I just thought to cast a few of my thoughts about the recent public explosion of emotion surrounding sexual harassment in the workplace, and Harvey Weinstein and his Hollywood empire in particular. I've got a few pointed remarks and a few bits of cowardice to toss into the cauldron of open discussion in the agora of ideas, but I'll do my most recent songlist first, to see if there are any cognitive patterns that can be gleaned from these titles and/or artists, in this order, at this time. In other words, I am forcing you, the reader, to wade through some self-indulgent intellectual exercise before I start stirring up some bits in the pot of global controversy.
Words of Nano Wisdom
- China Cat Sunflower, by the Grateful Dead
- Dr. Evil Edit, by the Alan Parsons Project
- Kevin Carter, by the Manic Street Preachers
- John the Revelator, written by Son House, performed by Taj Mahal, Sam Moore, and Cab Blues
- Brazil is Full of Love, by DJ Earworm, featuring Death Cab for Cutie
- Thinking Up, Looking Down, by the Lightning Seeds
- Sea of Joy, by Blind Faith
And now, the Dynamite
This week's "revelations" about Harvey Weinstein and his sexual predations upon young starlets in Hollywood ought not to surprise anyone. The term "casting couch" has been around ever since the early days of the industry, and it is not without its foundations in historical fact. The title of Hollywood producer has been a prized position for many a lecherous soul, and many people with cash reserves to equal their libidinous appetites have leapt wholeheartedly into the industry. Howard Hughes didn't decide to bankroll Jane Russell feature films because of some sort of philanthropic bent, and Roman Polanski may be thoroughly altruistic, but you wouldn't know it from looking at his rap sheet.These are not just rumours. Actors and actresses have been shrieking about this for years. In the most obvious case, we have Corey Haim and Corey Feldman - the former is deceased, the latter features prominently in "An Open Secret." (URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfWFjWnuCQE) Both, but more particularly Haim, since he's still alive, have alleged sexual harassment, abuse, and rape. Maybe they were ignored because they are males, and who cares if they get molested, they're the privileged gender, right?
But lets dial back to the 1980s, when Carrie Fisher (post Princess-Leia) wrote in "Postcards from the Edge" in 1987 and "Surrender the Pink" in 1990 about the casting couch culture. In fact, the very phrase "surrender the pink" is something Fisher said that she experienced firsthand from a producer. She didn't say, but it may well have been Weinstein. No-one cared about what Fisher said thirty years ago. Why start now?
So we know that Hollywood is fraught with manipulative sexual predators. We also know, from the success of the #MeToo campaign, that a tremendous amount of workplace environments, and indeed, other social environments are rife with sexually exploitative individuals. What is the significance of the timing of this outpouring of solidarity of the victimized? Is it because someone finally harpooned one of the white whales? Weinstein has been caught, so now it is safe for not only his victims, but for ALL victims of such harassment to come forth, share their experiences, build a figurative campfire around which to sing "Kumbaya," and enjoy the warm communal snuggle of a more enlightened world.
But...
No one built a worldwide social media movement when Bill Cosby was formulated and fixed upon a pin of public scrutiny for his indiscretions with women and quaaludes. That was sexual harassment and assault upon women with decreased ability to give consent. He's an entertainment figure. Why is his case different from Weinstein's?
What if the big difference here is guilt? What if the people who now claim past victimhood of the Hollywood casting couch culture feel compelled to condemn it now because they rode its mechanisms to fame and are now ashamed of themselves and their own behaviour? Over the past two decades, we have seen the extent to which people will go in order to gain any measure of fame. People have virtually prostituted themselves in an effort to get tabloid headlines, TMZ airtime, reality TV productions, fashion lines, and fragrances because a celebrity-driven culture craves famous people, even if they aren't particularly talented, skilled, or humane. How many women agreed to watch Harvey wank into a potted plant in exchange for a role in a Ben Affleck film, only to feel miserable afterwards when the film stank and their performance was panned critically?
What if the real motivator behind the hashtag isn't the sexual manipulation, but the assumed guilt (whether right or wrong) that acquiescence means complicity in the entire system? We all know that the casting couch exists. How many feel awful that they willingly laid themselves on that altar for the sake of personal gain?
The fact that the hashtag snowballed indicates that there are a lot of predators in positions of authority. This is also something that should not be particularly surprising, considering the number of authority figures people allow in their lives, from their schools to their churches to their jobs to their families. That there is now a movement for victims to declare their solidarity in victimhood is laudable from both a psychological and sociological perspective, but does it do anything to solve the problem?
To mispronounce the words for humourous Taylor Swift effect, predators gonna predate. As long as those authority figures have meaningful authority, they know that they have a solid shot at getting away with all manner of awful things. A cleric who can control the gates to the afterlife or to parental acceptance and love can sway and manipulate any number of naïve acolytes into abusive scenarios. The big shot producer who can control the gates to fortune and fame can almost certainly make an aspiring artist make a choice involving the amount that he or she is prepared to sacrifice for success. Essentially, any situation where a person in power can make the statement "This will be our little secret" stick is one that exposes an individual without influence to abuse.
So, victims of sexual harassment worldwide, I'm glad that you can stand out loud and proud. But as long as people are willing to leak sex-tapes of themselves on the internet, construct elaborate sham marriages, sell videotapes of the birth of their children, and other demeaning activities for fifteen minutes of fame, you can be damn sure that they will do all manner of distasteful things for the person holding the chequebook, contract, keys, or whatever is the lever of control. As long as they have the hashtag #MeToo to act as an avenue of forgiveness and contrition, everything's just fine.
And that's quite enough out of me for one session.
Until next time, good night England and the colonies.
—mARKUS
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