end, but this feels a little contrived in the big scheme of things.
It’s ok, but it's really quite narrowly focused. For instance, the Canadian entrepreneur is presented as a negative figure who has made millions through ‘stealing’ the intellectual property of others, but no insight is provided as to how his money is actually generated. The makers of the films are depicted as naïve luddites who have failed to adapt their enterprises to survive in the Internet age. And the viewers of the films? Well, if the numbers quoted are to be believed, then that's just about everyone! A short series that’s interesting enough if you want to have a glimpse behind the scenes of this huge industry, but it’s certainly not comprehensive in its approach.
It’s ok, but it's really quite narrowly focused. For instance, the Canadian entrepreneur is presented as a negative figure who has made millions through ‘stealing’ the intellectual property of others, but no insight is provided as to how his money is actually generated. The makers of the films are depicted as naïve luddites who have failed to adapt their enterprises to survive in the Internet age. And the viewers of the films? Well, if the numbers quoted are to be believed, then that's just about everyone! A short series that’s interesting enough if you want to have a glimpse behind the scenes of this huge industry, but it’s certainly not comprehensive in its approach.
April 2, 2019
Jon Ronson investigates the impact that free porn streaming sites like PornHub have had on the porn industry in the Audible Original audiobook, The Butterfly Effect. And it’s an a’ight listen.
As you’d expect, a lot of the people making money from selling porn via VHS, DVD, etc. lost big and there doesn’t seem to be much money in the more traditional types of movies given that a phone and an internet connection basically do for most nowadays! As such, Ronson’s conclusions are fairly mundane and unremarkable: new technology has changed the business. Duh…
Some of the stories are interesting though. The custom porn video market has only gone up with some really unusual requests – always very, very specific – though I think Ronson spent far too long on the Norwegian man obsessed with sexy girls destroying his years-long valuable stamp collection on camera. It’s kinda sad how one former male porn star who quit the business and became a qualified nurse got fired because of his past. And it’s amusing how young men who watch an abundance of free porn now have erectile dysfunction! As the founder of PornHub wryly notes, at least it’s caused a decline in teen pregnancies, so it’s not all bad!
And the tone of the piece is largely negative. Ronson’s approach is that online streaming is to blame for ruining certain people’s lives, though some of his connections feel tenuous at best. Like the autistic kid who’s now a registered sex offender after sending internet porn to his girlfriend. Sure it’s a bizarre case, but the kid has numerous mental issues and it feels like if it wasn’t that it would’ve been who knows what else that would’ve landed him in trouble sooner or later. And sex dolls have been around for a while now and will continue on – I don’t think internet porn has much to do with it.
The Butterfly Effect’s thesis is vague and the stories a bit hit and miss so that my attention was fading in and out throughout – it’s just an ok audiobook for me. Jon Ronson’s written another Audible Original on a similar subject, The Last Days of August, which is a vastly more compelling narrative that I’d recommend over this one instead.
As you’d expect, a lot of the people making money from selling porn via VHS, DVD, etc. lost big and there doesn’t seem to be much money in the more traditional types of movies given that a phone and an internet connection basically do for most nowadays! As such, Ronson’s conclusions are fairly mundane and unremarkable: new technology has changed the business. Duh…
Some of the stories are interesting though. The custom porn video market has only gone up with some really unusual requests – always very, very specific – though I think Ronson spent far too long on the Norwegian man obsessed with sexy girls destroying his years-long valuable stamp collection on camera. It’s kinda sad how one former male porn star who quit the business and became a qualified nurse got fired because of his past. And it’s amusing how young men who watch an abundance of free porn now have erectile dysfunction! As the founder of PornHub wryly notes, at least it’s caused a decline in teen pregnancies, so it’s not all bad!
And the tone of the piece is largely negative. Ronson’s approach is that online streaming is to blame for ruining certain people’s lives, though some of his connections feel tenuous at best. Like the autistic kid who’s now a registered sex offender after sending internet porn to his girlfriend. Sure it’s a bizarre case, but the kid has numerous mental issues and it feels like if it wasn’t that it would’ve been who knows what else that would’ve landed him in trouble sooner or later. And sex dolls have been around for a while now and will continue on – I don’t think internet porn has much to do with it.
