Luigi Mangione X account shows picture of what appears to be the alleged gunman’s stapled spine X ray, along with healthcare boss shooter participating in discussion on range of social issues, including comments in which he made arguing homicide can be virtuous as investigators seek motive to shooting murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO, Brian Thompson.
In the immediate aftermath of the arrest of Luigi Mangione, 26, the suspected shooter of UnitedHeathcare CEO, Brian Thompson, 50, speculation mounted as to what could have led to the 26 year old Ivy League grad (Upenn with engineering degree) gunning down the health insurance boss last week.
One clue comes from the alleged shooter’s X account under the banner, Luigi Mangione @PepMangione including the display of an X-ray of a stapled spine, thought to be that of the alleged shooter, with even one commentator verifying that the shooter had been known to previously relent about a bungled spinal surgery and the havoc it caused. Whether UnitedHealthcare were involved in the operations specifics, costs or performance of said surgery or denial had yet to be verified.
CEO shooter had painful back surgery which he blamed UnitedHealthcare in Manifesto
UnitedHealthCare suspect lauded Unabomber as revolutionary who rightfully used violence
Utilitarian Ethics vs Virtue Ethics:
Utilitarian: The action is good if the consequences are good
Virtue: The action is good if it’s what a virtuous person would doPoll results indicate respondents’ moral frameworks
Homicide: worse consequences
Rape: worse virtues— Luigi Mangione (@PepMangione) March 9, 2024
Can homicide ever be virtuous?
Not to be underscored was postings and dialogues Mangione participated in, showing him to seemingly nihilistic in attitude towards society, and adopting a tech bro-y takes attitude towards AI, along with discussing themes of mental health, altruism, ancient history, and other social issues in general. Mangione follows Ezra Klein, Sam Altman, AOC, Edward Snowden, and Robert F. Kennedy, among others.
Of particular intrigue was a debate that the alleged gunman engaged in on the platform about whether rape or homicide is the worse crime.
The suspect said that the poll results showed that people think homicide has worse consequences, but rape is a result of worse virtues.
While not giving his own opinion, Mangione’s conclusion seems to show that homicide can be virtuous if the action is utilitarian – as in, being an action that maximizes happiness and well-being for the greatest number of people.
The comment is suggestive that gunning down the UnitedHealthcare CEO was a best serving measure for society given the private health insurance industry’s role as a middleman which gets to decide which claims are approved and by extension who may or may not get to live in certain instances or in other cases saddled with huge financial debt.
Great debate has existed whether public goods such as healthcare, public education, transport, the internet ought to stay in the public realm and not be held in the private realm which has the tendency to equate profits over people and overall utilitarian benefit to society.
The New York Times reported that Mangione was carrying a handwritten manifesto that ‘criticized health-care companies for putting profits above care’ when he was arrested on gun charges.
The document, which spanned two pages, read: ‘These parasites had it coming.
‘I do apologize for any strife and trauma, but it had to be done.’
The document was two pages long, and is currently being investigated by law enforcement along with the alleged gunman’s other alleged social media accounts.
