Them: Adventures with Extremists

Additional Them: Adventures with Extremists Information

AN EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY THROUGH THE WORLD OF FRINGE-DWELLERS

Islamic fundamentalists, Ku Klux Klansmen, Christian separatists, and certain members of British Parliament would seem to have very little in common, but they do in fact share one crucial belief: that the world is secretly controlled by an elite group -- in a word, Them. This shadowy elite starts the wars, elects heads of state, sets the price of oil and the flow of capital, conducts bizarre secret rituals, and controls the media. This group is incredibly powerful and will destroy any investigator who gets too close to the truth.

Does this shadowy elite really exist? Jon Ronson wondered. As a journalist and a Jew, Ronson was often considered one of "Them," but he had no idea if their meetings actually took place and, if so, where. Was he the only one not invited?

Ronson decided to settle the matter himself, seeking out the supposed secret rulers of the world by way of those who seem to know most about them: the extremists. The result is a riveting journey around the globe. Along the way Ronson meets Omar Bakri Mohammed, once considered to be the most dangerous man in Great Britain. This powerful Muslim fundamentalist -- who tricks Jon into chauffeuring him around town because he doesn't have a car -- seems harmless enough until he takes Jon to Jihad training camp where Ronson is unmasked as a Jew.

Jon shoots guns with Ruby Ridge survivor Rachel Weaver and learns about black helicopters and the New World Order. While trying to monitor a meeting of the famous Bilderberg Group in Portugal, he is chased by men in dark glasses. With a group of other true believers, he breaks into the fabled Bohemian Grove in California and witnesses CEOs and politicians engaged in a bizarre pagan ritual. When he attends a KKK rally to interview a PR-conscious Grand Wizard who forbids use of the "N-word," Jon watches as Klan members confront a perpetual cross-burning problem: Do you raise it and then soak it or soak it and then raise it?

But the more Ronson tries to expose the emptiness of these conspiracies, the less and less he's certain that the extremists are crazy. In the end, Them is an eye-opening narrative of the looking-glass world of "us" and "them." Funny, chilling, and seamlessly told, it is an unforgettable glimpse into lives on the fringe.

What Customers Say About Them: Adventures with Extremists:

They all seemed to think Ickes bizarre ideas about high level politicians and business elite being shape shifting lizard people were code words and symbolic of Jews. Islamic radicals, Randy Weaver, Alex Jones, David Icke, a KKK leader that won't say the "n word", a guy that stalks every Bilderburg meeting and more. Ronson goes around with various political radicals and conspiracy theorists in this book. At times Them is slightly entertaining but overall I wouldn't recomend it because I believe his whole purpose in writing this book was to mock and discredit everyone he talked to in Them and it certainly isn't a serious look into any of these peoples beliefs or worldviews. While at times grudgingly admitting that there is something to what most of these people are getting at when he is confronted with undeniable truths he obviously set out to mock everybody he dealt with.Ronson is a Jew so he is most concerned with any hint of a Jew related conspiracy theory and seems to always be attempting to find "anti-semitism" in people that really have a bone to pick with the Jews in particular. To his credit he does make the ADL and anti-racist groups look like the paranoid idiots and anti-free speech fascists that they are because of their harrassment of David Icke during a book signing tour of Canada. So just go on about your business and continue believing that anybody that thinks globalism is happening and is pre-planned and engineered by cabal of rich and powerful people is an insane kook. Enjoy your new world order.

After I read the book, I re-read the cover and was surprised at how overstated it seemed. Maybe that's part of the joke on the reader.Much of the book can be found on YouTube. word for word if you search for David Icke and Jon Ronson. If you want to read the transcripts of the video, and more like it, then this book is for you.

So I stumbled upon THEM which doesn't dispute the individual theories but delves deeper into their world and really exposes the way these people think. I bought THEM because I had been really obsessing over conspiracy theories and what not, I thought it would be more of the same but was pleasantly suprised. This book was hilarious I read it in 2 days because I just couldn't put it down. Other books I found helpful were Enemies Within by Goldberg and Culture of Conspiracy by Barkun very informational but not as entertaining as THEM. Y'know conspiracy theorists constantly complain that the truth is being supressed that the masses are deaf dumb and blind (well maybe) that only they know what's really going on, yet as a fence sitter I could barely find anyone writing about the theorists and validity of there ideas. Everytime I run searches about what they are talking about I was only drawn deeper into their world of madness and irrational conclusions. With this book we've got PR friendly Klansmen, ice cream munching Jihadists, and the consistently psycho Alex Jones exposed as an over-caffienated paranoid school boy. I loved this book and it's a great gift for conspiracy minded friends (not that it'll change their minds) enjoy.

In this book, a British journalist spends time with various (mostly right-wing) extremists, and discovers their human and silly side. He essentially discovers that the Bilderberg Group is Establishment politicos and businessmen sitting around agreeing with each other, and the Bohemian Grove is a big silly party for such people. Some chapters (most notably the first) are fairly entertaining, while others are a bit dull (such as his look at the memorabilia of a former Romanian dictator, which doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of the book). I especially liked his chapter focusing on the targets of conspiracy theories, including his discussion of the Bilderberg Group with Bilderberg member Denis Healey and his undercover visit to the Bohemian Grove. This book is meant to be fun, shallow "beach reading", meant to be consumed in a few hours. If you take it as such you will be amused some of the time; if you expect something more serious, expect to be disappointed.

It's intriguing, as aside from the Louis Theroux-styled cool wit, there's a real sense of internal conflict; something that's often lacking from writers tackling this area of life.This is an exceptionally easy read - you'll breeze through it in an afternoon - but it's kept aloft by the conversational tone. Should he reveal his religion to white supremacists.

(Well, vice-versa, really; Goats was the sequel). In this book, Ronson.more I remember this title being given a fair amount of press when I was living in the UK, but somehow I never ended up picking it up at the three-for-two table.When it turned up at Vinnies for three bucks, I thought it was a worthy purchase.I'd previously read Ronson's The Men Who Stare At Goats, a tale about military, militia and paramilitary weirdness, and it's safe to say that Them is more of the same.

I remember this title being given a fair amount of press when I was living in the UK, but somehow I never ended up picking it up at the three-for-two table.When it turned up at Vinnies for three bucks, I thought it was a worthy purchase.I'd previously read Ronson's The Men Who Stare At Goats, a tale about military, militia and paramilitary weirdness, and it's safe to say that Them is more of the same. It's an eyebrow-cocked attempt to figure out whether there really are secret rulers of the world, if they are lizards, and if they'd bother chasing him if he was Too Close To The Truth.I won't spoil the story, but there's some great scenes that will tweak conspiracy theorists' sensibilities, at least.What's most interesting about this book is the way Ronson's musings on his heritage inform what he's actually doing; is it ethical for him, for example, to make sure nobody pinches money that will undoubtedly be used to fund attacks against Israelis.

(Well, vice-versa, really; Goats was the sequel). In this book, Ronson, a Jewish Brit journo, catches up with extremists of all stripes: hardcore Islamic fundamentalists, members of the Bilderberg group, neo-Nazis and the like.

And so on. It's more a pub discussion than a tome, but it's one that intrigues, and makes you think of Henry Kissinger in drag; that's worth the price of admission alone.