how can people be empathizing with Luigi Mangione?

no career choice or life decision could unburden us from the weight of being chronically ill in America

There are currently two corners on the American internet right now: compilation videos of Luigi Mangione, shirtless, with “but daddy I love him” playing in the background — and then videos of people condemning and horrified by those forms of video.

How can there be such a strongly contrasted spectrum of reaction to an assassination in broad daylight? Of course, these reactions cannot exist in a vacuum, and is yet another deliberate consequence of our obsession with violence and the desensitization to it— but something much bigger rumbles under the surface.

In this desensitization of violence, I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that the same generation we have forced to normalize school shootings are not sympathetic to the blatant murder of a public figure. Get Z has been raised in an America where, from the age of 5 and up, are forced to practice school shooter drills and learn how to tourniquet a wound— for when the inevitable happens. Yes, our country gaslights our children into believing it is truly inevitable. And even worse, they have to live through it when it does. Our leaders turn a blind eye to their dead friends, dead peers, and teachers… who respond by encouraging bullet proof vests, security guards, and more drills. An interesting choice of empathy.

When I was student teaching in 2013 in a high school in Pennsylvania, the school shooter drills were so elaborate it almost became like a video game. Administration would abruptly “change” where the shooter was in the school without warning, forcing us to climb out windows, double back and hide in hallway closets, and worse— normalize the fact that this had to be done at all.

I find it interesting that the leaders of our country are horrified by Gen Z’s lack of empathy, when they’ve forced them to live alongside all of this loss and horror for so long. Gun violence is something we’ve forced them to reckon with and more so accept. We chose to normalize this absurdity when our country lost 20 babies in the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012— and decided it was just not enough to stimulate change.

How can we pick and choose what form of violence is acceptable? Only when there are profits to protect?

Back to Luigi and his manifesto naming our Health Care Industry as the leading cause.

America’s for-profit system has created an environment where no one feels taken care of, looked after, or prepared in their daily life. Our government body and ruling corporations have us distracted, eager to make us hate one another and continue screaming from the radical right to the radical left. Seeing one another as the enemy works better in this for-profit system. It keeps the wheels turning.

The assassination of the United Healthcare CEO, Brian Thompson, has changed this dynamic in a way, and peeled back some of the layers we are often too busy to look at. It’s interesting to witness. (And no, this is not a public statement of me validating murder or encouraging it… calm down)

Normally, when an act of violence occurs, the higher ups are able to utilize a harmful narrative against those committing the acts; one that causes fellow citizens shake their head in shame. They’ll use the persons upbringing, or mental illness, or color of their skin to depict why the violence has occurred; shining a light on the obvious reasons they are unhinged or their behavior is wildly unacceptable.

They are an outlier, an outsider, someone who cannot be trusted.

The issue with Luigi, is that his profile is one they cannot use against him— not one you an argue with.

He has no documented mental health ailments. He’s Italian American. He’s young, fit and attractive. (Yes, this matters in our country) He’s well performing, brilliant, and high-achieving. How do you begin to discredit this? He followed the model that was given to us as Americans, the model that embodies success and prestige and well-sound lifestyle. He did all of the “right steps” to lead him to a life of the American Dream.

It’s much more difficult to redact this particular image of a person. It’s much easier for us to swallow. As sick and twisted as it is, we have a much more difficult time picking him apart as a collective. We have more collective empathy towards him. It leaves us more open to hearing his story, to attempt to understand why he did what he did. This creates a big problem for those working so hard to keep us from talking to one another about our grievances and outrage.

Normally these narratives do not coincide: a wealthy, highly intelligent person enacting in violence against the system. There are far less holes to look for here.

This opens the flood gates to some big issues for those attempting to keep us subdued and rational.

And so we begin telling stories similar to Luigi and his mom, who suffer from debilitating chronic pain and loss of life. Americans bravely share their anger towards claim denials, the loss of loved-ones, the financial constrain our health insurance providers have placed on us.

We realize as a collective that they are actually not providers of anything, at all.

Our for-profit healthcare industry is extremely corrupt, and you don’t have to be a chronically ill or cancer-ridden American to agree with this statement. Perhaps the link to this assassination conversation being so prevalent is the fact that every single American, at one point or another, has been fucked by this system.