The Butterfly Effect’s thesis is vague and the stories a bit hit and miss so that my attention was fading in and out throughout – it’s just an ok audiobook for me. Jon Ronson’s written another Audible Original on a similar subject, The Last Days of August, which is a vastly more compelling narrative that I’d recommend over this one instead.
September 10, 2017
THANK YOU, Audible for this free book! WOW! I honestly don't know how to express my feelings about my experience with this book. It is the first book I've ever listened to from start to finish in one "sitting". I was absolutely sucked into this, and was completely unaware of the affects that free porn has had on people and society. I guess I just never gave it a second thought. My mind was blown away by certain things I heard... Saddened by others... And even smiled at times. Boy, I will certainly remember these people and their stories for a very long time. A top read for me this year!
October 14, 2017
Audio book narrated by Jon Ronson 3h 25 min
Once and awhile, I receive friend requests that state interest in friendship because of my "diverse reading tastes." I am truly moved by that remark because it is a challenge to "keep it fresh" Well, I am sure that no one, let alone me, would see me enjoying, let alone reading/listening to an audio book about the porn industry. But after reading a couple reviews, I was definitely willing to give "The Butterfly Effect" a try. Especially because it was FREE on Audible when I added it to my library.
Beginning in Belgium and taking listeners to California and all different points in between, this is an in depth seven part series which took over a year of research that explores the evolution of the human relationship with the porn industry. Yeah that 's probably an awful explanation of the diverse introduction many sub-topics from the technology evolution, filmmaking, anxiety issues etc.
Perhaps not for everyone since the episodes are full of sexually explicit content. I feel like there is so much that I could speak about, but I think I am still mulling over all that I heard. I certainly thank Jon Ronson for having the curiosity to explore what some feel is such a taboo subject.
As an aside, but I do have to say that I just found Jon Ronson's voice and the Fabian guy had voices that drove me crazy. Which is a bit silly because there is little they can do about it. It doesn't have any bearing on the content per say, but I just felt it harsh on the ears.
Once and awhile, I receive friend requests that state interest in friendship because of my "diverse reading tastes." I am truly moved by that remark because it is a challenge to "keep it fresh" Well, I am sure that no one, let alone me, would see me enjoying, let alone reading/listening to an audio book about the porn industry. But after reading a couple reviews, I was definitely willing to give "The Butterfly Effect" a try. Especially because it was FREE on Audible when I added it to my library.
Beginning in Belgium and taking listeners to California and all different points in between, this is an in depth seven part series which took over a year of research that explores the evolution of the human relationship with the porn industry. Yeah that 's probably an awful explanation of the diverse introduction many sub-topics from the technology evolution, filmmaking, anxiety issues etc.
Perhaps not for everyone since the episodes are full of sexually explicit content. I feel like there is so much that I could speak about, but I think I am still mulling over all that I heard. I certainly thank Jon Ronson for having the curiosity to explore what some feel is such a taboo subject.
As an aside, but I do have to say that I just found Jon Ronson's voice and the Fabian guy had voices that drove me crazy. Which is a bit silly because there is little they can do about it. It doesn't have any bearing on the content per say, but I just felt it harsh on the ears.
July 28, 2017
198. This was available free through Audible. The subtitle is “Who Really Pays the Price for Porn?” This was something I wasn't expecting or even thought about before but in all seriousness this appears to be a problem. I listed the book as an expose or an investigation on the subject of Porn and it was not only educational but enlightening. I recommend this work as awareness reading, you may not think it necessary but you never know.
September 3, 2017
Jon Ronson is like Mary Roach, who writes quirky little non-fiction books exploring some ostensibly fascinating topic with a sense of humor. You'd think a series about the porn industry and the unexpected effects of streaming porn would be more interesting than it is, but I found his analysis, such as it is, to be fairly shallow. Mostly this series of Audible podcasts follows a number of interesting anecdotes, staring with the founder of Pornhub, which apparently accounts for a majority of all porn viewing on the Internet today and made its founder a very rich man, at the expense of the rest of the adult film industry.
