Coming to an End, or Only Beginning? J

ust when we think we’ve seen the last of the monsters whose misdeeds inspired the #Metoo movement, we’re reminded just how deep this problem runs.

Last week provided ample evidence of that truth, as the headlines filled up all over again with tragic accounts of sexual harassment after a relatively brief silence on the subject seemed to be taking hold. Harvey Weinstein was arrested by the New York Police Department just one day after a federal probe was announced. New claims of misconduct were made against Morgan Freeman, while more details emerged about the wrongdoing of Jeffrey Tambor and Mario Batali.

It’s abundantly apparent that a certain generation of successful men in media and entertainment somehow saw harassment and abuse of the women around them as something of a job perk. Don’t absolve them because they didn’t know any better or no one spoke up to stop them; it doesn’t take a Mensa member to know the difference between right and wrong.

Thankfully, a lot of powerful people both inside and outside Hollywood are now going to think twice before engaging in that kind of conduct. But it’s not just the worst among us who are going to feel the change; everyone around them will as well. Few will be comfortable turning a blind eye any longer when they witness sexual harassment in their midst. When you see something, say something.

The careers of so many high-profile figures have been tarnished by these scandals that it’s tempting to conclude we’re coming to the end of all this. And yet it’s also entirely possible that the scope of this problem is bigger than anyone could ever imagine — that we’re just getting started, really.

While the endless stream of alleged perpetrators can be difficult to absorb because we love the great work they’ve done, it’s important to avoid feeling jaded. With every fresh burst of outrage, we all do our part to blast away every remaining trace of cultural rot that allowed this awful behavior to flourish.