I dont usually post the Guardian's tame posho, Marina Hyde, but she's spot on in this article.
"How about the biggest and grimmest question of all: what it means for women and girls to be able to clearly see that we live in a world where so many of the richest and most powerful men alive are just not bothered enough by their exploitation. Or worse"
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/feb/03/jeffrey-epstein-powerful-men-women-girls
I guess like most people I've been thinking about the Epstein cesspit, and boosting posts about it, but I haven't yet written anything on it myself.
I find it confusing. Is it the old thing about power corrupting ? Could there really be a right-wing paedophile ring bizarrely echoing the very stories those very people made up about the Clintons ? An Israel-linked spy ring using a child sex honey-trap ?
But none of this seems to me to really account for the sheer puerile, sleazy immaturity of many of the exchanges. "Girls ! Girls !" These are grown men with attitudes that would shame most adolescent boys. It's not just that 'power corrupts', but that our societies seem to have actively promoted, favoured and networked together - in business, politics and media - the most inadequate, immature, insensitive and amoral people.
@GeofCox @junesim63
There does seem to be a "focusing on #Epstein over-shadows every other crime" thing going on.
The #EpsteinFiles have revealed more than just "child sex trafficking" crimes, but it seems that's all anyone is focused on.
@GeofCox @junesim63 I think you should see @maggiechapman 's analysis of this. No bizarre conspiracies required - just the normal operations of the patriarchy.
@junesim63 @GeofCox If you're interested in a rivetting inspection of all this, I highly recommend Corruptible by Brian Klaas https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/corruptible-who-gets-power-and-how-it-changes-us-dr-brian-klaas/85292cfbfeb9aa24
@GeofCox @junesim63
I think it's the impunity. It means they don't have to change innerly. And their behaviour and attitudes are rewarded by their peers and by the pleasure of the acts themselves. Research has shown privileged people make inconsiderate drivers, it makes sense that the dynamic would not be so domain specific.
