John Ronson on men losing purpose in a world without work

John Ronson, the writer and journalist known for exploring the darker corners of modern life, has published a new book, "The Castle," subtitled "Adventures in a World of Unraveling Men." In a broadcast interview to mark its release, Ronson laid out the central argument: that many men are losing their sense of purpose as traditional structures such as office life and factory work disappear, and that this is having a profound effect on their inner lives.

Ronson said the idea for the book came after a period of illness. He had recently had a foot of his colon removed due to diverticulitis, and found himself convalescing at home, feeling purposeless. "I realized that all of my sort of self-worth was draining away from me because I had no purpose," he said. Sitting on benches trying to come up with story ideas, he was overwhelmed by the thought: "I'm just a man sitting on a bench."

He connects this personal experience to a wider cultural shift. "Because of the collapse of the old institutions and structures, suddenly a lot of people, but I'm focusing on men in this book, are feeling without purpose," he said. He argues that purpose matters enormously, and that self-worth is wrapped up in work. This is being made worse, he claimed, by those in the AI industry who argue that a world without work would be liberating. He singled out Sam Altman, who has spoken of imagining a world without work, and described that vision as "completely nightmarish." He also criticised an unnamed AI music company executive who suggested that people do not actually enjoy making music.

Ronson drew a line from his earlier book, "So You've Been Publicly Shamed," to his new work. Ten years ago, he said, people were being fired "willy nilly" and disproportionately punished. He wanted to show that work is not just about money but about meaning. "If you take away somebody's livelihood, you're not only taking away their ability to live, to buy food, but you're taking away their meaning," he said.

The book examines how men have moved from being part of an institution to being an institution of one, chasing personal brands and content creation. He described YouTube and other platforms as presenting themselves as "hierarchy-free utopias where a man could thrive through grit and perseverance as an influencer." But for many, he said, chasing the algorithm leads things to go "haywire." He also noted that entry-level jobs are being wiped out, with people told that AI will take over their careers.

Despite the bleak picture, Ronson offered a note of hope. He pointed to small signs of people reconnecting, such as the rise of vinyl listening parties, increasing cinema attendance, and live shows. "Nobody wants AI slop. Nobody wants AI to take our jobs away from us," he said. He believes there is a growing movement against the divisiveness and silos of the internet, and that people are waking up to how those forces make the world worse. His advice is simple: "You can do small things. You can be part of society more, not isolate." He cited social science studies showing that even introverts feel better after socialising, despite dreading it beforehand.

Ronson's interview also touched on his long-running feud with comedy writer Graham Linehan, which is discussed in a separate podcast episode. The new book, "The Castle," is out now.