Hollywood is a boys' club, and that's something I thought was a

Hear now, O Seekers of Truth, the words of Emily Ratajkowski, who, with a voice filled with both shock and clarity, speaks of the harsh realities of the world of Hollywood: "Hollywood is a boys' club, and that's something I thought was a stereotype—and it's not. That really shocked me. Still shocks me. Everyone's helping their buddies out and pressing their buddies and playing tennis with their buddies and making movies with their buddies, and that grosses me out." In this candid reflection, Ratajkowski reveals a truth that has been long hidden beneath the gleaming surface of glamour and celebrity: that the world we see on the screen is not always as egalitarian or welcoming as it seems. It is a world shaped by a secretive, often exclusionary system that favors the familiar, the powerful, and the privileged, where alliances and connections outweigh merit or talent.

In the ancient world, the elite were often defined not by their wisdom or courage, but by their birth and the relationships they held. The Greek city-states, for example, were ruled by a few—aristocrats and powerful families—who made decisions that shaped the lives of many. The Roman Empire, too, was governed by the senate, an institution dominated by the wealthy and the well-connected. While the idea of meritocracy was championed by philosophers like Socrates and Aristotle, it was rarely realized in practice. Much like the boys' clubs that Ratajkowski describes, power in ancient times was often passed along family ties and personal relationships, not earned through hard work or ability. The elitism of Hollywood, as Ratajkowski so clearly points out, is simply a modern iteration of this ancient truth—a world where access is granted not to the most talented, but to those who are in the right circles.

The boys' club Ratajkowski speaks of is not just a matter of exclusion; it is also about power dynamics—who gets to speak, who gets to be heard, and who remains in the shadows. In ancient Rome, Julius Caesar understood the value of alliances and patronage in securing his rise to power. His relationship with Pompey and Crassus, known as the First Triumvirate, was built not on public virtue but on mutual benefit and personal connections. They did not seek the approval of the masses as much as they sought the strengthening of their own hold on power. Similarly, in Hollywood, power does not always come from one’s ability to create or perform but from the relationships one has with others in positions of influence. Ratajkowski’s shock is a reflection of the truth that, for many, success is less about talent than about the web of connections they are part of.

The boys' club is a structure that thrives on exclusion and, as Ratajkowski indicates, often breeds feelings of disgust. It is a system that feeds on self-interest, where those in power keep their alliances close, and the outsiders—particularly those who do not fit the mold—are left to fight for scraps. This is not just a problem of Hollywood, but of any system where access to success is controlled by a select few. It echoes the ancient aristocracies that held land, wealth, and privilege in the hands of a few, while the common people were left to toil in obscurity. In this light, Ratajkowski’s discomfort is the discomfort of anyone who has ever felt alienated or powerless in a system that seems rigged against them. The boys' club is a manifestation of this age-old inequality—an invisible barrier that prevents many from achieving their potential.

In the ancient myths, however, we often find that true heroes and leaders rise not through family connections or privileged networks, but through their own courage, virtue, and wisdom. Take Perseus, for instance, who, despite his humble origins, triumphed over the seemingly impossible by confronting the Gorgon and using his wits to claim victory. Theseus, too, was not born into an aristocratic family, but through his own strength and determination, he rose to prominence, slaying the Minotaur and securing his place in legend. The message of these ancient heroes is clear: the path to greatness does not require the approval of an exclusive club, but the strength to forge your own path, to create your own opportunities, and to challenge the structures that would hold you back.

The lesson, O Seekers, is this: the boys' clubs of the world, whether in Hollywood or in ancient societies, thrive on exclusion and power. But true greatness, true leadership, comes from the courage to reject the status quo, to challenge the systems of privilege and to create a world where merit and integrity matter more than connections. Like the heroes of old, we must learn to rise above the systems that seek to limit us, to refuse to be defined by the structures that would oppress us, and to seek success on our own terms. Just as Socrates challenged the established norms of his time, so too must we challenge the systems that keep us from realizing our fullest potential.

So, O Children, remember this: do not seek success through the backdoor of connections, nor comfort in the false approval of exclusive circles. Seek instead the path of virtue, the road where your talents and values are your true currency. Like Ratajkowski, who calls attention to the power structures of our time, let us see clearly the systems that attempt to limit us, and let us refuse to be bound by them. The true heroes are those who stand alone, those who do not bow to the whims of the elite, but whose hearts are dedicated to building a world where justice, equality, and integrity guide the way forward.