The Men Who Stare at Goats Cover
Podcast Mentions

The Men Who Stare at Goats

Jon Ronson

In 1979 a secret unit was established by the most gifted minds within the U.S. Army. Defying all known accepted military practice -- and indeed, the laws of physics -- they believed that a soldier could adopt a cloak of invisibility, pass cleanly through walls, and, perhaps most chillingly, kill goa...

Podcasts 7
Quotes 25
Stuff You Should Know

It was discussed as being quite horrific towards the end, specifically related to MK Ultra, and was deemed inferior to the book.

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I know the men who stare at goats by our pal John Ronson really kind of devolves into horror toward the end of it when he gets an MK Ultra

— Episode: How Project Star Gate Worked

Episode: How Project Star Gate Worked

It was discussed as being quite horrific towards the end, specifically related to MK Ultra, and was deemed inferior to the book.

"

I know the men who stare at goats by our pal John Ronson really kind of devolves into horror toward the end of it when he gets an MK Ultra

But you wouldn't just be like I'm gonna dedicate my life to making sure everybody sees this movie. It wouldn't be like that Okay, and I haven't read the book.

Is vastly superior to the movie which when does that ever happen

Episode: How Project Star Gate Worked

It was mentioned as a book by John Ronson that delves into a topic similar to Project Stargate, but it was said to become horrifying towards the end with the inclusion of MK Ultra, and the speaker had not seen the movie adaptation.

"

I know the men who stare at goats by our pal John Ronson Really kind of devolves into horror toward the end of it when he gets an MK Ultra

But you wouldn't just be like I'm gonna dedicate my life to making sure everybody sees this movie. It wouldn't be like that Okay, and I haven't read the book. Sorry John if you even listen to us anymore, but It like I'm quite sure from what I understand Is vastly superior to the movie which when does that ever happen

Episode: How Project Star Gate Worked

It was discussed as having a more horrific tone than Project Stargate, particularly as it dealt with MK Ultra. The podcast hosts also mentioned that the book was possibly superior to the movie.

"

I know the men who stare at goats by our pal John Ronson really kind of devolves into horror toward the end of it when he gets an MK Ultra

But this is separate from MK MK Ultra It came from the same mindset for sure this idea that there are powers to the mind that could conceivably be unlocked to do ill or good or neutral stuff who knows?

I haven't read the book. Sorry John if you even listen to us anymore, but It like I'm quite sure from what I understand is vastly superior to the movie which when does that ever happen

if John Ronson's hands were involved In his brain, then I'm sure it was better.

Episode: How Project Star Gate Worked

It was discussed in relation to Project Stargate, as it also dealt with the idea of unlocking mental powers, but was considered to be more horrific, especially towards the end, due to the involvement of MKUltra.

"

I know the men who stare at goats by our pal John Ronson really kind of devolves into horror toward the end of it when he gets an MK Ultra But this is separate from MK MK Ultra It came from the same mindset for sure this idea that there are powers to the mind that could conceivably be unlocked to do ill or good or neutral stuff who knows?

I haven't read the book. Sorry John if you even listen to us anymore, but It like I'm quite sure from what I understand is vastly superior to the movie which when does that ever happen sure if John Ronson's hands were involved In his brain, then I'm sure it was better.

My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

The book was discussed in context of a story from it, where the author met with a person involved in MKUltra and learned about that story.

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He has a story and I think it's in the Men Who Stare at Goats because there's the MKUltras in there about he went and met that guy and learned all about that story and within that story after the dad...

— Episode: 106 - Courage Shoulders

Episode: 106 - Courage Shoulders

The book was discussed in context of a story from it, where the author met with a person involved in MKUltra and learned about that story.

"

He has a story and I think it's in the Men Who Stare at Goats because there's the MKUltras in there about he went and met that guy and learned all about that story and within that story after the dad died like a couple before the mom died him and his brother went on a bike trip across the United States as like a I think a 12 and a 14 year old.

Episode: 102 - Decompressions

It was discussed as one of Jon Ronson's many books. Georgia found it highly entertaining and listened to the audiobook while on vacation.

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He wrote the men who stare at goats.

Episode: 106 - Courage Shoulders

It was mentioned that John Ronson, whose work was enjoyed, included a story in this book related to MKUltra, which the podcast was discussing.