As they (industry workers) explain it, basically all professionally produced porn will appear on Pornhub for free downloading almost instantly. They can send DMCA notices, but most have given up because they know it will just get reuploaded within hours. As one producer puts it, "The public barely cares about this when it happens to musicians, so there is no sympathy at all for the porn industry."
So the adult film industry is now generating a fraction of what it used to, all because of Pornhub. From there, they went into what has apparently become a sort of survival niche for porn producers and actors who can no longer make the living they once did off of regular porn shoots - specialized, custom videos for rich customers, what they call "bespoke" porn. Basically, a client sends in precisely what they want, sometimes right down to the camera shots and dialog, and often their kinks are inexplicable and not at all what anyone else would find sexy. Like the guy who wanted a couple of beautiful actresses to burn his stamp collection. He literally sent his actual stamp collection, including some valuable stamps, to be destroyed for the video. Or the guy who just wanted to see a (fully clothed) woman chasing a fly around the kitchen with a flyswatter.
There is an interview with a guy with various mental health issues who got himself put on a sex offender's registry for sending hentai porn to a 17 year-old girl when he was 18. This could have been the basis for an entirely different series, as it made a number of interesting points about just how irrevocably this dumb, socially awkward kid has destroyed his life (being on the registry makes it virtually impossible to get a job and very difficult to even find a place to live), but the connection to the available of streaming porn was pretty thin.
Likewise, there was short bit on high-end sex dolls, and some discussion about how porn has changed the sexuality of Millenials - supposedly pregnancy rates have gone down but erectile dysfunction has gone up, and the next generation is actually having less actual sex than any previous generation. This is fascinating if true, and even more fascinating if it can actually be linked to porn use, but Ronson doesn't really present it as much more than an assertion by a couple of researchers.
So it seemed like Ronson found a salacious topic guaranteed to generate lots of clickbait, and then kind of strung together any stories he could find that would serve that purpose. Any number of the stories in this series might have been developed into an interesting book, if properly researched, but the series itself doesn't cover anything in enough depth to be more than an NPR-style story.
As they (industry workers) explain it, basically all professionally produced porn will appear on Pornhub for free downloading almost instantly. They can send DMCA notices, but most have given up because they know it will just get reuploaded within hours. As one producer puts it, "The public barely cares about this when it happens to musicians, so there is no sympathy at all for the porn industry."
So the adult film industry is now generating a fraction of what it used to, all because of Pornhub. From there, they went into what has apparently become a sort of survival niche for porn producers and actors who can no longer make the living they once did off of regular porn shoots - specialized, custom videos for rich customers, what they call "bespoke" porn. Basically, a client sends in precisely what they want, sometimes right down to the camera shots and dialog, and often their kinks are inexplicable and not at all what anyone else would find sexy. Like the guy who wanted a couple of beautiful actresses to burn his stamp collection. He literally sent his actual stamp collection, including some valuable stamps, to be destroyed for the video. Or the guy who just wanted to see a (fully clothed) woman chasing a fly around the kitchen with a flyswatter.
There is an interview with a guy with various mental health issues who got himself put on a sex offender's registry for sending hentai porn to a 17 year-old girl when he was 18. This could have been the basis for an entirely different series, as it made a number of interesting points about just how irrevocably this dumb, socially awkward kid has destroyed his life (being on the registry makes it virtually impossible to get a job and very difficult to even find a place to live), but the connection to the available of streaming porn was pretty thin.
Likewise, there was short bit on high-end sex dolls, and some discussion about how porn has changed the sexuality of Millenials - supposedly pregnancy rates have gone down but erectile dysfunction has gone up, and the next generation is actually having less actual sex than any previous generation. This is fascinating if true, and even more fascinating if it can actually be linked to porn use, but Ronson doesn't really present it as much more than an assertion by a couple of researchers.
So it seemed like Ronson found a salacious topic guaranteed to generate lots of clickbait, and then kind of strung together any stories he could find that would serve that purpose. Any number of the stories in this series might have been developed into an interesting book, if properly researched, but the series itself doesn't cover anything in enough depth to be more than an NPR-style story.
