Insights and chances from Jeffrey Epstein’s suicide

Most people who — always in a passing flare-up of despair — unfortunately (try to) kill themselves do so from feeling unable to face a very difficult situation. But such an emotional collapse does not take place in the case of big-time abusers. Shame and conscience never troubled them and will also not suddenly, at the end of their road.

Rather, this kind of suicide comes from being control freaks — no need for any conspiracy theory here. (Epstein’s self-inflicted death also explains why he didn’t admit or defend himself.) Without any chance to escape a negative verdict, they don’t need their day in court. Judge nor jury are going to decide for them anything and they even determine their time of death. They feel it as having the last laugh. And it comes across as such. Their victims don’t feel relief that their torturer, in fact, received a death penalty but rather feel he cheated and escaped justice.

Epstein’s suicide doesn’t stand in contrast with his earlier desire to have his brain and testicles deep-frozen for supposed later revival. This wish to live on physically stems also from an aspiration to wield utter control. Trying to cheat reality, science, and death had to serve his overblown ego that all big abusers suffer from — and their victims suffer under. Also his wish to upgrade human intelligence, easily seems self-serving.

Yes, it is a pity that he didn’t admit, repent, and ask for forgiveness. But to get there, is a very difficult step, often beyond our human ability for those who went too wrong for too long — as the Biblical story of Pharaoh’s stubbornness warns (Exodus 4, 7, 9-11, 14).

However, Epstein’s death gives several good opportunities that should not be missed.

First of all, there is not going to be a trial with Epstein in the dock. This doesn’t make his victims less heroic for coming forward. They still can make their cases publicly. But it saves them the duty to have to face ruthless cross-examination. Yet, enablers of Epstein may still be charged.

As for revenge, that’s something to deal with later in the healing process. ‘Confronting’ him during a trial would have given them no satisfaction at all. Predictably, everyone would have ‘been amazed’ by his stoic emotionless facial expression. He wouldn’t have given anyone any pleasure from being moved or angered by anything.

Secondly, the victims’ claims for damages are still valid, now against his estate rather than his person. Those allegedly conned, dishonored or abused by him may have an easier time to retrieve some serious money.

Especially the emergence of his secret very detailed diaries should be a goldmine for his victims. And also for journalists, those guards of our democratic society, who should mine them to find out what the makers and shakers of the world possibly had been up to. Yet, his private notes regarding the powerful should not be accepted just like that, since no doubt, he intended to use them to pressure and blackmail them so they may be (partly) false. In contrast, his financial or sexual victims should be immediately believed when their claims correspond with his entries.

For the average person, the humbling lesson and warning from this tale of richness and power should be how dangerous money and control are and to what unethical failure and immoral depth they can lead.

