politics
March 18, 2026
Not All Are the Same
The collective obsession with the perversions of the American financier carries the risk of moral panic. Hatred of elites is easy to manipulate, leading to unwanted outcomes with catastrophic and far-reaching consequences.
TL;DR
- Revelations about Jeffrey Epstein's connections to politicians, bankers, and other elites continue to surface, intensifying public anger.
- The public's obsession with Epstein's perversions carries the risk of moral panic and manipulation, potentially distracting from more significant threats to liberal democracy.
- The Stavisky affair in 1930s France serves as a historical precedent, where public anger towards elites was exploited by fascist and antisemitic groups, contributing to the downfall of the Third Republic.
- Contemporary leaders, like Donald Trump and far-right European figures, are exploiting anti-elite sentiment, which can be amplified by scandals involving individuals like Epstein, particularly if antisemitic undertones are present.
- While some elites have betrayed public trust, generalizing this to all elites is dangerous, as functional elites are essential for the stability of democratic institutions, including journalism, academia, and finance.
- Technological advancements and a distrust in expertise are contributing to a broader erosion of faith in established institutions.
- Demagogues who intentionally foster distrust in expertise and representation pose a serious threat to liberal democracy.
- The Epstein scandal could overshadow the real dangers to democracy, leading to conspiracy theories and the rise of authoritarian figures promising to 'drain the swamp'.
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