Working Class Fed Up: Luigi Mangione’s Stand Against Top-Down Violence Gains Momentum

Earlier this month, Luigi Mangione, a 26-year-old graduate from the University of Pennsylvania, reportedly killed Brian Thompson, the 50-year-old CEO of UnitedHealthcare. Public reactions have been mixed, with a notable portion expressing support for Mangione. Some observers worry that this sympathy signals a dangerous shift toward normalizing violence and disregarding human dignity. As a sociology professor specializing in Poverty, Wealth, and Privilege, I see things differently. The lack of universal condemnation for Mangione’s actions does not suggest a cultural embrace of violence.

Rather, this rare display of class awareness stems from two key factors. Firstly, it highlights a change in the usual targets of violence. Typically, the underprivileged classes, people of color, women, and LGBTQ+ individuals bear the brunt of societal violence. Affluent, heterosexual, white males in power, however, usually do not. Communities accustomed to privilege expect to remain unscathed, making such incidents particularly shocking.

Secondly, the working class is exhausted by the constant struggle to survive in a society rife with violence and injustice. We are caught in a web of class, racial, and gender disparities that threaten our lives daily. The elite benefit from our labor and suffering, yet they expect even more from us in their moments of loss. They demand our sympathy while remaining indifferent to our suffering and ignoring our calls for equity.

How can the elite and their defenders not be horrified by a system so rich in harm that it reduces human worth to mere economic value?

Every person deserves the sanctity of life that the wealthy take for granted. Yet, in many of our societal structures, such as healthcare, respect and care are lacking; instead, harm is institutionalized. We observe significant profits flowing to private equity investors at the expense of the general populace.

Consider a recent event where a magician performed at a children’s birthday party. Magic relies on misdirection to fool the audience. This is much like the distractions present in our public life. The wealth gap widens while we elect billionaires to lead us. The public is criticized for not showing enough empathy for Thompson and his family, yet every day, targeted attacks and systemic neglect disproportionately affect marginalized groups such as the economically disadvantaged, BIPOC communities, women, and LGBTQ+ individuals.

It’s time to end this facade. Our healthcare system doesn’t truly promote health. The World Health Organization advocates for universal healthcare, a goal the United States has failed to meet. Most Americans rely on private insurers, many struggle with healthcare costs, delay care, or accumulate medical debt. Practices like using AI to deny numerous healthcare claims prioritize profit over people, showing a stark disregard for human well-being in our healthcare system. This may not be illegal, but it is certainly ruthless.

The elite wonder how anyone could not be appalled by Thompson’s murder. We should instead be asking why the elite aren’t appalled by a system that devalues human life based on economic output. Larry Summers, a board member of OpenAI, once controversially suggested that less productive individuals are more expendable. This elitist view permeates our healthcare system.

To truly honor Thompson and ensure his death is not futile, we must address the profound flaws in our healthcare system that his death has brought to light. Reforming our insensitive healthcare system could benefit everyone. Those grieving Thompson might find comfort knowing his death could lead to meaningful, sustainable, and much-needed societal reform. Those who see Mangione’s actions as foreseeable, if not understandable, might also support such changes.

Some may argue that human imperfection is inevitable, that greed will always override communal care, especially in healthcare. However, 73 countries, including China, Russia, Mexico, and Canada, have implemented universal healthcare. Surely, Americans also deserve this.

Our society’s most powerful individuals are often the least affected by its harms and hold disproportionate sway over these systems. We need leaders in power to aim higher. The current system lacks effective means of holding powerful figures accountable. They must find ways to hold themselves accountable and reorganize to value care over greed in healthcare. If they cannot, we must mobilize collective action, such as advocating for single-payer healthcare through voting, because our lives literally depend on it. We cannot afford to have people dying in the streets or suffering due to a failed healthcare system.