July 30, 2017
This is why Jon Ronson is the best journalist since Mike Royko. Jon, you magnificent son of a gunna. You tricked me into listening to my first podcast. I still think they are kind of cheesy and all I can picture is a team of douche power suits editing episodes to make them as sensational as possible to keep you coming back for more. What I've always loved about Jon is that he investigates topics that interest him and each one splinters off into a million different areas of interest. I try to remain curious and live life that way myself; choosing to grip it and rip it everyday just in case it's the last one. He teased that this is going to be a series which is perfect for Jon but for his readers I'd prefer he just go back to writing books on topics like psychopathology, Alex Jones circa 1999, The Men Who Stare at Goats and of course the piece on public shaming. This piece reminded me of the 80's when I was living in the buckle of the bible belt, Springfield, Missourah. I gave up the Grateful Dead and became a Christian for 15 minutes. I wore short sleeve shirts with ugly ties, a Tellum hairdo and went door to door preaching the Lord's word that I really knew nothing about. I grew up Mormon for F's sake. Anyway, I was forcing my younger brother to listen to my favorite Christian Rock band while we returned all my porn (on Beta max) to the peep store. It was only years later as he regaled the family with this tale that I saw the irony and hypocrisy. What's funny is unlike the rest of the universe I've barely watched porn since the inception of the internet. I'm such a nerd that I mostly use the internet for a dictionary, synonyms and ordering library books rather than Amish Cream Pies which sound delicious by the way, but I'm sure are worse than tub girl and two girls, one cup.
January 8, 2019
I picked this up for free on Audible and I have to admit I find documentaries and interviews on taboo subjects fascinating. This is a collection of interviews and author thoughts about the porn industry and the way that it developed after the introduction of free online porn streaming. Personally I don't know too much about how the industry evolved other than that it has become easier than ever to access porn online, but I had heard of some of the sites quoted and referenced in this series, and it was interesting to learn that the majority of them are owned by one man.
This series is a short, punchy, 7-part series which is focused on 7 different aspects of the sex industry. There are many people who are interviewed from the girls working in the industry to the man who owns it all all the way down to men who have been affected by it. Seems like there is a huge pool of people who are in some way connected to or affected by porn, and this series gives a brief but fascinating look into some of it.
Overall, I enjoyed this but it was definitely a little too little for me and I felt like it was only scratching the surface slightly and not diving too deep. I would have liked to see a little more into each person's story because I think there so much more that could have been discussed, but as an intro to the topic it worked. 3*s
This series is a short, punchy, 7-part series which is focused on 7 different aspects of the sex industry. There are many people who are interviewed from the girls working in the industry to the man who owns it all all the way down to men who have been affected by it. Seems like there is a huge pool of people who are in some way connected to or affected by porn, and this series gives a brief but fascinating look into some of it.
Overall, I enjoyed this but it was definitely a little too little for me and I felt like it was only scratching the surface slightly and not diving too deep. I would have liked to see a little more into each person's story because I think there so much more that could have been discussed, but as an intro to the topic it worked. 3*s
January 30, 2020
Well, it’s not an audiobook. It’s a subpar podcast, basically just a bunch of interview clips that aren’t given much insight. It feels pointless and honestly, you’re not missing anything if you skip it.
Thank goodness it was free.
Thank goodness it was free.
November 2, 2017
I'm not quite sure why I decided to listen to this. I've heard of Jon Ronson (which I always want to mispronounce as Ron Jonson) and have seen his work advertised, and I think this one was free.
If you ever wanted to understand the effects of "disruption" of industries because of things enabled by the internet, then this is an interesting example. The subject matter happens to be the porn industry, which might make you a bit uncomfortable to read.
It's really just a podcast series that has been collated into a "book". It's quick and easy to listen to. Not the type of thing I would normally go looking for information about, but hey, I'm open to learning about all sorts of subjects.
He does seem to be a little bit in love with himself, which becomes old. If you can get past that, and your inhibitions about the subject matter, then it's an interesting listen.
If you ever wanted to understand the effects of "disruption" of industries because of things enabled by the internet, then this is an interesting example. The subject matter happens to be the porn industry, which might make you a bit uncomfortable to read.
