America Will Be Obsessed With Luigi Mangione for a Long Time
The collective outpouring of admiration for a young alleged assassin points to a gaping void in American politics.
Because he's done more to fix our healthcare system than any politician.
I wouldn't say fixed as things are the same way as they are, but reminded us how every day we are fucked by oligarchs.
This is a weird time as we just elected them, just look how many billionaires are in trump's cabinet picks.
I mean, Anthem did back down from that stupid policy about time limit anesthesia
To fix is not the same thing as fixed. He's done more towards fixing the problem. This said, it's very important to reiterate, as you have, that nearly NOTHING hss still been accomplished.
We need more Luigis for some more fixing.
He can fix us.
No shit... The gaping hole is the fact rich fucks are all we have to vote for. The President that recently won is the biggest example of undeserved wealth and power ever.
Tell ya what. I'm struggling to make rent right now. Working 6 days a week, living alone, just keeping my head above water.
2028, everybody vote for me, and I'll run on the platform of giving rich people the middle finger.
Like Robin Hood......except vulgar.
You can't afford to even run. You gonna start a gofundme?
Robin Fucking Hood? RFH!!! It has s ring! Sure I'll vote for you!
I’d vote for you. Especially if by middle finger you mean 90% top marginal tax rate.
You won me over
you had me at "gaping hole"
We need to bring back "No taxation without representation" because rich fucks sure as hell can't fairly represent the rest of us.
Well you see the problem is that its 'no taxation for the represented' oops.
This will probably be taken down, but psychology is what I do so here it is. This is not endorsement this is an explanation as to why there’s different sentiment for this shooting.
This was stated in Trevor Noah’s latest podcast in open discussion. Josh Johnson raises the point. Most gun violence stories on the news, people personally feel threatened. Outraged that they or theirs could be at a music festival, a movie, at school. Most assholes with a gun are killing innocent people, never mind all the other bits. And most are clearly a little “crazy.”
This was targeted, killer on killer, no collateral (death/injury) damage. The CEO had kids that’s the collateral damage. There’s even a lady with coffee who walks on scene then nopes out unharmed.
This isn’t endorsement. This WHY the public as a whole doesn’t seem to mind. The guy who died killed thousands. That solves the innocent part. The killer doesn’t feel threatening to any of us. Because he’s not. That solves the threat. As for sanity, gun arguments aside, the manifesto isn’t unhinged.
And so we find ourselves in an unusual space. Understandably so. This is new.
No I didn’t read the article.
The CEO had kids that’s the collateral damage.
Given his falling out with his ex-wife and penchant for alcoholism, they're arguably better off without him, assuming he wasn't already a deadbeat dad.
Having a wife and kids is not a free pass, and is no ethical shield. Fight me. Little Jimmy can cry about it in his nepo baby Ferrari.
As for sanity, gun arguments aside, the manifesto isn’t unhinged.
Just curious, what do you mean by "gun arguments aside"?
I’m a gun owner. There is a subset of people who think that alone makes you unhinged as a human being.
Luigi is just crazy enough to do what he did (allegedly). Probably not even a gun owner beyond an engineer guy makes this tool/thing on his printer and then learns how to become proficient using that tool/thing. I don’t think Luigi was LARPing training exercises with an AK, with friends, in the northern MI woods. I think he probably approached it the same way the rest of us would approach learning Linux for our next PC build.
Sure. Can you explain why this guy gets charged with terrorism, but school shooters and Jan 6ers don’t?
Perception management, probably. I thought terrorism applied to upsetting state entities not private ones. How, by any stretch of the imagination, is a private health insurance company part of the United States government? It’s bizarre. Jan 6 would fall under that umbrella for sure.
What do you think?
The killer is not threatening to you until semeone decides that you deserve to be killed.
I would say that if you find this particular killer's motives personally threatening, you should probably resign from your day job and move into your bunker.
Yes, exactly. I don't think there is anyone in the world who knows me and believes that I, specifically, deserve to be killed. I think almost every person feels the same way. The rare exception being someone who has intentionally profoundly harmed or killed people.
Have you killed thousands of people through insurance denials to make a quick buck? No?
Then you're fine.
Someone, maybe, a fair point. It will probably happen at work if at all given the boring, “helper” life I lead.
But not this guy. That’s the salient point.
That's the point. "WHY" did they decide it had to be you.
You watch yourself on that slippery slope now.
I see you getting downvoted but a lot of doctors get death threats too, and while everyone seems to have a horror story about a doctor they didn't like, I'm pretty sure most are the scapegoats of a broken system. So yeah, while Luigi's target was well-chosen, I don't trust every vigilante to be as smart.
Found the CEO!
