LEMON DROP | CEO Shooter & The State of U.S. Healthcare
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Who is Luigi Mangione and why is he called the alleged CEO shooter?
We have to talk more about Luigi Mangione. He is the alleged CEO shooter. Is he a modern day Robin Hood? That's what a lot of folks are debating, especially on social media, in real life, but especially there. There are people who genuinely believe that this alleged assassin is a working class hero, a champion for the downtrodden common man. They believe that he is the 21st century version of Che Guevara. That's what they say. Not only are they not sympathetic to UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and his family, some people are celebrating his death. Why is that happening? Are you okay with that? Are we okay with that? Why is that happening? Well, they rightfully raise deep, deep problems with America's privatized healthcare industry.
They cite the fact... that the U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world. The richest country in the world has the most expensive healthcare system while the U.S. ranks number 42 in life expectancy. That doesn't make sense. They point out that in the past 10 years, CEO pay at S&P 500 companies has increased by more than $4 million to an average of $17.7 million in 2023. In the meantime, the average U.S. worker only saw an increase of $18,000 over the past decade. earning on average just $65,470. That was in 2023. Now, I understand how much frustration that that can cause. Look, I get it. But some of this Luigi Hero worship honestly makes me uneasy. I want you to listen.
Why are some people celebrating the death of a UnitedHealthcare CEO on social media?
This is journalist Taylor Lorenz talking about the joy that she experienced when hearing about Brian Thompson's murder.
I do believe in the sanctity of life. And I think that's why I felt, along with so many other Americans, joy, unfortunately, you know, because it feels like... Serious? I mean... Joy in a man's execution? Maybe not joy, but certainly not, no, certainly not empathy. Because again... We're watching the footage.
How can this make you joyful? This guy's a husband, he's a father, and he's being young down in the middle of Manhattan. Why is that making you joyful?
So are the tens of thousands of Americans that are being murdered. So are the tens of thousands of Americans, innocent Americans, who died because greedy health insurance executives like this one push policies of denying care to the most vulnerable people. the many millions of Americans that have watched people that I care about suffer and in some cases die because of lack of health care. So should they all be killed then?
Should they all be killed, these health care executives?
What evidence do critics cite about failures in America's privatized healthcare system?
Would that make you even more joyful?
No, that would not. Why not? Why are you laughing? Because it wouldn't fix the system.
You seem to find the whole thing hilarious.
I find your question funny.
A bloke's been murdered in the street. I don't find it funny at all.
I don't find it funny that tens of thousands of Americans die every year because they are denied life-saving health care from people like this CEO. Now, I want to fix this system. You're right. We shouldn't be going around shooting each other with vigilante justice. No. I think that it is a good thing that this murder has led to really the media elites and politicians in this country paying attention to this issue for the first time. You mentioned you couldn't understand why somebody would feel this reaction when they watched a CEO die, it's because you have not dealt, it sounds like, with the American healthcare system in the way that millions of other Americans have.
I've dealt with the healthcare system in various ways in America. I don't think it's perfect by any means, but the idea that I would view it as something... Have you been denied life savings? No, the idea that I would view it as something joyful that a man who's just a healthcare executive has been executed in the street, I find completely bizarre.
Oh, boy. Taking joy in a man's death really makes me flinch. And it makes me cringe, honestly. But Taylor is right about one thing. Tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of Americans suffer and die every single year because health care companies deny coverage for treatments people desperately, desperately need.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
Who is Luigi Mangione and why is he called the alleged CEO shooter?
0:00–1:33
2
Why are some people celebrating the death of a UnitedHealthcare CEO on social media?
1:33–2:37
3
What evidence do critics cite about failures in America's privatized healthcare system?
2:37–5:43
4
How do personal stories and emotional reactions explain anger toward health insurers?
5:43–12:08
5
Can vigilante violence or celebrating an assassin fix systemic healthcare problems?
12:08–14:20