When the New York Times revealed what Harvey Weinstein had been up to, it seemed to have burst a dam. As a result, people who were once reluctant to speak out about what had happened to them because of fear, shame, and a wide range of other causes are now speaking out because each person who manages to overcome their reluctance to speak out encourages other people in similar situations to take that particular step. Something that should be seen as a significant improvement on the previous state of things.
The Ending of Careers Is Not Enough
So far, the people who have spoken out have managed to produce consequences for a number of powerful figures in the entertainment industries. For example, Harvey Weinstein has been booted from the company that he co-founded, which is looking into changing its name at the moment for the purpose of distancing itself from him. Likewise, Kevin Spacey has been booted from House of Cards, Danny Masterson has been booted from The Ranch, and Jeffrey Tambour has stepped down from Transparent before he could be booted. Then there’s Matt Lauer, The NFL Network and what appears to be countless others. As more stories of sexual misconduct continue to come out, it seems probable that more powerful figures will see significant hits to their careers, which may or may not be enough to keep them from returning to the entertainment industries at some point in the far off future.
However, in our opinion the ending of careers is not enough. A lot of the stories of sexual misconduct involve serious crimes, which should come with serious consequences from the legal system. This does not mean that the law should be distorted to inflict punishment upon the people who have been accused of doing such things, but it does mean that the stories should be investigated in a thorough manner so that if there is sufficient evidence, the legal system can step in to proceed to the next logical step. Not only would this be important for showing that no one is above the law, it would also be important for reminding people of a couple of important tenets for a healthy society.
First, it would remind people that a chorus of voices united for a single purpose can make a real difference in the world, which is necessary for preventing people from falling into apathy about societal institutions. Second, it would remind people that sexual misconduct is a serious matter, thus providing increased impetus for society as a whole to change for the better. Of course, ensuring that these people are punished by the legal system in the appropriate manner won’t be a comprehensive solution for these societal ills, but it could nonetheless be a significant step in the right direction.
Further Considerations
With that said, it should be mentioned that a significant number of the powerful figures who have been accused of sexual misconduct are under investigation at the moment. Thorough investigations take time, meaning that some patience is called for. However, at the same time, people also need to be prepared to continue paying attention to the issue so that they can continue advocating for change that will make society a better place to live in for everyone.
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