Americans online share heartbreaking stories of loss and destruction from lack of health insurance care— ranging from the high-cost of hearing aids needing to be passed down from generation to generation— to disgusting stories of approval of coverage for medications only after the loved ones death.

Personally, I hold empathy for his story of chronic pain— because I too, like 21.7% of American women, suffer from chronic illnesses and pain that impacts my quality of daily life. At age 19, I underwent a 13-hour surgery for a rare abdominal tumor that was impacting my ability to keep food and water down. Two years later, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Disease and faced with the burden of years of testing and medical care to get my thyroid, hormones and body pain under control. Since then, I have struggled in silence over debilitating pelvic pain, IBS, and hormone disruptions like PMDD. I have visited hundreds of doctors in an attempt to get my pain under control.

It wasn’t until last September, when my appendix burst, that I was finally able to confirm (through this life-saving surgery) that my abdomen is riddled with endometriosis, adenomyosis, and endometriomas. The inflammation within my body from this surgery caused my pain to skyrocket, causing debilitating cystitis, pelvic pain, food sensitivities, and much more— that impact my daily life. Chronic pain has made me a shell of myself. Chronic pain is a form of punishment no human person deserves.

What’s worse than being dealt the cards of chronic pain, is our system’s inability to actually diagnose, treat, and cure it.

The medical bills I have acquired in an attempt to treat my conditions are unbearable to think about. My medical debt is preventing me from owning a home. It is preventing me from growing my business, it makes it impossible to have children. It has created endless stress and anxiety within a life already filled with emotional and physical battles. I am not even close to being the only one who has received endless calls from collection companies— some ranging to 8 calls per day—a form of harassment so severe and debilitating, I’ve had to block numbers and hope they stop coming. It is a helpless place to be, one that no one working hard to keep their life on track, deserves to experience.

I cannot begin to imagine the debt I will continue to fall into when I need endo excision surgeries, possible IVF, and more diagnostic testing. The looming pressures of these financial burdens keep me awake at night.

No career choice or life decision could unburden me from the weight of being chronically ill in America.

Physically, chronic pain can cause limited mobility, muscle weakness, and difficulty performing daily tasks. Mentally, it often leads to depression, anxiety, and disrupted sleep due to persistent discomfort. Economically, it contributes to job loss, increased medical expenses, and financial hardship, creating a cycle of stress and diminished well-being.

It is a constant burden of grief and resilience that can take an immense toll on so many. When you are constantly calling insurance companies and professionals in an attempt to advocate for yourself, you learn quickly there is not much you can do. It begins to take the finite amount of energy you have left. It is a lonely, furious, and hopeless place to be.

Another thing we love to do in this country is throw in our bootstrap-isms of othering one another’s experiences. Shortly after my appendix surgery, I found myself venting to a friend of the financial burden it’s caused, I was met with the solemn understanding that she believed I deserved to be in this place— due to my lack of health insurance. As if it were a simple consequence for a series of poor life choices; ones I could have changed in order to avoid being in the situation.

Ironically, it is the poor quality of insurance that led me to the situation— rather than some irresponsible choice of finances or career path. As an entrepreneur, my healthcare choices are few and far between. I had enacted a plan through marketplace that year, and was paying 575 dollars per month, for an insurance plan with a deductible of 12 thousand dollars. During this year, like others, I was chronically ill and undergoing a series of tests and check ups, and was placed in the impossible position of being able to afford the care and treatment I desperately needed— over being able to pay my monthly premium.

When I needed a breast biopsy, my insurer told me it was not medically necessary due to my age (I was 32 at the time!) and denied to cover the small partial that was owed to me. I had to pay for the procedures up front in order to get them done, which forced me to pay thousands for these VERY medically relevant (most would say life-saving) mammograms and biopsies. I no longer had the money to cover the insurance premium, and my insurance lapsed. Three months later, my appendix burst. With no health insurance.

It is an impossible position to force people in, to choose paying for care over retaining their insurance. We often cannot afford both.

Often, the idea of insurance rather— because it never actually covers anything other than some catastrophic life event. Initially, when choosing my health plan, I specifically opted for coverage of my specific thyroid medications— knowing I would need them each month. Hilariously, when it came time for them to cover it… I was told the coverage had “changed” and my medications would no longer be covered. The marketplace enrollment was closed, and there was nothing I could do.

