I just got off the phone with a friend (a grown man not a college kid) who's elated by the murder and wants the blood of the CEOs to flow in the streets. This to him is a revolutionary moment where oppressed Americans rise up against their greedy overlords and kill them in the name of a fairer world.
I tried to make the point that I was opposed to political murder as it was opening a Pandora's Box where the consequences are unknown and where you never know whose blood or how much of it will end up spilled, and where things could get much uglier—but was told my opinion was invalid as I have insurance and live in a nice house.
I think these reactions (if I can extrapolate) are in part based on the anger and despair liberals feel about the Trump renaissance—my friend claimed that the victory of Trump/Elon means that we live in a postdemocratic oligarchy where normal politics is useless against the reign of the corporate plutocracy; plus this media-induced psychosis where the negativity bias of clickbait paints America as a miserable hellscape of powerless angry peasants; plus (as the post mentions) this reflexive rage people have re the profit motive in healthcare and how denying coverage or overcharging becomes morally akin to Aztec human sacrifice.
The only hope or consolation I have is that the social-media age is also the age of permanent amnesia, and today's shiny media-crafted object will soon be replaced by another, all to be quickly forgotten in the Lethe of digital culture.
Wow, CP, what a terrifying interaction. All the more terrifying that he's an adult. Maybe we're supposed to be pro-democracy only up until the point when democracy produces an outcome we don't like. I wonder what kind of rules your friend would propose regarding when it's warranted to murder people for being greedy.
It's interesting to witness the psychology of political extremism up close.
I think it starts with positing a moral absolute—in this case the idea that the profit motive in health care is pure evil and that this CEO is just as much a murderer as any hitman, because his company is (supposedly) responsible for the deaths of people they've ill-treated (my friend's position)—along with this other moral absolute around health care—that it should be free, unlimited, on-demand, with Europe's socialized medicine held up as the standard that proves American barbarity.
I tried to point out that people are often justifiably enraged at oil execs, pharma execs, tech cos not to mention landlords etc, so where do you draw the line? But that's the thing about self-righteous rage, it sees only in black and white: with the cleansing justice and its cause/result painted as all white, and the malefactors and any of their supporters painted all black.
I have to fall back on Nietzsche here: "In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule."
Group insanity has gone viral! And my friend seems to be living in that corner of the Internet where Luigi is a hero and leader of the next American Revolution. But last week he was absorbed by Netflix so hopefully there's a good new show on that will temper his bloodlust.
I'm glad you brought up those other examples (oil execs, etc) and you could push it even farther, even into govt. What happens when people die waiting for NHS care? Should someone be shot? Maybe your friend would say those deaths aren't caused by greed, but the ppl are still dead. And, as public choice economists point out, people don't magically stop being greedy when they enter govt. But yes, here's hoping your friend's girlfriend gets him to watch Hot Frosty on Neflix and that leads them to watch a bunch of cheesy Christmas flicks. That should keep us safe for a couple weeks.
I unsubscribed by mistake; received message asking me if it was mistake with link to resubscribe but upon going there, it required payment again .. as I recently purchased year subscription I do not wish to pay again🙁
I just got off the phone with a friend (a grown man not a college kid) who's elated by the murder and wants the blood of the CEOs to flow in the streets. This to him is a revolutionary moment where oppressed Americans rise up against their greedy overlords and kill them in the name of a fairer world.
I tried to make the point that I was opposed to political murder as it was opening a Pandora's Box where the consequences are unknown and where you never know whose blood or how much of it will end up spilled, and where things could get much uglier—but was told my opinion was invalid as I have insurance and live in a nice house.
I think these reactions (if I can extrapolate) are in part based on the anger and despair liberals feel about the Trump renaissance—my friend claimed that the victory of Trump/Elon means that we live in a postdemocratic oligarchy where normal politics is useless against the reign of the corporate plutocracy; plus this media-induced psychosis where the negativity bias of clickbait paints America as a miserable hellscape of powerless angry peasants; plus (as the post mentions) this reflexive rage people have re the profit motive in healthcare and how denying coverage or overcharging becomes morally akin to Aztec human sacrifice.
The only hope or consolation I have is that the social-media age is also the age of permanent amnesia, and today's shiny media-crafted object will soon be replaced by another, all to be quickly forgotten in the Lethe of digital culture.
Wow, CP, what a terrifying interaction. All the more terrifying that he's an adult. Maybe we're supposed to be pro-democracy only up until the point when democracy produces an outcome we don't like. I wonder what kind of rules your friend would propose regarding when it's warranted to murder people for being greedy.
It's interesting to witness the psychology of political extremism up close.
I think it starts with positing a moral absolute—in this case the idea that the profit motive in health care is pure evil and that this CEO is just as much a murderer as any hitman, because his company is (supposedly) responsible for the deaths of people they've ill-treated (my friend's position)—along with this other moral absolute around health care—that it should be free, unlimited, on-demand, with Europe's socialized medicine held up as the standard that proves American barbarity.
I tried to point out that people are often justifiably enraged at oil execs, pharma execs, tech cos not to mention landlords etc, so where do you draw the line? But that's the thing about self-righteous rage, it sees only in black and white: with the cleansing justice and its cause/result painted as all white, and the malefactors and any of their supporters painted all black.
I have to fall back on Nietzsche here: "In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule."
Group insanity has gone viral! And my friend seems to be living in that corner of the Internet where Luigi is a hero and leader of the next American Revolution. But last week he was absorbed by Netflix so hopefully there's a good new show on that will temper his bloodlust.
Thanks!
I'm glad you brought up those other examples (oil execs, etc) and you could push it even farther, even into govt. What happens when people die waiting for NHS care? Should someone be shot? Maybe your friend would say those deaths aren't caused by greed, but the ppl are still dead. And, as public choice economists point out, people don't magically stop being greedy when they enter govt. But yes, here's hoping your friend's girlfriend gets him to watch Hot Frosty on Neflix and that leads them to watch a bunch of cheesy Christmas flicks. That should keep us safe for a couple weeks.
He's someone who should get a fair trial and not a public opinion trial.
yes, definitely agree
Mangione is apparently against corporate greed, but he had no problem eating at Macdonald's. He was caught while eating there. Kind of ironic.
Good point. Hadn't thought about that. Wouldn't be surprised if he owned an iPhone too.
Undoubtedly.
I unsubscribed by mistake; received message asking me if it was mistake with link to resubscribe but upon going there, it required payment again .. as I recently purchased year subscription I do not wish to pay again🙁
Thanks for letting me know, Candace. I'll take care of it!
Thanks!