I was sad, but not surprised, to see the reaction of many people online and in the media to the killing of Brian Thompson, the CEO of United Healthcare, earlier this month, which ranged from crass jokes about “denied care” to outright justification for the murder.
Taylor Lorenz, for example, a former Washington Post journalist, said she felt “joy” at the news, and shared an article about denied insurance coverage with the statement “and people wonder why we want these executives dead.” Many publications disabled comments in response to the flood of vitriol from readers laughing about Thompson’s death. I even saw a few dance videos celebrating the killing, as though the news was no different than winning the lottery.
We live in a strange time indeed.
I am tempted to chalk this up to a few bad apples online, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. According to a recent poll taken by Emerson College, 41% of respondents ages 18-29 said they found the actions of Brian Thompson’s killer acceptable or somewhat acceptable, with another 19% remaining neutral. Think about that – 60% of young adults cannot condemn the premeditated murder of a defenseless man, shot from behind with a silenced “ghost” gun.
The media has been quick to focus on what this event, and subsequent public response, says about our healthcare industry, with headlines like “Reaction to C.E.O. Killing Exposes Frustrations With Health System” (NYT) and “Healthcare CEO killing reveals lack of trust and accountability in US insurance industry” (Guardian). That’s certainly an underlying story, and one journalists are naturally going to flock to, but I think it misses the bigger picture explanation for why so many seem to take pleasure in such a tragedy.
The internet has lowered the social cost of indecency.
It is risky to watch the video of Thompson being shot and then go into work the next day and tell your colleagues that he deserved what he got. It’s far less risky to anonymously comment on a USA Today article with a laughing emoji, or to like a post celebrating the killer. Explaining to your boss why the killing was justified forces you to believe what you say. Posting online requires no such thing.
As a result, I’m skeptical that so many Americans truly condone the murder. The internet distorts our perception of what normal people think, say and do, and the reaction online is as much a representation of perverse social media incentives as it is a representation of how people actually feel. These platforms incentivize users to be more, not less extreme, and it’s unlikely that every 20 year-old ranting about the murder of healthcare CEOs really wants them dead. They just want to fit in.
Whether or not these beliefs are widespread, it’s undeniable that the internet has amplified a range of views many people would be unlikely to advocate for in real life, from support for the Hamas terror attacks on Israel in 2023 to disappointment at the failure of Trump’s would-be assassins this past year. Black and white issues that someone like my grandfather would have no trouble condemning – presidential assassinations and the intentional murder of women and children – have become morally ambiguous.
So where do we go from here?
One strategy for any sane person is to simply roll their eyes. People say some crazy things online, young people in particular. Taking them all seriously is guaranteed to make you feel terrible about the world, when your lived reality is likely far less bleak. Read the comments at your own peril.
Another strategy, and one that is increasingly important, is to take hard moral stances in person when you encounter a misguided perspective like this one. We are far too concerned with being the victim of a gotcha! moment and too willing to let bad opinions go unchallenged. Brian Thompson did not deserve to be murdered for his actions as the CEO of United Healthcare. We should be brave enough to say so.
Finally, it’s important to remember that the internet would have been a far sicker place than it is now if it had existed in the first half of the 20th century. We have come a long way as a society, and the racism, sexism, antisemitism and support for violence and vigilantism that would have been on display back then would make today look like a utopia. For better or for worse, technology has made it so that we are aware of events and opinions halfway across the country we’d be better off not knowing about, which can make it seem as though the world is a darker place than it is.
Said differently:
Don’t take it all too seriously, don’t retreat from debate, and don’t lose hope.
And when in doubt, go outside for a walk.
– Emmett
What I’m Reading:
Proof You Can Do Hard Things – Nat Eliason
“Our self-image is composed of historical evidence of our abilities. The more hard things you push yourself to do, the more competent you will see yourself to be. If you can run marathons or throw double your body weight over your head, the sleep deprivation from a newborn is only a mild irritant. If you can excel at organic chemistry or econometrics, onboarding for a new finance job will be a breeze.”
How to Take Your Nights Back – Andrew Perlot
“If you’re a dopamine slave it will take time to normalize lower-stimulus activities and find deep satisfaction in them like our ancestors did — like we did before 2012 or so. The lack of interruption from devices helps sink us into flow states, and over time we find pleasure amid the focused stillness.”
What I’m Listening To:
Score – 2Cellos (Spotify, Youtube)
Beautiful movie scores played on the cello, what could be better?