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- I’m all for weeding out monsters, I’m not for a patriarchal society — but I’m not for the court of public opinion either. Public opinion is blind, dumb, and insatiable. Even after the monsters are weeded out, public opinion will demand additional sacrifice. I think we can already see that happening now (see Lizza, Ryan).
- The great, hilarious contradiction of American life is the apology. Trump, Roy Moore — these ‘men' did not apologize, and thus, faced no consequences. The sensitive, liberal men who did apologize, promise to go therapy, etcetera — well their careers are over. Regardless of the content of their character, Moore and Trump are at least consistent: they are base fools who never promised to act like anything else. Charlie Rose however, stood for elite, refined culture; refined masculinity. The apology then, is not so much an apology as a confession of doubt. It says: ‘I am not who I believed myself to be. I am the void produced by my values.’
- It is comical, as well, that this great awakening — the discourse surrounding male predation — is largely limited to discussion of male celebrities and their interns. This is not where real life really is. Until we talk about and then actually change structural — social and economic inequality — then these scandals are just that: scandals, sensationalism — tabloid fodder. An open position at the Weinstein Company does nothing for women in poverty — where abuse is most statistically likely.
- Never, never forget that America is a Puritanical country. There is so much talk of sex in America precisely for this reason.
