Jon Ronson Quote

The men would all say that they had died,' Gilligan said. 'These were the most incorrigibly violent characters. They would all say that they themselves had died. They felt dead inside. They had no capacity for feelings. No emotional feelings. Or even physical feelings. So some would cut themselves. Or they would mutilate themselves in the most horrible ways. Not because they felt guilty - this wasn't a penance for their sins - but because they wanted to see if they had feelings. They found their inner numbness more tormenting than even the physical pain would be.

Jon Ronson

The men would all say that they had died,' Gilligan said. 'These were the most incorrigibly violent characters. They would all say that they themselves had died. They felt dead inside. They had no capacity for feelings. No emotional feelings. Or even physical feelings. So some would cut themselves. Or they would mutilate themselves in the most horrible ways. Not because they felt guilty - this wasn't a penance for their sins - but because they wanted to see if they had feelings. They found their inner numbness more tormenting than even the physical pain would be.

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About Jon Ronson

Jon Ronson (born 10 May 1967) 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.