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Elon Musk

by Walter Isaacson (Goodreads Author)

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— May 09, 2024 03:59PM

May 09, 2024 03:58PM

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Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty

by Patrick Radden Keefe

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Simone said: " Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe is a masterful and thorough account of the role of the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma in the tragic opioid crisis in North America. Keefe brought his years of journalistic and non-fiction storytelling experien Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe is a masterful and thorough account of the role of the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma in the tragic opioid crisis in North America. Keefe brought his years of journalistic and non-fiction storytelling experience to the complicated and largely untold story of the rise of prescription opioids, making for a perfect match. Though literature on the opioid crisis is abundant, Keefe brings a new perspective by centering the narrative around the Sackler family. Empire of Pain is not really a true crime novel in that it does not focus on a particular crime, nor does it take place in a courtroom, nor does it follow a detective who pins down a suspect one piece of evidence at a time. That is not to say that crimes and atrocities were not committed. Rather, it highlights that despite one family essentially causing the death of over 500,000 Americans, they are still not considered criminally responsible for their actions. Keefe’s book seems like an attempt to bring the actions of the Sackler family into the mainstream and make up for the lack of accountability on the part of the justice system.

I went into this read hoping it would be a gore-free true crime book to analyze for my law class. Let me be clear about something: this is not a true crime book. At least, not exactly. The book is a combination of myriad genres, including biography, drama, multi-generational epic, history, business, psychology, nonfiction, and indeed, true crime, that weave together to create something new and enlightening. The reason why this couldn’t be a true crime book is because, besides a few billion-dollar settlements on Purdue Pharma’s side, there aren’t really any criminals. Despite devising a hyper-addictive drug, marketing it as non-addictive, providing kickbacks to doctors, and denying any wrongdoing, none of the Sacklers are criminally liable.

I understand the appeal of the true crime genre: the mystery and thrill of catching a criminal; the mind-bending connections between evidence and timelines; the anger, sadness, and (hopefully) closure of finally closing a case. Unfortunately, you won’t find much of that in Empire of Pain. The sad truth that this book exposes is that white collar crimes are a lot harder to prove, and because of the immense amount of money involved, go unpunished more often than not. One thing you will get from this book is anger. Anger at the justice system, at the pharmaceutical industry, at the Sacklers, at all the greedy executives, for letting this happen. For making this happen. You will not finish this book an optimist, to say the least. Keefe lays bare the ulterior motives behind “altruistic” donations, the corruption of the FDA which exists to protect American consumers, and just how much money can buy. You will be questioning the integrity of the justice system and the rule of law after reading how powerful billionaires can buy innocence.
The book is well-organized and divided into three sections: Patriarch, which explores the Sackler brothers’ rise to power; Dynasty, which details the making of the opioid crisis; and Legacy, which highlights the contemporary consequences of OxyContin. Most current literature on the opioid crisis touches on the aftermath, focusing on particular families or communities who have been ravaged by the drug. However, very few dive into the making of the crisis itself, which began nearly a century before.

Though OxyContin was released in the 1990’s, and the opioid crisis only began to unfold well after Arthur Sackler had died, Keefe starts the book in 1913, when he was born. A firstborn child of immigrants, Arthur quickly developed an “energy and hunger” and would talk about “the big dream.” From a young age, Arthur’s father instilled in him the importance of “a good name.” Arthur worked multiple jobs, and also involved his two younger brothers, Mortimer and Raymond, in his entrepreneurial ventures. Arthur and his brothers all became doctors, despite being Jews in the face of post-war antisemitism, and as a young man, Arthur bought up a medical advertising company at which he had been working.

Now, at this point, one may ask, “What’s with all the details? When will the true crime begin?” But the answer is “right here and right now.” Although the older Sackler brothers may not have had a direct hand in creating OxyContin, the shady business procedures, marketing tactics, and under-the-table deals were hallmarks of their company, which were yielded by the next generation of Sacklers to promote the devastating drug. Arthur revolutionized medical advertising, whether for better or for worse (for worse), by introducing things like “native advertising” – ads that are supposed to look like editorial content. The Sacklers were the head of a pharmaceutical ecosystem, with all the necessary connections to make it big. And they did. In his forties, Arthur began collecting artwork, which really “put him on the world stage.” Arthur never forgot the importance of a good name, and he learned from the very best – the Carnegies, Rockefellers, and Mellons – that philanthropy buys immortality. We can still find the Sackler name adorned on art galleries, museums, and universities worldwide.

Overall, this book was an incredible and insightful read. Despite going into it expecting to analyze court trials and tort claims, I think I gained something even more valuable as a future law student: the insights into the weaknesses of our justice system. I will be going into the field of law with eyes wide open, fully aware of the work that needs to be done in order to maintain the integrity of our judicial branch, the independence of judges, and accountability for all under the rule of law. ...more "

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— May 09, 2024 03:58PM

May 12, 2024 10:03AM · see review