Our conversation about Jeffrey Epstein
Brace Belden, Daniel Boguslaw, Alexandra Brodsky, and Anand Giridharadas on patriarchy, conspiracy, and elite impunity
Rampant speculation notwithstanding, it is impossible to know how many, if any, of Donald Trump’s decisions in office have been driven by a desire to keep Jeffrey Epstein out of the headlines. Regardless, after the scandal was revivified this winter by the release of innumerable emails documenting the pedophile financier’s extensive relationships to powerful figures across business, government, and academia, the story does seem to have slightly receded from view of late.
We at The Drift aren’t ready to move on. In addition to reflections from our editors and contributors on the significance of the email release, Issue Seventeen features an edited transcript of our roundtable on Epstein featuring Brace Belden, Dan Boguslaw, Alexandra Brodsky, and Anand Giridharadas. The panel considered what we can learn about gender hierarchies and the fate of #MeToo, the place of sexual predation in the lives of the ultra-rich, and the appeal of conspiracy theorizing today. Read the conversation online.
“The Ultimate Conspiracy of Patriarchy” | A Conversation with Brace Belden, Daniel Boguslaw, Alexandra Brodsky, and Anand Giridharadas
We don’t get that kind of glimpse into the private communications of the people who run the world very often. We don’t get to see the glide from link-sharing to appointment-setting to child-raping to dinner-party-setting-up. It’s the same people, the same thumbs on the same phone, doing all those things, maybe within a five-minute span.
I wonder about the international political decisions that have been being made, and continue being made, because of the agenda of the cabal in which Epstein obviously had a role.
I'm sorry there was only one woman on the panel. When she spoke, she spoke for many. But she didn't have as many opportunities as all of the men. Anand, of course, you refer to the role of women in this debacle...but in many cases your male colleagues seemed unable to acknowledge our existence or worth. Kind of familiar territory for us. I appreciate your sharing the interview with us, but I am disappointed with the missed opportunities.