As I was reading about the Monica Lewinsky scandal in some of the assigned articles, it didn't really occur to me to think about how Lewinsky herself was affected by the sudden infamy she gained. Today, I came across an interesting New York Times article (published 3 days ago) that gives an in-depth look at Monica Lewinsky and how the Clinton scandal has affected her life. It's an interesting but lengthy read, so if you don't have time to read it, here's a short summary: According to the article, Lewinsky disappeared as much as possible from the public eye until last year, when she wrote an essay for Vanity Fair about everything that happened after her affair with Clinton. Since then, she has started to stand up against bullying and has started to align herself with feminist groups. The article focuses on how the aftermath of something Lewinsky did when she was 22 and how it has affected all aspects of her life and has seriously damaged her self-confidence and self-worth. As the details of the affair were going public, both men and women (even feminists) mocked her and called her names. Lewinsky says she was "'Patient Zero' for the type of Internet shaming we now see regularly" and that she was publicly humiliated, with reporters trying to capture every aspect of her life and everything she did. The article ends by discussing how Lewinsky prepared for a TED talk she gave a few days ago about bullying and about her own experiences.
As I mentioned above, the article was very thought-provoking and made me consider how the scandal affected Lewinsky. It's always interesting to think about other perspectives on famous events.
Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/22/style/monica-lewinsky-is-back-but-this-time-its-on-her-terms.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=mini-moth®ion=top-stories-below&WT.nav=top-stories-below&_r=0
TED talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_8y0WLm78U
I agree with your point of view, Analisa. It's unfortunate that a mistake like that cost her much of her young adult life. The fact that it was with President Clinton, probably the most important political figure in the country, amplified the scandal in the media and caused even more detriment to her and others involved. However, it's great to see that Lewinsky was able to build off of this hardship from many years ago to advocate for such great causes. Thanks for bringing up the article and its contents; I'm excited to watch the TED talk to more fully understand her perspective in this situation!
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with both of you, Analisa and Addie. To me, the most interesting part of this whole story is how she turned the scandal into raising awareness about bullying and internet shaming. I recently read an interesting article about the scandal and how well average citizens remember the scandal. A poll showed that only about 28 percent remembered the scandal well, showing how much the once closely followed affair died out. I think what Lewinsky is doing with bringing awareness to bullying is honorable, considering she could easily slip under the radar and try to forget all about it.
ReplyDeleteHere's the link: http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2014/05/monica_lewinsky_in_vanity_fair_millennials_don_t_care_about_the_scandal.html