About the Author

MM is a prolific and creative writer and thinker, previously a daily blog contributor to the TOI. He often makes his readers laugh, mad, or assume he's nuts—close to perfect blogging. He's proud that his analytical short comments are removed both from left-wing and right-wing news sites. None of his content is generated by the new bore on the block, AI. * As a frontier thinker, he sees things many don't yet. He's half a prophet. Half. Let's not exaggerate. Or not at all because he doesn't claim G^d talks to him. He gives him good ideas—that's all. MM doesn't believe that people observe and think in a vacuum. He, therefore, wanted a broad bio that readers interested can track a bit what (lack of) backgrounds, experiences, and educations contribute to his visions. * This year, he will prioritize getting his unpublished books published rather than just blog posts. Next year, he hopes to focus on activism against human extinction. To find less-recent posts on a subject XXX among his over 2000 archived ones, go to the right-top corner of a Times of Israel page, click on the search icon and search "zuiden, XXX". One can find a second, wilder blog, to which one may subscribe too, here: https://mmvanzuiden.wordpress.com/ or by clicking on the globe icon next to his picture on top. * Like most of his readers, he believes in being friendly, respectful, and loyal. However, if you think those are his absolute top priorities, you might end up disappointed. His first loyalty is to the truth. He will try to stay within the limits of democratic and Jewish law, but he won't lie to support opinions or people when don't deserve that. (Yet, we all make honest mistakes, which is just fine and does not justify losing support.) He admits that he sometimes exaggerates to make a point, which could have him come across as nasty, while in actuality, he's quite a lovely person to interact with. He holds - how Dutch - that a strong opinion doesn't imply intolerance of other views. * Sometimes he's misunderstood because his wide and diverse field of vision seldomly fits any specialist's box. But that's exactly what some love about him. He has written a lot about Psychology (including Sexuality and Abuse), Medicine (including physical immortality), Science (including basic statistics), Politics (Israel, the US, and the Netherlands, Activism - more than leftwing or rightwing, he hopes to highlight reality), Oppression and Liberation (intersectionally, for young people, the elderly, non-Whites, women, workers, Jews, LGBTQIA+, foreigners and anyone else who's dehumanized or exploited), Integrity, Philosophy, Jews (Judaism, Zionism, Holocaust and Jewish Liberation), the Climate Crisis, Ecology and Veganism, Affairs from the news, or the Torah Portion of the Week, or new insights that suddenly befell him. * Chronologically, his most influential teachers are his parents, Nico (natan) van Zuiden and Betty (beisye) Nieweg, Wim Kan, Mozart, Harvey Jackins, Marshal Rosenberg, Reb Shlomo Carlebach, and, lehavdil bein chayim lechayim, Rabbi Dr. Natan Lopes Cardozo, Rav Zev Leff, and Rav Meir Lubin. This short list doesn't mean to disrespect others who taught him a lot or a little. One of his rabbis calls him Mr. Innovation [Ish haChidushim]. Yet, his originalities seem to root deeply in traditional Judaism, though they may grow in unexpected directions. In fact, he claims he's modernizing nothing. Rather, mainly basing himself on the basic Hebrew Torah text, he tries to rediscover classical Jewish thought almost lost in thousands of years of stifling Gentile domination and Jewish assimilation. (He pleads for a close reading of the Torah instead of going by rough assumptions of what it would probably mean and before fleeing to Commentaries.) This, in all aspects of life, but prominently in the areas of Free Will, Activism, Homosexuality for men, and Redemption. * He hopes that his words will inspire and inform, and disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed. He aims to bring a fresh perspective rather than harp on the obvious and familiar. When he can, he loves to write encyclopedic overviews. He doesn't expect his readers to agree. Rather, original minds should be disputed. In short, his main political positions are among others: anti-Trumpism, for Zionism, Intersectionality, non-violence, anti those who abuse democratic liberties, anti the fake ME peace process, for original-Orthodoxy, pro-Science, pro-Free Will, anti-blaming-the-victim, and for down-to-earth, classical optimism, and happiness. Read his blog on how he attempts to bridge any tensions between those ideas or fields. * He is a fetal survivor of the pharmaceutical industry (https://diethylstilbestrol.co.uk/studies/des-and-psychological-health/), born in 1953 to his parents who were Dutch-Jewish Holocaust survivors who met in the largest concentration camp in the Netherlands, Westerbork. He grew up a humble listener. It took him decades to become a speaker too, and decades more to admit to being a genius. But his humility was his to keep. And so was his honesty. Bullies and con artists almost instantaneously envy and hate him. He hopes to bring new things and not just preach to the choir. * He holds a BA in medicine (University of Amsterdam) – is half a doctor. He practices Re-evaluation Co-counseling since 1977, is not an official teacher anymore, and became a friendly, powerful therapist. He became a social activist, became religious, made Aliyah, and raised three wonderful kids. Previously, for decades, he was known to the Jerusalem Post readers as a frequent letter writer. For a couple of years, he was active in hasbara to the Dutch-speaking public. He wrote an unpublished tome about Jewish Free Will. He's a strict vegan since 2008. He's an Orthodox Jew but not a rabbi. * His writing has been made possible by an allowance for second-generation Holocaust survivors from the Netherlands. It has been his dream since he was 38 to try to make a difference by teaching through writing. He had three times 9-out-of-10 for Dutch at his high school finals but is spending his days communicating in English and Hebrew - how ironic. G-d must have a fine sense of humor. In case you wonder - yes, he is a bit dyslectic. If you're a native English speaker and wonder why you should read from people whose English is only their second language, consider the advantage of having an original peek outside of your cultural bubble. * To send any personal reaction to him, scroll to the top of the blog post and click Contact Me. * His newest books you may find here: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AMoshe-Mordechai%2FMaurits+van+Zuiden&s=relevancerank&text=Moshe-Mordechai%2FMaurits+van+Zuiden&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1