How is this legal?

United Healthcare has denied 33% of claims, the highest rate of any major insurer. United and other insurers believe AI practices are somehow able to determine what is “medically necessary” over doctors and medical professionals. Thousands of Americans are being denied care because of this, and some do not have the time afforded to wait. Many have passed while attempting to fight their claim denials.

On top of this, Americans are paying higher costs than ever to retain insurance in the first place. “Health insurance costs are far outpacing inflation, leaving more consumers on the hook each year for thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses.”

Andrew Witty, The UnitedHealth Group CEO, doubled-down on United’s increased denial rates this week, stating, "We guard against the pressures that exist for unsafe or unnecessary care to be delivered in a way that makes the whole system too complex and ultimately unsustainable."

…right.

The top cause for bankruptcy in this country is healthcare debt.

Let me repeat that:

The NUMBER ONE CAUSE of financial constrain in this country is healthcare debt— the right to live a happy and healthy life is no longer afforded to us. This statement highlights the significant financial burden that healthcare costs can impose on individuals in the U.S. Medical expenses, including hospital bills, treatments, and medications. What’s absolutely wild is that the high cost of medical expenses can destabilize financial security, even for those with insurance.

People are losing their financial lives to things completely out of their control. No one can control a car accident. A cancer diagnosis. A rare chronic illness. A child falling and breaking a leg. The cost of healthcare acts as a punishment to those who never asked for the situation in the first place. These insurance companies are taking on the role of God.

On top of this, the cost of medical care is often unclear and not provided upfront. Patients rarely know the full price of services before receiving treatment, leaving them vulnerable to unexpected charges. This lack of transparency stems from a complex web of insurance negotiations, hospital billing practices, and varied provider rates… that are never consistent.

When you go to a pharmacy, the prices on the sticker shelf are the price you pay at the counter. You can see Tylenol costs 6 dollars per bottle. You know what to expect when treating yourself.

When you’re in the hospital and they’re providing life-saving care or treatment, there is no upfront price tag. You accept the Tylenol by IV because they tell you it’s what you need. You have no idea until later that the Tylenol costs you 600 USD.

When discharged from my emergency appendectomy, I was immediately hit with 60k+ in bills from my hospital stay, and I knew to ask for an itemized bill. There were items on there I had never even received, like a catheter and certain medications… that the hospital later removed. My IV bags of saline cost hundreds of dollars. My anesthesia cost over 15k, with additional charges for “emergency use”. There were no discounts afforded to me, other than the private ambulance company who agreed to cut my bill in half due to financial restriction.

For childbirth itself, if you're insured, the cost for a vaginal birth in a hospital is approximately 5k to 10k, while a C-section could range from 7k to 14k. Without insurance, it can cost up to 40 thousand dollars.

The financial burden of hospital bills often extends beyond childbirth, impacting other necessary expenses, which can lead to emotional and financial strain for new parents. Still, our leaders stand confused and concerned— curious to know why our birth rate is at an all-time low?? What else are they missing?

We are in a place where fear and lack uphold the entirety of the medical system.

The covered doctors are so few and far between that you can be waiting 6 months to see a basic primary care physician. When someone attends an ER, it is because there’s no other option for care, and most likely— because they’ve waited months and can no longer wait to be seen. Studies show that nearly 40% of Americans report skipping recommended medical tests or treatments because of cost, and 44% avoided seeing a doctor when sick or injured due to financial worries.

When my appendix burst, I begged my parents not to take me to the hospital. I knew that no matter what was happening, the cost of care was going to impede so heavily on my life that I’d rather not risk it. I was prepared to risk my life out of the immense fear of medical debt.

This is not a unique case. And it is extremely fucked up.

All over the news, we see politicians and figure heads speaking about our ‘out of touch’ reactions to Luigi and this assassination. They’re calling Americans deplorable people for empathizing with a cold-blooded killer.

Meanwhile, in the world of hypocrisy— Kyle Rittenhouse was applauded and given a standing ovation at a convention. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro stood at a press conference a few nights ago where the alleged murderer was detained, condemning the support read online for the situation: “In America, we do not kill people in cold blood to resolve policy differences or express a viewpoint” “Violence is never a means to an end”

Last year, Shapiro sparked controversy after signing artillery shells destined for Ukraine at the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant. Celebrating violence is only reserved for the select few. Violence is reserved for oppression.

