Epstein Files: "I can do whatever I want to"

[Bootstrap]

One of the fascinating things we learn from the Epstein files is just how much some of the rich and powerful believe “I can do whatever I want to” and “I am better than those other people.” And how much other people are willing to let them live on their chosen pedestals, no matter how much it victimizes others.

They consider themselves exempt from law, morality, and taxes. They think they can do whatever they want to, and it turns out they actually can. To an astonishing degree. While most of us are held accountable in so many ways.

These elites include tech bros, liberals, and MAGA hardliners. They span both political parties. They include talk show hosts and influencers whose programs are wildly hypocritical, claiming to stand for values completely at odds with the way they actually live. And they have a remarkable level of influence on our country as a whole.

In the meantime, so many of us feud over which elites are our idols, and why someone else’s idols are the enemy. All of this feels like idolatry to me. Christians should not elevate people to this position. Neither should democracies.

[Judas Maccabeus]

One of the fascinating things we learn from the Epstein files is just how much some of the rich and powerful believe “I can do whatever I want to” and “I am better than those other people.” And how much other people are willing to let them live on their chosen pedestals, no matter how much it victimizes others.

They consider themselves exempt from law, morality, and taxes. They think they can do whatever they want to, and it turns out they actually can. To an astonishing degree. While most of us are held accountable in so many ways.

These elites include tech bros, liberals, and MAGA hardliners. They span both political parties. They include talk show hosts and influencers whose programs are wildly hypocritical, claiming to stand for values completely at odds with the way they actually live. And they have a remarkable level of influence on our country as a whole.

In the meantime, so many of us feud over which elites are our idols, and why someone else’s idols are the enemy. All of this feels like idolatry to me. Christians should not elevate people to this position. Neither should democracies.

“Let me tell you about the very rich. They are different from you and me. They possess and enjoy early, and it does something to them, makes them soft where we are hard, and cynical where we are trustful, in a way that, unless you were born rich, it is very difficult to understand. They think, deep in their hearts, that they are better than we are because we had to discover the compensations and refuges of life for ourselves. Even when they enter deep into our world or sink below us, they still think that they are better than we
are. They are different. ”

― F. Scott Fitzgerald

[temporal1]

One of the fascinating things we learn from the Epstein files is just how much some of the rich and powerful believe “I can do whatever I want to” and “I am better than those other people.” And how much other people are willing to let them live on their chosen pedestals, no matter how much it victimizes others. ..

Not at all isolated to the wealthy. It’s all too common. Ego and pride.

It manifests in many ways, not all devastating, but it can be.
i’d guess every street thug who goes out to vandalize, steal, kill, would be guilty of it. There are so many.

Jesus didn’t live on earth because we’re all saints.

[Bootstrap]

One of the fascinating things we learn from the Epstein files is just how much some of the rich and powerful believe “I can do whatever I want to” and “I am better than those other people.” And how much other people are willing to let them live on their chosen pedestals, no matter how much it victimizes others. ..

Not at all isolated to the wealthy. It’s all too common. Ego and pride.

But most of us face real consequences if we try to do the same things. We don't get away from it. Nobody on earth thinks that I can do whatever I want, you would laugh in my face if I said such a thing.

And many of the people who promised to save us from this kind of excess are mentioned in the Epstein files, doing the same things.

Strangely, if we question their right to do "whatever they want", some people get upset. Lots of people like us think they do have that right.

[ken_sylvania]

But most of us face real consequences if we try to do the same things. We don't get away from it. Nobody on earth thinks that I can do whatever I want, you would laugh in my face if I said such a thing.

That's unfortunate that you got caught trying to do those kinds of things. I mean, not the getting caught part, so much as the trying to do them.

[Bootstrap]

But most of us face real consequences if we try to do the same things. We don't get away from it. Nobody on earth thinks that I can do whatever I want, you would laugh in my face if I said such a thing.

That's unfortunate that you got caught trying to do those kinds of things. I mean, not the getting caught part, so much as the trying to do them.

I wasn’t implying anything like that, so that’s an interesting way to take it. I'm not sure whether to take this as humor or not.

Either way, it doesn’t really reflect what I said.

[ken_sylvania]

But most of us face real consequences if we try to do the same things. We don't get away from it. Nobody on earth thinks that I can do whatever I want, you would laugh in my face if I said such a thing.

That's unfortunate that you got caught trying to do those kinds of things. I mean, not the getting caught part, so much as the trying to do them.

I wasn’t implying anything like that, so that’s an interesting way to take it. I'm not sure whether to take this as humor or not.

Either way, it doesn’t really reflect what I said.

I assume that what you meant to say was "most of us would face real consequences if we would try to the the same kind of things."

[Bootstrap]

I assume that what you meant to say was "most of us would face real consequences if we would try to the the same kind of things."

Yes ... but we don't even have to try the same kinds of things. If I park in the wrong place, even by accident, I have to pay the ticket. We get penalized for all kinds of minor things while others get away with incredible crimes.

[ohio jones]

I assume that what you meant to say was "most of us would face real consequences if we would try to the the same kind of things."

Yes ... but we don't even have to try the same kinds of things. If I park in the wrong place, even by accident, I have to pay the ticket. We get penalized for all kinds of minor things while others get away with incredible crimes.

We do? I can't remember the last time I was penalized for a parking ticket or any other minor thing.

[JohnH]

I would observe that most of us can break a great deal of traffic laws and seemingly get away with it.