“Off with his head!” - Richard, Richard III, Act 3, Scene 4.

The assassination of the United Health Care CEO has caused quite a stir. I watched a foreign reporter asking, in a country where so many people are shot and killed every day, why all the fuss over this one?

Well, that’s an easy one, this was a rich, white, man, on his way to a business meeting. We don’t just kill rich, white, men, in this country.

Would this intense of a man hunt happen if he wasn’t a rich white man? Can you think of any other murder with this kind of police response?

To most everyone in the U.S. the motive was apparent. But it was notably not understood by a minority of the population.

The public reaction to this case, even before a suspect was identified, has been exceptional.

Luigi Mangione has been described as “Robin Hoodie”, an “American Hero”, “our own folk hero”, among others.

This reaction should not be hard to understand when income inequality levels are at there highest levels in history.

This is a country were the majority of bankruptcies stem from medical costs for people with insurance. A country where CEOs make 100s of times more money than their employees.

If you can’t understand the motive behind this assassination and the public’s reaction to it, then you are part of the problem.

First we heard that the CEO of United Health Care had been brazenly shot in NYC. Many of us were like, oop denied the wrong health care claim there didn’t ya. Then we saw the footage.

Calm, cool, walks up behind the dude and shoots, racks his gun, and again, and again. Damn!

Then he gets on an e-bike and disappears into Central Park.

As little details started drifting in, stayed in a hostel, Greyhound’d it in and out of the City. He might have used a Veterinary Gun. A Fitting touch to put down a rabid animal.

Then they find his backpack, full of Monopoly money. Who is this guy? You have to admire his moxie and style.

Then the news a suspect has been arrested in Altoona Pennsylvania. In a McDonalds in Altoona. A McDonalds who received so many bad reviews after his arrest Google had to suspend reviews on their site.

Then he turns out to be a rich kid! Did not see that coming.

Here’s the thing though, murder is not a moral action. Violence is only morally justified in self defense or the defense of others.

So why don’t we feel bad for the victim? Why were we let down when Luigi was arrested? Why are people pissed at the snitch?

The comparisons to Robin Hood are informative. Robin Hood stole from the rich and gave to the poor. A true hero of the people.

Assassination is not the same as taking from the rich and giving to the poor but it is retribution. The private US healthcare industry is one of the most egregious examples of the predatory nature of capitalism.

There’s this thing that happens in the U.S. when you criticize capitalism. Propagandists often flip the fuck out and call you a commie or what have you. Thing is, most Americans don’t understand what capitalism is. Most conflate capitalism with the free market.

The free market is the buying and selling of goods and services. A self regulating market, free of outside control.

Capitalism on the other hand is, using money to make more money. This is a very important distinction. In a free market someone creates, or does something, that other people are willing to trade for.

Capitalists do not create anything but more money. Capitalists create nothing, and they take, they are as Luigi noted, they are “parasites”.

As someone with a 401K which is invested in various derivatives and what not, I am also a capitalist. But I am not very good at it. I’m lucky if my “investments” out pace real inflation (loss of spending power).

Luigi coming from a privileged family almost certainly understands how this game works. Hence the monopoly money. He knows first hand, what the ruling class thinks of the common folk.

Brian Thompson’s job as CEO of a for profit UnitedHealthcare, is to maximize profits for himself and other capitalists who own the corporation. His job was to basically fuck over anyone and take the money and run. This is capitalism.

What sort of person would want such a job?

CEOs are the modern day barons, dukes, and duchesses. Privileged, but not exactly ruling class, whose job is to extract as much wealth from the peons as they can, whilst also ensuring they don’t rise up and execute the aristocracy.

What sort of person would want such a job?

It is important to distinguish that not all CEOs, corporations, or capitalists are a threat to society. Some are even beneficial. But there are industries, which as a whole, are very harmful to society.

• The Military Industrial Complex
• Oil Industry
• U.S. Health Insurance
• Pharmaceutical companies
• Big Agriculture
• The Food Industry
• The Financial Industry

Are a few that come to mind. But even within these industries, not all of the players are evil.

Many of these companies and their owners and leadership know exactly what they are doing, anybody remember Enron?

What sort of person would want such a job?

One thing is for sure, they are a threat to society, but that is why we have a legal system and vote for representatives that enact our will. Oh wait, that isn’t how it works anymore, if it ever did.

One of the final death blows to the U.S. was “Citizen’s United”. One can only imagine what George Orwell would think of that title.

Our elected officials do not represent our will, needs, or desires. At least the vast majority don’t. Like everything, there are exceptions.

The legal system? Yeah, we all know it is very much skewed to the rich and powerful.

So, no representation, no power, no redress, where does that leave us? We are really running out of options here.

As in past gilded ages, violence, non-participation (not really a current option), protest, disruption, are about the only options. Not a lot of options left for the people are suffering all the more as the rich get ever richer.

Violence in defense of self, in defense of our family, our world, is justified. But is that where we are at now? Luigi seems to think so.

I have little faith the ruling class will act in the best interests of world. They will act in their own self interest. Thing is they aren’t like us.

Luigi knows, he knows what the 1% thinks of the rest of us. Again, there are always exceptions. Melinda French Gates comes to mind. What if the elite acted like Melinda?

Thing is the mindset that amasses such a fortune is not likely to think like her.

Billionaires have been hard at work building their doomsday bunkers. Douglas Rushkoff, a technology consultant, writes about being hired by billionaires to advise on their doomsday bunkers. In his clients’ minds, exists the question of how can they control their staff after a doomsday event. Some even asked him about using shock collars on their guards to keep them in line. Douglas, being a human being, answers that mutual support and social cooperation would be the way they are going to want to go.

Not like us…

350 million of us, ruled by less than 100 families.

As we slide ever faster into the Polycrisis, how will our ruling elite respond? I think we have already seen how.

The Game of Monopoly has been won, but they won’t let us stop playing. Which means we either force them, or we find a way to quit playing.