Our country’s leaders like to pick and choose the form of violence that is acceptable. One that degrades, others and oppresses any sense of humanness. American loves the kind of violence that keeps us fighting with one another.

At what point do we recognize that claim denial letters are murder? At what point is the system that is killing thousands, literally and metaphorically, considered an act of violence?

Thousands of people are losing their lives to greed and profits. A 2019 report from the American Medical Association found that “21% of doctors reported that prior authorization issues had led to serious patient harm, including hospitalization or death.” Profit-driven insurance models weaponize claim denials, sacrificing patient welfare for financial gain. What should function as a protective safety net becomes a lethal obstacle, with life-saving care withheld in the name of cost-cutting. This practice exposes a stark moral failure at the core of modern healthcare economics, where corporate profits often outweigh human lives.

People are sympathetic with Luigi because there isn’t a single person in this country who hasn’t been burned by our healthcare system. It is killing the people we love. Just as our babies are being killed in schools.

In how many ways can we tell our leaders that this is not working?

The question many are bargaining with now— At what point does vigilante action count as self defense? Against systems who are not hearing its people and murdering those we love, against systems that are impossible to beat or defend ourselves in? If you have a justice system which protects its people and prosecutes companies and individuals who are actively killing and harming people— you don’t need vigilante response. Where there is justice, there is no overhaul.

The wealth gap in this country is highlighted more than ever before, with the top 20% of earners now controlling over half of the nation's total income.

If Elon Musk spent 1 million dollars a day, it would take him 917 years to run out of money. This unimaginable level of wealth is problematic in a society where millions struggle to meet basic needs like food, shelter, and of course— healthcare. Extreme wealth inequality correlates with higher crime rates, poorer public health outcomes, and reduced social mobility. You cannot acquire this level of wealth without stepping on the necks of others in order to get there. It is quite literally, impossible.

In addition to this, individuals like Musk are no longer public philanthropists like many others of his status from past generations.

Historically, the elitist class utilized at least some of their resources and power to impact the greater good, to a certain degree, at least. This practice was rooted in a blend of civic duty, legacy-building, and social influence. Billionaires today are not building third spaces, such as railroad systems, public libraries, art that withstands the tests of time, or transportation systems… They are hoarding wealth for themselves.

Philanthropy today has largely moved toward private foundations, tech-driven innovations, and global projects, often emphasizing corporate or personal branding. Who is being most impacted by the quest for SpaceX to Mars? Is it you and I, those who cannot afford medical care— or the billionaire friends who long to role play a child-like ideal of science and space exploration?

This shift, some can argue, signals a departure from direct investment in local communities and public infrastructure—areas historically enriched by philanthropic efforts. Rather than supporting broad-based societal programs, many modern elites focus on projects with personal or corporate ties, leaving gaps in vital public services that benefit everyone. Hence, hoarding resources.

We’ve seen this in history before.

There is a collective shift happening, where the average American no longer utilizes numbing out and interest in the billionaire lifestyle as an inspiring endeavor. Many are tired of the brag within this wealth gap, and have no interest in seeing celebrities excess closets, car collections or mansions— unlike our fascination in the 2000’s with MTV cribs. There is a shift in perspective happening.

The rich will continue getting richer, and we will continue fighting to remain above water.

We have more in common, no matter the political stance, with our fellow neighbors than we ever would with billionaires and the elite who are out to control, oppress, and profit — over contribute to the greater good.

Their lack of involvement and sympathy for the collective from those in positions of power and wealth has been brewing an undertone of class consciousness, one where sympathy for them and the structures they’ve created— is ultimately redacted and nowhere to be found.

Is it really a surprise to find the outrage festering into something more tangible? Something much more terrifying?

When you back a cat into a corner, ultimately, their claws come out. Survival becomes all there is.

It’s depressing to witness America in the fight to survive. It is grossly understated just how debilitating and exhausting it can be to walk through the world with your hackles up… something we’ve forced younger generations to wrestle with and ultimately normalize.

If violence is not moving us forward either— What is the answer?