"

He has a story and I think it's in the Men Who Stare at Goats because there's the MKUltras in there about he went and met that guy and learned all about that story and within that story after the dad died like a couple before the mom died him and his brother went on a bike trip across the United States as like a I think a 12 and a 14 year old.

Episode: 102 - Decompressions

It was mentioned as one of Jon Ronson's many books, and was discussed in the context of Georgia's listening to his audiobooks during her vacation.

"

He wrote the men who stare at goats.

RedHanded

Podcast

RedHanded

During research for this book, the author visited Eric Olson, the son of Dr. Frank Olson, who believed his father was murdered by the CIA. The book provided insight into Eric Olson's perspective on the death of his father.

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Whilst writing The Men Who Stare at Goats, John Ronson paid Eric a visit and found a man convinced that his father who worked on artichoke was actually a good man who intended to bring it all down fro...

— Episode: Episode 368 - MKUltra - Part 2: The Myth...

Episode: Episode 368 - MKUltra - Part 2: The Myth of Mind C...

During research for this book, the author visited Eric Olson, the son of Dr. Frank Olson, who believed his father was murdered by the CIA. The book provided insight into Eric Olson's perspective on the death of his father.

"

Whilst writing The Men Who Stare at Goats, John Ronson paid Eric a visit and found a man convinced that his father who worked on artichoke was actually a good man who intended to bring it all down from the inside.

Handsome

Podcast

Handsome

They mentioned the book while discussing how the government and CIA used psychics in the 1970s80s, noting it described psychic experiments and later lost credibility.

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the government and CIA and stuff used psychics until like the 70s or 80s ... yeah, like that book the men who stare at goats like they were conducting psychic experiments until so recently and then th...

— Episode: Jennifer Aniston asks about psychic expe...

Episode: Jennifer Aniston asks about psychic experiences

They mentioned the book while discussing how the government and CIA used psychics in the 1970s80s, noting it described psychic experiments and later lost credibility.

"

the government and CIA and stuff used psychics until like the 70s or 80s ... yeah, like that book the men who stare at goats like they were conducting psychic experiments until so recently and then they just I think it just got a bad PR and they stopped but yeah

Timcast IRL

The show's hosts briefly mentioned a book called 'The Men Who Stare at Goats,' referencing it as a U.S. military program that aimed to create psychic soldiers.

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They had the men who stare at goats.

— Episode: Timcast IRL #839 GA Posts Trump Indictme...

Episode: Timcast IRL #839 GA Posts Trump Indictment BEFORE...

The show's hosts briefly mentioned a book called 'The Men Who Stare at Goats,' referencing it as a U.S. military program that aimed to create psychic soldiers.

"

They had the men who stare at goats.

The Men Who Stare at Goats, it's like come on, you know that.

The Jordan Harbinger Show

This is a book about the CIA's attempts at mind control using hypnosis, which was often used in conjunction with mind altering drugs.

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What we do know is that the CIA was interested in whether hypnosis could be used to force individuals to commit acts they would not otherwise consent to including assassinations.

— Episode: 1026: Hypnosis | Skeptical Sunday

Episode: 1026: Hypnosis | Skeptical Sunday

This is a book about the CIA's attempts at mind control using hypnosis, which was often used in conjunction with mind altering drugs.

"

What we do know is that the CIA was interested in whether hypnosis could be used to force individuals to commit acts they would not otherwise consent to including assassinations.

Could it help people to resist torture as well? That could be really useful for an army or whatever but again the consensus is that hypnosis can't make you do things that are fundamentally against your will or your morals.

It's more of a way of suggesting new ways of thinking, new ways of acting and new ways of remembering.

There's no evidence to suggest that these attempts by the CIA were at all successful.

Hypnosis simply doesn't have the power to override an individual's free will or make them act against their deep-seated beliefs or allow them to turn invisible or walk through walls as the CIA allegedly tried to make them do.

The Daily Stoic

The book was mentioned, and its adaptation into a movie starring George Clooney was noted.

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His book the men who stare at goats was turned into a delightful movie with George Clooney

— Episode: Jon Ronson on Empathy, Culture Wars, and...

Episode: Jon Ronson on Empathy, Culture Wars, and Finding C...

The book was mentioned, and its adaptation into a movie starring George Clooney was noted.

"

His book the men who stare at goats was turned into a delightful movie with George Clooney

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