Conversations With People Who Hate Me: 12 Things I Learned from Talking to Internet Strangers Paperback – 13 August 2024

I can't say enough good things about this book! Will try and keep it brief by summarizing my main reactions:1. This topic is relatable and relevant in a way that very few are. Basically, if you are a human, and you interact with other humans (either in person or online), and if you have different opinions than those other humans (on big or small issues), than you can relate to the themes in this book. You don't have to know the podcast, and you don't even have to spend a lot of time online! If you are a celebrity or a 13 year old junior higher or a middle aged working professional or a retired professional - you will find something in this text that matters to you.2. You will feel joy, and disgust, and anticipation, and challenged, and unsure, and inspired, and many other things throughout the journey of this book. Few books impact you in that way - but I highly doubt all the chapters will hit you in the same way. The characters in the book will hit you differently. And it will be a different experience for every reader. You will want to be a better version of your beautiful self after reading Conversations with People Who Hate Me.3. You may not agree with everything written in this book - and that is not only ok, but expected and encouraged. The thing is, if you pay attention while you read it, you will be curious enough about yourself and others to contemplate these themes and maybe even DO something different than you are doing today. That is a powerful text.Thank you Dylan Marron for taking the time to share this highly personal work! Your honesty and care and commitment to people is inspiring, especially in our divided times.

I’ve been an Amazon user for over 20 years and this is the first review I have ever written. This book is INCREDIBLE. I can’t remember the last time I turned pages so quickly and felt such a meaningful spectrum of emotions. It’s cheesy to say that I laughed and cried, but I literally did. Led me start by saying that this book is joyful, optimistic, and absolutely hilarious. It’s like a cool, refreshing drink of water at the end of the long climb that is our daily barrage of bad news. But it won’t just make you laugh out loud. (Again, it will do that.). It will make you think, reflect, and get EXCITED about how to bring kindness to this challenging, divided world. Believe me, though—you won’t find platitudes. This book is nuanced, authentic, and acutely pragmatic. You won’t want to put it down. I’ve already bought several copies for friends and family. To sum, I very strongly recommend that you buy this book!

In Conversations With People Who Hate Me, Dylan Marron beautifully recounts his expedition to face down the daunting words of a group of Haters and the people who posted them as he unironically reaches out into the big, bad (and as it turns out…not all bad) infinite of the internet to actually invite his detractors to the table.Through this fresh, honest, funny, and genuinely enlightening account, the author mesmerizingly relates his journey to answer to his self-imposed question (one I suspect most of us would not be brave enough to even attempt): “What am I going to do about it?”With humor, creativity, wit, mustering remarkable patience and even empathy, he finds commonality with his guests in universal experiences, and we are eloquently reminded of the challenges and rewards(!) that engaging in a genuine conversation with those outside our comfort zone can bring…not only the virtue of talking to rather than at each other, but the power and importance of actually listening.As delightfully written as it is inspiring!

If you’re drained by the constant toil and trouble on social media, this book is for you. The author—a social-media star in his own right—dissects all the ills that befall online interactions and offers sound, usable advice for overcoming them. Through his own (often entertaining) experiences with those who claim to despise his politics and/or personality, the author gives concrete examples of how grace, understanding, and—most of all—conversation can bring us closer, even if we never truly see eye to eye. A wonderful antidote to anyone seeking relief from the negative side of social media but with no idea where to start.

Dylan's book is partially a Biography and also a lessons learned from being a Polital Celebrity Online.Over the years he has come to realise that attacking the opposition and debating them at every turn (even if done creatively or humorously) doesn't help.It doesn't change minds or bring them around to your way of thinking.It alienates them.He challenges us to talk to people we disagree with and remember that they are humans on the other side of the screen.Maybe we can win them over with empathy and understanding, but even then it is a glacially slow process.I have found I agree with him.