If the person you're replying to was a health insurance CEO I would be extremely supportive of that.
the bullet etchings alone make it a work of art. He picked out the absolute most unloved plutocrat in america. Its very much a masterwork execution at a time when everybody wanted a reprieve from the trump media circus.
Timing: 10/10
Execution: 9/10
Target 10/10
Style: 10/10
We live in a country this happens every day I would take a CEO death over a Sandy Hook every time. I wish shootings weren't as common but it is what it is.
the absolute most unloved plutocrat in america.
Too bad that's not trump :(
With my limited view from Germany, thank God that it is not Trump. Presidents come and go, Democrats and Republicans swap places every now and then, but at the end, the US stays an oligarchy. By killing Trump you don't change much, you might create a public outrage, but it's like popping a pimple without addressing the acne. It might lead to an even bigger divide within the working class - those who were fooled into voting for Trump vs Democrats vs disappointed, disillusioned Democrats. One of the problems of the election was that not enough left leaning people saw the Democrats as much different from the Republicans, and they are right. Killing a politician would just distract from the problem even more. Just think of how much momentum Trump (and his movement) gained from the assassination attempt.
Here, for once in months, when we see tiktoks or other clips from the public, we cannot even tell immediately where they lean politically - we just see that everyone is fed up with the same crap. Now both left and right, united, experience how the media lies to them and tells a skewed narrative. This is amazing. I sincerely hope it will not die, I hope this will grow and continue to spread like a cancer through society.
It is sad that it took the murder of a person and a young man's freedom for this.
Don't give up hope. He's had 3 attempts already, hoping #4 is a better shot
If we were the principled society we pretend to others that we are, we would prefer 100 ceos to 1 Sandy Hook. CEO's would be all for it as well.
But capitalism doesnt breed a lot of impulses to sacrifice for the greater good. "eff those peasants" is practically explicitely baked into it.
Personally I would appreciate the irony of school shooters instead going after gun manufacturer executives. I like my justice delivered ironically.
Execution: 9/10
Apart from the fact that he was caught by sitting in a public place and getting recognized, rather than laying low and staying out of public view for a while.
Assuming it's actually Luigi. Not sure there's even definitive proof yet.
I've been surprised by how many people are celebrating this guy. Just goes to show how strongly the contempt is felt for the American healthcare system.
I think it's more about class warfare than healthcare specifically. All my European friends are cheering him on too despite not experiencing hardship with healthcare
As an American: it’s absolutely both.
Europeans are famously derisive of the American healthcare system though, so for whatever reason they seem to care specifically about his impact on that. I think in general America looms large around the world, economically, militarily, culturally. And certainly online. Having something to feel superior about seems to provide a channel for pent up frustration or resentment. Because believe me there’s no other reason for Europeans to care as much as they do about how much my healthcare costs.
the American healthcare wealthcare system
When you remember when "pre-existing conditions" was a thing until Obama stopped it and the fear that it will be allowed again, you absolutely are not going to shed a damn tear. If you really want to be depressed, watch Sicko by Michael Moore. Things have changed a little bit since then, but the attitude of the insurance and big pharma have absolutely not. The no surprises act that went in this year was another step forward, but who knows how long it will stick. People still go to other countries to get medical procedures and medication. People still go bankrupt from medical bills. People still have to spend hours on the phone begging some underpaid drone to get them healthcare because what your doctor says you need is overriden by a fucking corporation.
Some comments from Michael Moore yesterday: https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2024/12/16/michael-moore-response-united-healthcare-ceo-shooting-luigi-mangione/77020835007/
I wonder. I still talk about snowden being a hero and I get some yahoo arguing with me. heroes of the millenia.
Snowden was a hero. Though, seeing him endorse RFK Jr. was a little questionable.
the pardon talk may have influenced him on that.
Shit. Thanks for the heads up. Still a hero even if he makes mistakes. Must be hard keeping up with stuff across the world.
That will be much more relevant in the coming days. Remember, autocrats give no fucks about even pretending to not be doing those things.
What about decepticons?
Most definitely, he isn't the unibomber largely indiscriminately killing people based on some ideological manifesto, he targeted someone in charge of driving many families into bankruptcy if not outright murdering patients with denials, and targeted a problem that many know to be true. They may be trying to rewrite the legacy of the CEO, but he was not "one of the good guys".
Although there is some crossover to the unibomber's manifesto, in the sense that where this would have been the breaking point in societies of the past waiting for a revolution, the new means of control and technology is being used to keep it under control, from all sides, even and specially those that abused social networks to put Trump in power. Can't have the status quo of "[I can] stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody [but not you]" challenged.
Most definitely, he isn’t the unibomber largely indiscriminately killing people based on some ideological manifesto, he targeted someone in charge of driving many families into bankruptcy if not outright murdering patients with denials, and targeted a problem that many know to be true.
