In the tragic case of Luigi Mangione, a young man who seemed to have everything—a prestigious education, a promising future, and a prominent family his shocking act of violence against UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson raises a painful truth: when systems designed to serve the people become mechanisms of oppression, they create not just victims but potential perpetrators of violence.
Mangione’s motive, as revealed through his handwritten notes and social media posts, reflects a deep sense of betrayal by a system that, instead of providing necessary care, prioritizes profit. His act was not born from a personal grudge, but from his anger toward the corporate forces behind the healthcare system. Brian Thompson, as the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, represented these very forces. For Mangione, Thompson’s wealth and position embodied the systemic oppression that he felt had caused him and others immense suffering.
The American healthcare system is a vast and complex structure where insurance companies, pharmaceuticals, and government policies often fail the most vulnerable. Mangione’s ideology, though misguided, taps into a wider frustration shared by many who feel betrayed by a system that is supposed to prioritize their well-being but instead punishes them for being ill, poor, or disenfranchised. For Mangione, this corporate greed led to unnecessary pain—not only for him but for his family as well. His actions were the manifestation of a broken promise from a system he believed had abandoned him.
While no one can condone murder, it’s essential to ask how such desperation could arise. Mangione’s case is a symptom of a much larger issue: the unchecked power of corporate interests in shaping public policies that affect millions of lives. When a man educated at elite institutions and supported by a prominent family feels that his only recourse is violence, it highlights the systemic failure that led him to such an extreme act. The healthcare system, instead of providing healing, had become an instrument of oppression for Mangione.
Figures like Senator Elizabeth Warren, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Senator Bernie Sanders have all weighed in on the case, framing it as a “teachable moment” for the country. While condemning Mangione’s actions, they have also pointed to the systemic flaws that breed such anger. Warren has long been an advocate for sweeping reforms to ensure that healthcare prioritizes people over profits. Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez have championed Medicare for All, arguing that it could provide universal healthcare without the interference of private companies driven by profit margins.
The healthcare system is a glaring example of a structure that, when it fails to deliver on its promises, creates anger and resentment. Mangione’s crime, though tragic, is not an isolated incident. It is a reflection of the larger cultural and economic systems that many view as fundamentally broken. These are not just theoretical problems; they affect real people—people like Mangione, who have suffered due to the very institutions that were meant to protect them.
As once aptly pointed out in a 2012 superhero action film on Batman, The Dark Knight Rises: when structures become shackles, when systems of power cease to serve the needs of the people, those who suffer under them will eventually revolt. The healthcare system, with its overwhelming complexity and profit-driven motives, has failed millions. This failure, combined with the relentless rising costs of care and medical debt, has left countless individuals feeling hopeless.
While Mangione’s crime cannot be justified, his anger is not unfounded. He is part of a growing group of people who see themselves as victims of a system that only benefits the wealthy and the powerful. It’s easy to condemn his actions as a one-off incident, but the reality is that such cases are the inevitable result of long-standing systemic oppression. The question now is whether we will address the root causes of such frustration or continue to ignore the cries for help that will only grow louder.
The United States must confront these issues head-on. We must address the corporate stranglehold over healthcare and create a system that prioritizes the needs of people over profit. Will we choose to reform a system that perpetuates injustice, or will we allow more lives to be destroyed by the very institutions meant to protect them? As we watch Mangione’s trial unfold, the question remains: how long can we ignore the systemic problems that breed such acts of desperation before we are forced to confront the consequences?