It's really just a podcast series that has been collated into a "book". It's quick and easy to listen to. Not the type of thing I would normally go looking for information about, but hey, I'm open to learning about all sorts of subjects.
He does seem to be a little bit in love with himself, which becomes old. If you can get past that, and your inhibitions about the subject matter, then it's an interesting listen.
February 24, 2019
As someone who is anti-porn and has seen and felt the negative effects it can have on people and their interactions with others, I found this fascinating. It was well executed and easy to follow. I really enjoyed how everyone's perspectives were shared in a fair and unbiased way so that I didn't get too caught up in any opinion. If you're at all interested in societies changing views on sex then I'd definitely recommend listening to this.
Read
May 31, 2021Love Ronson's style - found my way to this pocast-series-turned book after listening to Ronson's other short investigative work, The Last Days of August.
Ronson traces the far-reaching effects of the free porn (PornHub, specifically) on the internet. He has long and interesting interviews with the "front office": the founder and tech guys, and later the "content producers" themselves, actors, directors, camera workers, as well as the interesting world of custom films. It's a look at media conglomeration, intellectual property, the problems / ramifications of sex offender registries, and much more - all with Ronson's touch.
Ronson traces the far-reaching effects of the free porn (PornHub, specifically) on the internet. He has long and interesting interviews with the "front office": the founder and tech guys, and later the "content producers" themselves, actors, directors, camera workers, as well as the interesting world of custom films. It's a look at media conglomeration, intellectual property, the problems / ramifications of sex offender registries, and much more - all with Ronson's touch.
December 20, 2018
Bullet Review:
An example of a freebie that isn't complete trash, this is a fascinating insight into the way internet porn has changed the industry in ways no one could have expected - from the livelihoods of the porn stars and creators themselves to the young men and women who now struggle to perform.
An example of a freebie that isn't complete trash, this is a fascinating insight into the way internet porn has changed the industry in ways no one could have expected - from the livelihoods of the porn stars and creators themselves to the young men and women who now struggle to perform.
August 8, 2017
Jon Ronson is one of my go-to authors. I just love his eye when it comes to exploring a topic. This documentary is just flat out fascinating. Great stuff.
September 17, 2017
Per the usual with Ronson. Crazy interesting topics. Unique. Well written. Stories of the unknown. Heartfelt and sad. So different. The Butterfly Effect about free porn on the internet. Loved it.
March 16, 2020
This was interesting to listen to but didn't really go into as much depth as I would have liked.
December 25, 2020
2.5*
I did not know what I was expecting, but it was definitely much much much more than this.
I did not know what I was expecting, but it was definitely much much much more than this.
August 29, 2017
I saw this was a free download on Audible and I thought why not?
It was so good! Informative and funny, I'll be looking into more by Jon Ronson. Brilliant. This is a top "read" for me this year.
It was so good! Informative and funny, I'll be looking into more by Jon Ronson. Brilliant. This is a top "read" for me this year.
June 21, 2018
Fabian Thylmann should be as famous as Mark Zuckerberg. He launched an internet service which completely revolutionised its sector and made him possibly as rich as Zuckerberg.
The reason most people haven't heard of him is he pioneered free mass-streamed internet porn. A very important point made repeatedly here is the hypocrisy of people who use this stuff but want to have absolutely nothing to do with it, or the people who work in it, outside of the context of viewing porn. Thus, for example, a porn film star will often be refused when applying to open a bank account or get a credit card - quite possibly while sitting opposite a bank manager who is a big fan of his/her films. So no one is going around glorifying Thylmann's business acumen or queueing up to interview him on Primetime TV. We're fine though with the new tech moguls who - only - gave all our personal data to criminal enterprises.
This book - really a series of podcasts, but it has a claim as a 'book' because it was initally a freebie on audible - tells the incredible story of the knock-on effects of his business. Mostly in almost overnight destroying the dreams of pornstars and film producers of being able to retire at the age of 30, by diverting the flow of money in the industry from them to his company. But also in lots of other, sometimes bizarre ways.