By my math, Brian Robert Thompson killed 40,000 people.
Yes and, board members are the ones enabling the CEOs. They need to be targeted as well.
There's a lot of overlap.
In recent years, around 30% of newly appointed board members in the S&P 500 have been active or retired CEOs.
And:
CEOs and directors with financial backgrounds constitute 59% of the incoming class of S&P 500 directors...
Source, for whatever it's worth. I admittedly just did a cursory Google search out of curiosity and that's what popped up, but I had a feeling it'd be a significant percentage.
Yeah this may be a bit of a clumsy comparison but he’s giving me John Brown vibes.
My insurance company just sent me a completely coincidental survey about my views towards them. I’m looking forward to going off on them when I have a moment. I’m sure it won’t do much but at least it should be cathartic.
Reminder that Luigi didn't do it
We support him, even if he's innocent.
Luigis can't melt steel beams?
Oh you know who did?
That's conceptually backward to how our justice system (on paper) determines guilt. It has to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Luigi did it. Nobody else needs to be convicted or even accused for Luigi to be determined to be innocent.
And there are some good reasons to doubt from what we've seen as the public. The cops said they found his backpack in NY but then also found him with his backpack. The pictures don't quite match. It doesn't make sense for him to keep incriminating evidence on him in a McDonald's. There's a lot about it that stinks.
I'm from Australia and I'm quite obsessed with this, so it's a pretty global feeling.
Am from Germany. I want them to know this is what happens if they ever take our health care away. Pry it from my cold dead hands and all that. Luigi is a hero!
I think for those of us who have universal healthcare, it still has the David vs Goliath appeal.
I'm not from Australia, but every Australian I've ever interacted with has been good people.
.......so I don't think your username is apt.
You can be a dumbass and a good person! Cheers for the compliment, but it's a pretty apt description of me a lot of the time lol.
I just saw the news that they've charged him with terrorism. It's like they want to keep the outrage going, and give the jury a reason to acquit.
Not guilty. You can only murder human beings. Brian Robert Thompson willingly relinquished his humanity a long time ago. What Luigi did was more akin to using bleach to treat mold in the bathroom. Killing a living thing? Yes. Murder? Certainly not.
They can charge him with whatever they want. Proving it to a jury is a whole other thing.
They've charged Brian Thompson with terrorism for what he did - or at least caused - to tens of thousands of people each year?
Finally they start to make sense!
18 people died since you made this comment due to UHC greed.
Most life insurance policies don't cover acts of terrorism.
I'm just saying....
Mangione has tapped into something most Americans share: a deep hatred of our health insurance system and of the profiteers who seem so indifferent to our suffering and death. He has still not been mentioned by Donald Trump, who must realize that Mangione’s fandom has no political boundaries.
Wow even DT can't touch this
Will it? I'm already sensing it dying down. I think we need a refresher.
Social media companies have been removing pro-Luigi content and people with big built up accounts are worried that too many violations of site standards could get their accounts killed.
The level of cohesion in opinions since this event is palpable. It should not be ignored.
It’s almost like the class divide is shining through the liberal/conservative rancor that’s been designed to hide it.
I haven't really felt that way.
People love a martyr. Our man Luigi has become one, and it's exactly what the cause has needed.
Those of us with UHC will not forget. I spent 2 years trying to get mental health help through UHC.
But will it be sustained? Or burn out?
Mainstream media will try to move it to the next news cycle to be forgotten. We will keep the flame lit ourselves.
I can’t speak for everyone. All I know is that every time I notice the deduction in my paycheck that’s going toward my health insurance, I’ll be thinking of this. Same with when I have to pay a co-pay despite having said-insurance. Or when I get a text from the urgent care, months after my visit, telling me I still have “a balance” to resolve…
Really, there is no shortage of reminders for many of us. As long as the system keeps squeezing us, we will have plenty of reminders.
Well, something isn't going to stop burning. Remember, when Brian Robert Thompson hit the pavement, he didn't stop falling. He fell, and fell, and fell, right into the gaping maw of the Pit of Hell itself.
The man died utterly unrepentant for mass murder. On the morning of his death, he was on his way to a conference, a conference where he planned to openly celebrate the record profits he earned from all the people he killed.
If that isn't enough to Damn a soul for all eternity, I don't know what is.
I'm not hopeful it will, especially since the U.S. has already gone back to killing children instead.
Be careful not to say anything positive about luigi because you're certainly going to end up on a priority list of people they are going to keep a lot of surveillance on. It's true, feds are terrified of people who seem inspired by things like this. If you say something really really nice about Luigi, the feds might even send you one of their female undercover agents to be your girlfriend for a while and spy on you.
I'm gay. She'll have no power. They better send a muscle zaddy instead.
Where do I sign up for this?
