The Political Scene | The New Yorker

Episode: Rebecca Solnit on Harvey Weinstein and the Lies that Powerful Men Tell
Date: February 27, 2020
Host: Dorothy Wickenden
Guest: Rebecca Solnit

Overview

This episode features Dorothy Wickenden, Executive Editor of The New Yorker, in conversation with noted author and activist Rebecca Solnit. The discussion centers on the conviction of Harvey Weinstein, the broader implications for the #MeToo movement, and how lies—especially those told by powerful men—serve to maintain structures of power and silence victims. Solnit also examines why truth struggles to prevail against lies, expanding the scope beyond sexual violence to encompass politics and society at large.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Harvey Weinstein's Conviction and Its Significance

• Watershed vs. Warning:
  • Solnit questions labeling the verdict a watershed moment; instead, she sees it as a warning to other men that the era of impunity may be over, emphasizing the importance of credibility and consequence for women's voices.
  • Quote:
    • "I'm not sure it's a watershed because it stops one man, not all men. But the warning may stop a lot of other men." — Rebecca Solnit [03:21]
• Barriers to Justice:
  • Solnit highlights the overwhelming odds against conviction in sexual assault cases, particularly when the accused is wealthy and well-connected.
  • The women's lack of power and credible options is highlighted, and how this imbalance allowed Weinstein’s abuses to remain hidden for decades, until investigative journalism changed the narrative.

2. Challenges Faced by Victims and the Legal System

• Defense Strategies and Social Perceptions:
  • Discussion of Weinstein’s defense attorney, Donna Rotunno, who blamed accusers and minimized Weinstein’s capacity to affect careers.
  • Quote (Rotunno):
    • "Women have to start owning those choices...and they either have to say, I'm not going to do these things to attempt to get a job or I'm going to own my choice for making that decision." [02:20]
• Complexity of Victim Responses:
  • Solnit stresses the need for greater understanding about victim behavior and why typical "textbook" reactions (immediate reporting, etc.) are rare. She critiques the myth of equal power and blames cultures that uphold male credibility over that of women.
  • The legal system's slow evolution in recognizing these complexities is acknowledged.

3. Silencing & Systemic Power Imbalances

• Women Outside the Spotlight:
  • Wickenden brings up recent New Yorker reporting about lesser-known women facing abuse, underscoring that the issue isn’t restricted to the wealthy or famous.
• Selective Application of Laws:
  • Discussion of how self-defense laws like “Stand Your Ground” are unevenly enforced, disadvantaging women and people of color.
  • Quote:
    • "We have all this stuff on paper that says we're all equal. And people who don't want to understand how unequal we are blame the victims..." — Rebecca Solnit [07:42]
• Historical Devaluation of Women’s Testimony:
  • Solnit references the long-standing societal presumption that men are more reliable witnesses than women, tracing this back “even to the Old Testament.”

4. The #MeToo Movement and Cultural Shifts

• Gradual Change, Not Sudden Shift:
  • Solnit asserts that #MeToo was the culmination of decades of feminist activism that placed women (and feminist men) in positions of power where they could make a difference.
• Changing Who Gets Believed:
  • Society's evolving willingness to listen to women is emphasized as a key driver in achieving justice.
• Quote:
  • "The people who decided who we're going to listen to and who we're going to believe had really changed." — Rebecca Solnit [10:03]
• Public Education:
  • An education has taken place—among feminists and the general public—regarding the true dynamics and prevalence of sexual violence, as well as the problematic stereotypes surrounding victims.

5. Lies, Power, and Politics

• Why Facts Lose to Lies:
  • Wickenden and Solnit examine why truth often fails to defeat lies when those in power are determined to dominate the narrative.
• Trump Administration as Case Study:
  • Solnit: The Trump presidency marked an “intensity of lying” unmatched by predecessors, with lies being used as demonstrations of power rather than attempts to deceive credibly.
  • Quote:
    • "Forcing people to accept things that we all know are lies is a kind of naked show of power." — Rebecca Solnit [13:25]
  • Reference to Karl Rove’s “reality-based community” illustrates the deliberate construction of false narratives by those in power.
• Broader Societal Implications:
  • Similar dynamics play out in climate change denial and police brutality cases—facts are routinely overpowered by those with more social, economic, or political capital.
  • Solnit advocates for the "democracy of voices" as a remedy, where all are equally heard and believed.

6. Effects Beyond Weinstein: Political and Cultural Backlash

• NDAs and Accountability:
  • A shift is underway, with increased scrutiny and resistance to non-disclosure agreements that have long protected abusers and institutions.
  • Elizabeth Warren’s public confrontation of Michael Bloomberg and focus on NDAs is mentioned as a positive political example.
• Quote:
  • "I do think that a lot of what we're seeing with the Trump administration, with white supremacy, with this misogynist backlash, is backlash...They're freaking out because in some ways we are approaching an era of a democracy of voices." — Rebecca Solnit [18:23]
• Backlash as Sign of Progress:
  • The current backlash against marginalized groups is presented as a response from those threatened by genuine progress toward equality.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the significance of Weinstein's conviction:
  "The fact he was convicted at all is magnificent and kind of remarkable because about 3% of rapists who are actually charged with rape are actually convicted." — Rebecca Solnit [04:51]

• On historical and ongoing disbelief of women:
  "We have a massive history of women being treated...as manipulative, devious, unreliable, delusional, subjective; just unqualified to testify to what just happened." — Rebecca Solnit [07:42]

• On the Trump administration's relationship to truth:
  "Whereas the Trump administration almost seems to triumph in its lies...Forcing people to accept things that we all know are lies is a kind of naked show of power." — Rebecca Solnit [13:25]

• On hope for the future:
  "I do think demographics [are] on our side, I do think women are not going to give up and go home. I do think these changes are moving forward in some ways culturally, in many parts of the legal system, on campuses, etc. But we are up against terrible things and we are facing a rogue administration that is itself the greatest enemy this country faces at present, as far as I'm concerned." — Rebecca Solnit [18:23]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro and Context of the Weinstein Case: [01:16–03:06]
• Solnit on Impunity and Power Structures: [03:06–04:51]
• Defense Tactics and Victim Complexities: [04:51–07:42]
• Law, Inequality, and Societal Shifts: [07:42–10:03]
• Long Arc of Feminism and #MeToo Movement: [10:03–12:15]
• Why Lies Prevail in Politics: [12:15–14:45]
• Discussion of Broader Issues (Climate, Police, Gender): [14:45–16:27]
• Trump, Politics, and Post-Truth Dynamics: [16:15–17:52]
• Backlash, NDAs, and Progress: [17:52–19:47]

Tone and Style

The episode is urgent yet reflective, blending critical analysis with cautious optimism. Solnit and Wickenden speak with clarity and conviction, making sophisticated connections across cultural, legal, and political domains to illuminate the mechanics of both silencing and change for women in America.

Summary Takeaway

Rebecca Solnit and Dorothy Wickenden’s conversation moves beyond the specifics of the Weinstein case to interrogate the structures that perpetuate silence and impunity for the powerful. Their analysis links the personal and political, exposing how institutional power, social mistrust of women, and systematic lying safeguard abusers not just in Hollywood but throughout society. Despite formidable backlash, they see evidence of genuine progress toward a more equitable democracy of voices, where facts and experiences from all can begin to carry real weight.