Jon Ronson plays his faux-naive interviewer persona to the hilt. "What's ATM?" he asks, when interviewing a porn film producer, in such a winning, completely innocent way, it contrasts jarringly with the answer. (by the way, it's disturbing how many 'genres' of porn are basically about seeing women being humiliated in as many ways as possible. Ok now I sound like the faux-naive one.).
Thylmann most of the time comes across as just your average lad who struck gold because he was smart, mastered the new tech and was in the right place at the right time. But he can also seem almost comically evil at times. "But that's good isn't it?" he says, when told about the fall in teenage pregnancy since the advent of mass streamed free porn. But then comes the knock-out punch. Ronson: "yes but it seems to be because of an extraordinary increase in rates of erectile dysfunction in young males" (the argument made here is that mass availability means that viewers can completely control the dynamics of their arousal, sometimes having up to 20 tabs open at once, and also allows a demand for physical perfection, neither of which can be replicated in the real world.)
Thylmann is undeterred. "Yes but it's still good surely? I mean it will be great for the pharmaceutical industry".
There is much that is disturbing in this world, but also no lack of the bizarre. Sample of dialogue from "Amish Girls on Rumspringa": "oh take me quickly dark heathen, before my father comes home for his porridge".
My main qualm would be in a missed opportunity to explore the dynamics of exploitation in the industry - which arguably Pornhub has done little to change (there is a section on whether free porn has led to more demand for sadistic violence against women - he suggests the jury is out on that one). Ronson's "moment of justice" is getting Thylmann to agree to a phone call with one of the - apparently now impoverished - porn directors. The latter gets to vent about the destruction of his livelihood, and the fact that Thylmann's empire is built on the theft of intellectual copyright. But is the director really the injured party here? What about the women and men who work in front of the cameras?
The reason most people haven't heard of him is he pioneered free mass-streamed internet porn. A very important point made repeatedly here is the hypocrisy of people who use this stuff but want to have absolutely nothing to do with it, or the people who work in it, outside of the context of viewing porn. Thus, for example, a porn film star will often be refused when applying to open a bank account or get a credit card - quite possibly while sitting opposite a bank manager who is a big fan of his/her films. So no one is going around glorifying Thylmann's business acumen or queueing up to interview him on Primetime TV. We're fine though with the new tech moguls who - only - gave all our personal data to criminal enterprises.
This book - really a series of podcasts, but it has a claim as a 'book' because it was initally a freebie on audible - tells the incredible story of the knock-on effects of his business. Mostly in almost overnight destroying the dreams of pornstars and film producers of being able to retire at the age of 30, by diverting the flow of money in the industry from them to his company. But also in lots of other, sometimes bizarre ways.
Jon Ronson plays his faux-naive interviewer persona to the hilt. "What's ATM?" he asks, when interviewing a porn film producer, in such a winning, completely innocent way, it contrasts jarringly with the answer. (by the way, it's disturbing how many 'genres' of porn are basically about seeing women being humiliated in as many ways as possible. Ok now I sound like the faux-naive one.).
Thylmann most of the time comes across as just your average lad who struck gold because he was smart, mastered the new tech and was in the right place at the right time. But he can also seem almost comically evil at times. "But that's good isn't it?" he says, when told about the fall in teenage pregnancy since the advent of mass streamed free porn. But then comes the knock-out punch. Ronson: "yes but it seems to be because of an extraordinary increase in rates of erectile dysfunction in young males" (the argument made here is that mass availability means that viewers can completely control the dynamics of their arousal, sometimes having up to 20 tabs open at once, and also allows a demand for physical perfection, neither of which can be replicated in the real world.)
Thylmann is undeterred. "Yes but it's still good surely? I mean it will be great for the pharmaceutical industry".
There is much that is disturbing in this world, but also no lack of the bizarre. Sample of dialogue from "Amish Girls on Rumspringa": "oh take me quickly dark heathen, before my father comes home for his porridge".
My main qualm would be in a missed opportunity to explore the dynamics of exploitation in the industry - which arguably Pornhub has done little to change (there is a section on whether free porn has led to more demand for sadistic violence against women - he suggests the jury is out on that one). Ronson's "moment of justice" is getting Thylmann to agree to a phone call with one of the - apparently now impoverished - porn directors. The latter gets to vent about the destruction of his livelihood, and the fact that Thylmann's empire is built on the theft of intellectual copyright. But is the director really the injured party here? What about the women and men who work in front of the cameras?