I can fix her~~
Some dingdong on Lemmy messaged me to tell me that he had notified the FBI about a Luigi post I made. LOL sure bud.
marketing hirelings will sabotage the narrative with BS to make it go away.
They're gonna attempt to do so. There's no guarantee it will work.
Over advertising has inured most consumers to these practices. Especially younger ones.
id rather people focus on the lessons learned.
as long as this puts fear back into the burgeoise i aint complaining too much though.
Obsess away as long as it leads to more billionaires in the guillotine.
I mean could also go out like the guy who everyone would remember, who burned himself for some cause and everyone just forgot about him. Man, what a thing
The only thing left is for some bootlicker to wack him in jail and claim it's suicide, and Luigi will be more famous than Harambe.
I'd argue that he already is. It would just elevate him from legend to marter.
Is this how the bell riots start? I hope so, I'm tired of waiting.
I sure hope so.
I’m going to make bookmarks, tshirts, and inspirational posters.
Probably a coloring book too.
Just a red marker with a bunch of ceo faces?
You ever play the mercenary video game series?
Hopefully inspired by.
You ever have a boil lanced?
What do you mean trump is a CEO?
I know I certainly will be! 😊
No it won’t
This whole story is ripe for conspiracy theory. Comparable to Epstein's arrest and suicide from back in 2020.
Even if the national media wants the story to go away, you're going to have Luigi enthusiasts popping up on the social fringe for years, if not decades.
Exactly. We are a society where innocent children are gunned down in their classrooms every other day. And for once, finally, one of the gunman actually decided to smite someone who deserved it. If you're at the point of being willing to throw your life away in an act of murderous violence, why die a villain, when you can die a hero?
We should be building statues of Luigi.
I can't wait to see the NPR article titled "Luigi Mangione was [aquitted/convicted/excuted] years ago. Why do week keep hearing his name in comment sections?", and I'll see this NPR article like 5-6 years from now.
Epstien died ~5 years ago, yet I still keep seeing people talking about him.
I doubt this, just keep McDonald's open and people will soon forget
I don't want to go to Mcsnitch. Haven't in many years.
Just waiting for someone to cry "Olly Olly Oxen Free"
It won't last longer than another week!
Shower thought with no evidence:
Perhaps some big news will come out that distracts us from this soon. It'll have to be pretty wild to distract us, so buckle up.
Just have a cop egregiously murder a black person in broad daylight on a high definition camera.
Then let him get away with it.
They're already on to drones.
If you can spell "DDD" you can help keep it going.
Donkey Dong Doug?
Douglas "Doug" Dimmadome, co-owner of Dimmadelphia, founder of the Dimmsdale Dimmadome, father of Dale Dimmadome, and grandfather of Dev Dimmadome
No it won’t. America will have forgotten by next week.
If the trial is televised/streamed, it could be an OJ type thing that keeps going.
But… probably, yeah.
Just keep it up
Not if something happens again.
True but no one else has the balls.
Wonder how ol Chuck is handling it
Chuck "Chicanery" McGill?
Chuck Mangione. Jazz musician
Should we be talking about this while we have unidentified drones in the sky??
Edit- well, I was told I didn't need /s on lemmy. Just highlighting the media is already moving forward, we'll hear less and less about the case and it'll fade to time.
I don't see the military worrying about it, so its not foreign military or aliens.
New Jersey also have eyesight problems and commonly misidentify planes as drones.
It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Superman? No, it's a drone!
Love it
Its probably just as likely the drones are coming from the military base and theyre running tests/trainings at night so no one can get a clear image of what they actually are.
Yeah, the Military Base says officially nothing is happening. Fox News took this as "You Don't Know?! WE DON'T KNOW WHOSE DRONES THESE ARE?! AND BIDEN IS DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT??!"
You'd think those anchors would be frothing at the mouth with how stupid and angry they pretend to be.
Given the USA spends more on its military than the rest of the planet combined—no, you can be happy in the knowledge that your government decided it wasn't worrying enough to obliterate
Technically not the truth... The USA was responsible for about 37% of total global spending on military in 2023, and is the largest single spender (in US$ equivalent) globally. However, as a percentage of GDP the USA doesn't even make the top 15. (and if you're talking about a nation's spending priorities then the percentage matters more than the $ value)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_with_highest_military_expenditures
Yeah, we can talk about more things than one. Besides, drones don’t bother me as much as getting healthcare.
We can talk about more than one thing.
No.
They're a distraction from the class war occupation.
The for profit media has seen this minor story as their escape from the news cycle their owners are scared of.
Despite the outrage at Fox News, nothing unusual is happening with Drones. There are some new, very recently FAA approved, flying vehicles being tested by several startups and there is some drone activity above military bases that the military doesn't acknowledge the existence of because that is how you get court martialed.