I wrote this about a year ago, when the rumors about Louis CK were getting undeniable, about a week before he admitted it, as Kevin Spacey was attempting a quick-and-dirty end run to unearned rehabilitation.
Thinking of it this morning for some reason.
Thinking of it this morning for some reason.
I don't think redemption is out of the question.
But I do question why it is the *first* question. Shouldn't the first question be, 'how do we best secure safety for women in what's clearly a workplace that allows abuse, and how do we secure justice for victims?"
But I do question why it is the *first* question. Shouldn't the first question be, 'how do we best secure safety for women in what's clearly a workplace that allows abuse, and how do we secure justice for victims?"
Shouldn't other questions be, "What does [person] intend to do to make redemption an appropriate step? How does our desire for redemption impact [person]'s victims?"
My observation would be that when something happens that disrupts an order that we have enjoyed and doesn't threaten us, our first instinct is to restore that order ASAP.
I've done that.
But that's a pattern of enabling abuse.
I've done that.
But that's a pattern of enabling abuse.
We don't want to necessarily get things back to 'normal' for Louis CK. We want to get the Louis CK things in our universe back to normal for us.
We want to enjoy Louis CK's comedy again.
But maybe we can't.
We want to enjoy Louis CK's comedy again.
But maybe we can't.
Perhaps there's a path to redemption for Louis CK.
But it's not our responsibility to create it for him.
But it's not our responsibility to create it for him.
Also, I don't think just slowly stepping back into the comedy scene is what it looks like. I think it has to involve a lot of real change and work.
What, specifically, must he do? I don't know. I don't think it's my job to figure that out, or society's. It's his.
What, specifically, must he do? I don't know. I don't think it's my job to figure that out, or society's. It's his.
Society doesn't owe Louis CK a redemption arc.
It owes women a workplace where they don't have to wonder, "is my co-worker, whose opinion of me can affect my career path, going to block the doorway to force me to watch him masturbate?"
It owes women a workplace where they don't have to wonder, "is my co-worker, whose opinion of me can affect my career path, going to block the doorway to force me to watch him masturbate?"
This is really, really, deeply wrong.
Bill Cosby is one of the funniest people on the planet. So is Louis CK. Either one could make you laugh, right now, without even trying.
It's not enough.
Bill Cosby is one of the funniest people on the planet. So is Louis CK. Either one could make you laugh, right now, without even trying.
It's not enough.
I think it's perfectly acceptable to say that if you force people at your job to watch you masturbate and physically restrain them from leaving when they try to, maybe you just never get to do that job again—even if you're really, really good at it.
Honestly? That seems sane.
Honestly? That seems sane.
Again, very wrong.
They're both powerful men in comedy who used that power to abuse women sexually.
The instinct that wants us to center CK's 'redemption' ahead of women's safety is the exact same instinct that protected Cosby for decades.
They're both powerful men in comedy who used that power to abuse women sexually.
The instinct that wants us to center CK's 'redemption' ahead of women's safety is the exact same instinct that protected Cosby for decades.
Let me encapsulate this if I can.
Currently, our society’s instinctive response to abuse is “how can we get this back to normal?”
Our instinctive response ought to “Why is *this* what’s normal?”
Currently, our society’s instinctive response to abuse is “how can we get this back to normal?”
Our instinctive response ought to “Why is *this* what’s normal?”
I am seriously finding it disorienting the details and circumstances people think is exonerating for masturbating in front of your colleagues.
“He asked PERMISSION.”
I’m this crazy guy who thinks simply asking your colleagues for permission to masturbate in front of them is a horribly inappropriate and abusive thing to do, much less actually doing it.
I’m this crazy guy who thinks simply asking your colleagues for permission to masturbate in front of them is a horribly inappropriate and abusive thing to do, much less actually doing it.
“No he wasn’t blocking the door.”
Listen to yourself. Listen listen listen listen listen listen listen to yourself.
Listen to yourself. Listen listen listen listen listen listen listen to yourself.
Louis CK was my favorite comic. I loved his comedy. It made me laugh a lot.
When it comes to the question of what the right thing to do is, that + 5¢ equals 5¢.
When it comes to the question of what the right thing to do is, that + 5¢ equals 5¢.
He just needed to not be sexually menacing. That is a reasonable bar to expect everyone to be able to clear.
