Decades from now, when historians finish poring through the millions of Epstein documents and 300+ gigabytes of data, the uproar of today, I suspect, will be lumped into the same category as the Satanic panic of the 1980s and the daycare sex-abuse hysteria of the 1990s: More hype than substance; more conspiratorial fearmongering than fact-based reporting.
Because, after both Republican and Democratic administrations reviewed them, there’s just not any there there. Instead of an avalanche of evidence about foreign espionage, blackmail schemes, and Jeffrey Epstein being the James Bond of pedophilia, a far gloomier image emerges:
Epstein wasn’t abusing children because a foreign government told him it was a good idea. He did it because he’s a disgusting, vile sociopath who enjoyed abusing young girls — as did his “friends.”
He’s not a puppeteer. He’s simply a pervert.
And he’s a pervert whose financial model demanded constant, high-level networking with wealthy businessmen, VIPs, and powerful dignitaries. Epstein leveraged his personal connections into business partners; that’s how he made money. I’m sure his parties and/or harem were part of his pitch.
Sex sells. That’s the sad reality.
Fun fact: Early in my career, I worked for a PR firm that had a prostitute on standby. When an important brand manager visited Tampa, he (and it was almost always a he) would go partying with the PR executives — and wouldn’t you know it, he’d just so happen to bump into a beautiful woman and have a fantastic time.
From the firm’s perspective, it was the cheapest, most cost-efficient way to protect a six-figure PR account: If the brand manager had fun, he’d be less likely to dump us for another firm.
I’m not saying it was right, honorable, or ethical. Obviously, it’s sleazy as hell. No, it wasn’t my decision — but I was aware of it and didn’t quit, which says something ugly about my moral character, too.
Nor is it a perfect parallel to the Epstein situation: For starters, this prostitute was an adult woman. Furthermore, nobody forced, intimidated, or coerced her; she happily did it for the money — and she could (and did) reject certain assignments.
But the common thread of leveraging sex to monetize relationships is 100% applicable. It happens a lot.
And that’s the biggest blessing of the Epstein Files: It took the repulsive practice of peddling flesh for financial favors out of the shadows. Today, the whole world knows the truth.
Sunlight really is the best disinfectant.
Hellbound and Down 