February 8, 2019
Weirdly fascinating journalistic investigation into the effects free porn had on people and the industry.
September 24, 2018
Insightful. Uncomfortable. Saddening. There was a plethora of emotional responses to this audiobook. But one this is for sure; Ronson takes you to places where you feel out of your depth. His storytelling and reporting helped me to clarify a few thoughts in my head around the porn industry, challenged me on some misconceptions, and left me with all sorts of questions and thoughts to ponder on.
August 9, 2017
I had no idea what this book was about when I started reading it. It was free on Audible and it was only 4 hours so I decided to give it a listen and see if it was worth the time. I really enjoyed this story, if I had known what it was about I don't think I would have listened to it but I am glad I did. Jon does a fantastic job examining the link between free porn and the consequences of that on society. If you like non fiction/history and social science I would highly recommend this book. Great listen.
May 18, 2019
If you read The Last Days Of August, I recommend listening to this. It’s was originally a podcast by Ronson about the tech porn takeover that lead him o the story of August Ames. There’s lots of information and ideas that pop out during these interviews and sometimes it got a bit confusing but really excellent, as always
August 3, 2017
If you liked Freakanomics you'll love this! It is an honest look at how free porn changed the world for good and bad. The far reaching effects are beyond anything I considered. I read it initially because I'm forcing myself to learn about anything I've viewed as shameful, to help erase shame from my life (Shame is evil and corrosive) and found exactly what I was looking for.
March 19, 2020
This was the very first audio-book I have listened to all the way through. Controversial choice for the very first one. Don't know what that says about me.
I'm very intrigued by topics which are taboo or even controversial and porn seems to tick both boxes despite the times we live in today. This podcast is about the technologically advanced way porn has developed. From only being available in video shops in a shameful corner to only being a click away. This covers the creation of pornhub (basically free porn) and it's development.
This was very interesting to listen to and each episode finishes with a sort of cliffhanger where it promises to cover another topic which makes you want to keep on listening. Jon Ronson is an excellent writer and journalist. He comes to this topic with a neutral mindset and delivers the information found in an entertaining and balancing way. He interviews pornstars, porn directors, producers and surprisingly mundane people who were also affected by the technologically advanced porn available.
I was like a sponge listening to everything Jon delivered. You don't realise how naive you can be on a specific topic or industry. After listening to this audio-book, it has really opened my eyes into this industry.
I'm very intrigued by topics which are taboo or even controversial and porn seems to tick both boxes despite the times we live in today. This podcast is about the technologically advanced way porn has developed. From only being available in video shops in a shameful corner to only being a click away. This covers the creation of pornhub (basically free porn) and it's development.
This was very interesting to listen to and each episode finishes with a sort of cliffhanger where it promises to cover another topic which makes you want to keep on listening. Jon Ronson is an excellent writer and journalist. He comes to this topic with a neutral mindset and delivers the information found in an entertaining and balancing way. He interviews pornstars, porn directors, producers and surprisingly mundane people who were also affected by the technologically advanced porn available.
I was like a sponge listening to everything Jon delivered. You don't realise how naive you can be on a specific topic or industry. After listening to this audio-book, it has really opened my eyes into this industry.
August 14, 2017
Interesting perspective but obviously biased towards specific opinion. I don't disagree with it, but it does come off as a "see! see what I'm saying!" Still it was insightful and well done.
August 19, 2017
Since this was a free offering from Audible, I wasn't expecting much, but being familiar with Jon Ronson's work, I should have known better. This was never anything less than fascinating.
"The Butterfly Effect" takes the shape of more of a podcast than an audiobook, and it reminded me at times of the well-regarded "Serial" podcast, but far better as I found that podcast to be somewhat overrated.
Each episode (there are seven in all) runs for roughly half an hour, each taking on a different effect that resulted when a savvy Belgian national named Fabian decided to make porn widely available for free online. Fabian is responsible for almost all of the free porn sites you know about today - YouPorn, PornHub, and RedTube, to name just three.
