i asked chatgpt (4o, the regular version) to run through the work of a few favorite political philosophers, to view current events through their lenses.
having been through the health insurance claims meat grinder various times over the years taking care of sick and dying family, i understand the gut *emotion* behind the outpouring of support for mangione. even with cadillac healthcare plans, you can experience a faceless monolith of bean counters with the ability to shut down treatments recommended by doctors.
even for someone who understands the concept of actuarial science and insurance claims management, when faced with a denial letter for specific care of a loved one, the overwhelming emotion is RAGE.
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### **Aristotle**
– *”Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime.”*
– Aristotle underscores how systemic deprivation—whether material or existential—breeds unrest. In this case, people see the act of murder as a form of “revolution” against the perceived tyranny of an insurance system that denies their humanity through bureaucratic decisions.
**Jean-Jacques Rousseau**
– *”When the people shall have nothing more to eat, they will eat the rich.”*
– Rousseau’s incisive comment on inequality reflects how desperation and anger against an unaccountable elite can manifest in extreme ways. Supporting a violent act against a CEO may feel, for some, like reclaiming agency in a system that denies them any real recourse.
**Hannah Arendt**
– *”The most radical revolutionary will become a conservative the day after the revolution.”*
– Arendt here cautions against the allure of revolutionary violence as a solution to systemic oppression. While the act of violence may seem heroic in the moment, it risks perpetuating cycles of power without addressing the deeper structural issues.
**Max Weber**
– *”The decisive means for politics is violence.”*
– Weber acknowledges that violence has historically been a tool for expressing or enforcing political will when no other means are available. For those powerless against a monolithic system like healthcare insurance, valorizing murder may feel like the only form of leverage—however tragic and misguided.
– *”In a community, where the social order is perceived as unjust, the legitimacy of legal authority is questioned, and acts of resistance, even violent ones, may be seen as morally justified by those disenfranchised.”*
– This captures the phenomenon of online resonance and support for the killer, reflecting a breakdown in societal trust.
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These quotes speak to the dynamics of powerlessness, perceived justice, and the psychological turn to violence as an expression of agency or rebellion. The online reaction suggests that people view this act as symbolic—a stand against a system they believe has systematically dehumanized and exploited them.
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