‘It’s a strange time to be a man’: in The Castle, Jon Ronson investigates the plight of unanchored men
Journalist Jon Ronson explores the challenges facing modern men in his new book, 'The Castle: Adventures in a World of Unravelling Men.' The book examines the social and political pressures that contribute to a sense of displacement among men in deindustrialized areas.
Why it matters
The work addresses the growing cultural discourse surrounding masculinity and the impact of economic shifts on traditional gender roles.
Fane ‘It’s a strange time to be a man’: in The Castle, Jon Ronson investigates the plight of unanchored men Published: September 10, 2026 4:13pm EDT https://theconversation.com/its-a-strange-time-to-be-a-man-in-the-castle-jon-ronson-investigates-the-plight-of-unanchored-men-290424 https://theconversation.com/its-a-strange-time-to-be-a-man-in-the-castle-jon-ronson-investigates-the-plight-of-unanchored-men-290424 Link copied Share article Share article
Copy link Email Bluesky Facebook WhatsApp Messenger LinkedIn X (Twitter) Print article
The ABC’s now-defunct current affairs show Q+A makes an early appearance in Jon Ronson’s The Castle: Adventures in a World of Unravelling Men .
A guest in 2024, he reflects on the show as “a delightful hour’s television with everyone being convivial to one another, no matter their politics”. That is, until there was a question about men, which he responded to with: “It’s a strange time to be a man.” He describes the response of host Patricia Karvelas (“Is it? Why?”) as the “sharpest exchange” of the program.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in