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I’ve just finished reading Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty , and I highly recommend it. An amazing multi generational history of how
by d136o 5y ago
I’ve just finished reading Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty , and I highly recommend it.
An amazing multi generational history of how the Sacklers inflicted opioids on the US, made a fortune, and got away with no consequence.
It was pretty interesting to read this during pandemic times, and it’s a prime example of how institutions lose legitimacy in the public’s eye. The Sacklers had the FDA in the palm of their hand, as well as the highest reaches of the justice department, as well as large numbers of medical professionals who patients trusted to make decisions that wouldn’t harm them.
What gives me hope? That I can surround myself with people who I can help and who will help me if I need it, not any type of fancy concept or title (Governor Agency, BigCo, professional title etc…).
I wonder what’s being peddled these days as completely safe but survivors will look back on as absolutely foolish.
- iainctduncan 5y agoI am also reading it. It's fucking horrifying. Absolutely recommend.
- robocat 5y agoProbably the wrong place to ask, but is there any information on the social costs for the Sacklers of their criminality? (I'm not excusing it, I'm just interested). Although they have stuffed Giga$ into their pockets, most people also care deeply about their own social status, so have the Sacklers had severe social repercussions from their peers? Some of their peers or acquaintances of their peers must have been addicted.
- sodality2 5y ago>Some of their peers or acquaintances of their peers must have been addicted Rich people can afford the absolute top-tier rehab (and probably can just start doing coke w/o repercussions).
- denton-scratch 5y agoTop-tier rehab is a bit like a nice holiday - class-A cuisine, saunas, massages, therapists who are paid to listen to you wibbling on about your childhood, nice beds, nice gardens. I can imagine people falling back into addiction just so they can have another spell in rehab.
- d136o 5y agoThe book documents multiple direct instances of Richard Sackler being told that his drugs were affecting people in his community (an anesthesiologist in his kids school told Richard Sackler he would be a modern day Pablo Escobar for example). There is a Sackler family member who had addiction problems and committed suicide. A receptionist an aide to the upper circle of the family/company became addicted. If there is a positive part to the book it is indeed some very small sense of social justice outside of the legal system (which failed to hold them to account). Nan Goldin is an artist who lead the way in organizing protests and press that would lead to their names being taken off the very museums and universities they had paid to put their name on. They had worked hard, over multiple generations, to have clean name despite their business. Nan and others did a lot of work to make sure that changed.
- denton-scratch 5y ago> Although they have stuffed Giga$ into their pockets I don't suppose that Giga$ makes you happy. I'm not sure what "social status" is like; is that the same as having friends who own Giga$? I possess what I'd call "social status" - I'm not a pariah, my neighbours greet me on the street, and my kids and my ex-wives treat me as a friend. I own my home, and I have no debts. That's quite enough "status" for me. I consider myself pretty fortunate.
- tmsh 5y agoDopesick is a good show on Hulu on this subject right now.