Ronson travels from Montreal, where he speaks with IT specialists involved in the minutia of the sites themselves - designing such things as the internet tabs offering "MILF", "Teenage", and "Interracial" porn - to the San Fernando valley where a lot of the porn shoots take place. Perhaps the most fascinating "effect" that's resulted from the availability of free online porn is the creation of the custom porn industry, where actors and filmmakers field sometimes bizarre requests from individuals willing to pay top-dollar for a film catering to their particular interest or fetish.
"The Butterfly Effect" could have well been a full-length Jon Ronson investigation, much like his books "So You've Been Publicly Shamed" and "The Psychopath Test" were. That's the only thing holding me back from giving "The Butterfly Effect" five stars. While it's a terrific dive into a notoriously seedy industry, this fascinating world begs for more in-depth study.
Things that would have made fascinating topics for potential books of their own - the correlation between a sharp increase in erectile dysfunction in young males and the availability of free online porn, for example - were brought up and moved past relatively quickly due to the lack of time available to properly discuss them.
Being an enormous fan of Jon Ronson's work, "The Butterfly Effect" felt like more of a really good overview of one of his upcoming investigatory books than a book all on its own. Perhaps he'll return to the subject in the future? I, for one, would love to learn more.
"The Butterfly Effect" takes the shape of more of a podcast than an audiobook, and it reminded me at times of the well-regarded "Serial" podcast, but far better as I found that podcast to be somewhat overrated.
Each episode (there are seven in all) runs for roughly half an hour, each taking on a different effect that resulted when a savvy Belgian national named Fabian decided to make porn widely available for free online. Fabian is responsible for almost all of the free porn sites you know about today - YouPorn, PornHub, and RedTube, to name just three.
Ronson travels from Montreal, where he speaks with IT specialists involved in the minutia of the sites themselves - designing such things as the internet tabs offering "MILF", "Teenage", and "Interracial" porn - to the San Fernando valley where a lot of the porn shoots take place. Perhaps the most fascinating "effect" that's resulted from the availability of free online porn is the creation of the custom porn industry, where actors and filmmakers field sometimes bizarre requests from individuals willing to pay top-dollar for a film catering to their particular interest or fetish.
"The Butterfly Effect" could have well been a full-length Jon Ronson investigation, much like his books "So You've Been Publicly Shamed" and "The Psychopath Test" were. That's the only thing holding me back from giving "The Butterfly Effect" five stars. While it's a terrific dive into a notoriously seedy industry, this fascinating world begs for more in-depth study.
Things that would have made fascinating topics for potential books of their own - the correlation between a sharp increase in erectile dysfunction in young males and the availability of free online porn, for example - were brought up and moved past relatively quickly due to the lack of time available to properly discuss them.
Being an enormous fan of Jon Ronson's work, "The Butterfly Effect" felt like more of a really good overview of one of his upcoming investigatory books than a book all on its own. Perhaps he'll return to the subject in the future? I, for one, would love to learn more.
September 27, 2017
There’s a discussion somewhere through this which suggests that it’s possible to create any story from this depending on the angle you choose at the outset. With this in mind, I think Mr Ronson has carried out an outstanding job here.
There are a couple of ground-breaking revelations contained within and I think this butterfly’s wings are stronger and beat harder that most through history. It’s difficult to discuss them thoroughly here without going deep into spoiler territory, but what’s suggested just by following one beat of the wing, is phenomenal.
How many people haven’t ventured into any of the sites discussed here I wonder? Give this a listen, it is hugely entertaining! There must be more coming!
There are a couple of ground-breaking revelations contained within and I think this butterfly’s wings are stronger and beat harder that most through history. It’s difficult to discuss them thoroughly here without going deep into spoiler territory, but what’s suggested just by following one beat of the wing, is phenomenal.
How many people haven’t ventured into any of the sites discussed here I wonder? Give this a listen, it is hugely entertaining! There must be more coming!
August 13, 2017
Fascinating.
September 11, 2017
Interesting, insightful and a little heartbreaking. Classic Ronson basically.
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