Last week, a masked killer assassinated United Healthcare CEO, Brian Thompson. The reaction from the masses demonstrates the growing divides in society.
Now that a suspect, Luigi Mangione, has been named, people are attributing a motive based on the minute details divulged about his life. The main thought that occurred to me, once I finished laughing at all the Mario and Luigi references, was that this person, whomever he may be, watched one too many superhero movies.
Not another Marvel movie
The mythology of Luigi grows as more information about Luigi comes to the forefront. Luigi is, or was, an acolyte of Sam Bankman-Fried and Elon Musk, someone confusing a thriving stock portfolio as a political philosophy. Yet, beyond that he is an apolitical actor.
As the narrative shifts, however, and there is a wider hope for him to be a folk hero. The romantic retelling of his life reads like the tragic origins of a comic book. Like Matt Murdock’s loss of sight, Mangione’s back injury is portrayed as the inflection point altering this class valedictorian to an admirer Unabomber’s manifesto.
Superhero stories are mainstays in the public discourse, so it makes sense why the wider public would connect his actions to that of a masked vigilante. In a frustrating world, these stories provide misguided solace to those looking for change. Unfortunately, superheroes represent the superstructure; specifically, they represent the neo-liberalized ideal that the system can work for everyone if there are benevolent actors looking to change it. All they must do is be willing to crack skulls. In this case, this assassin left bullets marked: deny, defend, depose, instead of a star-spangled shield.
The Force is with us
What is true is that this story carries so much weight: not because of the killing of a CEO, but because it speaks to a greater anger towards a broken system. Despite this, it is hard to see any wider, systemic, action will come from this story. For those looking for answers in the credits, I suggest a more galactic tale.
Star Wars as a saga provides a useful narrative tool for those left behind by a system never meant to help them. The uphill battle faced by the rebels should feel familiar to all. Dr. Michael Harris, in his book Welcome to the Rebellion: A New Hope in Radical Politics, concludes that the rebel story can be an analogy against the empires in our own world. Of course, none of us are Jedi, but the resistance is comprised of so much more than Skywalkers. So many different people led to the eventual toppling of the empire. It is just a story, but it is a compelling one, nonetheless.
Looking forward
The stories are already coming out about the State’s repressive responsive. Unfortunately, the Empire needs little reason to strike back. The death of Brian Thompson is not a harbinger of systemic change. Rather, it is more likely to buttress right wing sentiments.
Our source of hope is not new. It remains the same as always. We cannot wait for the Bat Signal to illuminate the sky. It is our collective responsibility to fire up the lightsaber and use it as a beacon. Together, we can bring change and make this world work for all of us.
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