so many pearls clutched over a single death, while little is said about the tens of thousands of deaths as a result of 'murder by policy.' had the ceo been a pauper, the police wouldn't have scoured a block, let alone the country, in search of the killer...
Hannah Arendt, the philosopher and political theorist who coined the phrase "the banality of evil" in her book *Eichmann in Jerusalem*, explored how ordinary individuals can commit heinous acts not driven by a monstrous nature but rather by thoughtlessness and adherence to bureaucratic norms. Although she did not specifically write about corporate leaders like CEOs in her work, her ideas can still provide a framework for understanding the complexities of morality in leadership roles.
Key Concepts from Arendt's Philosophy:
1. **The Banality of Evil**:
- Arendt suggested that individuals like Adolf Eichmann were not inherently evil but were instead characterized by a failure to think critically about their actions and their consequences. This thoughtlessness, coupled with a focus on obedience to authority and bureaucratic duty, allows ordinary individuals to participate in systemic evil without recognizing the humanity of those affected by their decisions.
2. **Moral Responsibility in Leadership**:
- The leaders of organizations, whether in business or government, wield significant power. However, they can become so entrenched in the operational requirements and profit motives of their positions that they overlook or rationalize the harmful effects of their actions. This disconnect can facilitate unjust practices and policies that hurt vulnerable populations, including denial of necessary medical care in the case of an insurance CEO.
3. **Compartmentalization and Ethical Blindness**:
- Individuals in positions of leadership may compartmentalize their roles, separating their personal ethics from their professional actions. A "nice" CEO might engage in genuinely friendly behavior in personal interactions while simultaneously overseeing policies that result in suffering. This ethical blindness can lead to a significant gap between the intentions of the individual and the outcomes of their corporate policies.
4. **Institutional Culture and Morality**:
- Arendt emphasized that the culture within organizations can create environments where unethical behavior becomes normalized. When a company prioritizes profit and efficiency over compassion and care, it can foster systemic issues where leaders and employees alike may ignore the moral implications of their actions.
5. **Impact of Technology**:
- The use of technology, like AI, to make decisions about healthcare needs and claims is an example of how complex systems can depersonalize decision-making. Arendt might argue that reliance on tools of questionable accuracy without ethical oversight further distances individuals from the moral consequences of their choices.
Conclusion:
In the context of the scenario involving Brian Thompson, Arendt’s insights prompt critical reflection on the nature of leadership and the responsibilities that accompany power. Being a "nice guy" does not absolve individuals of accountability when their actions, or the systems they manage, contribute to widespread harm. The phenomenon of the "banality of evil" serves as a cautionary reminder that ethical vigilance and thoughtful engagement with the consequences of one's decisions are essential, especially in roles that affect the lives of many. Arendt’s ideas encourage us to look deeper at the structural and cultural forces at play in organizations that lead to behaviors resulting in suffering, regardless of the personal character of those in charge.
Judgment at Nuremberg is free on YouTube. Everyone should watch it or watch it again and think about how evil the U.S. healthcare system is and how everyone who participates in it for profit is committing crimes against humanity.
Are you talking about those evil “middlemen” who sit on death panels that questions the doctor/patient relationship and deny healthcare to innocent people and look away when they die, putting profits in the pockets of CEOs and investors? Families are ruined but they are left in poverty or bankrupt because they don’t have a golden parachute, even one with a hole in it…
You say, "And the truth is, UnitedHealth’s actions are not the result of one man’s work."
But insurance executives have always had choices. In a different time, when predatory behavior was frowned on, they would have made choices that didn't rip at the fabric of our society. They chose to be part of the race to the bottom, to increase profits by harming instead of serving their customers, to become literally monsters with no feeling for their fellow man.
I believe Mr. Thompson was quite literally a mass murderer. The fact that he did it at arm's length and didn't have to come face to face with his victims or their suffering does not change that. And "everybody's doing it" is a poor excuse, especially for one who apparently led the pack.
Your nuance is appreciated! Thank you for addressing the violence and the gross failings of the healthcare profit obsession. We need public policy solutions that address perverse incentives in healthcare—and fast!
The other set of issues surrounds the fact that for many of us the justice system in the United States is so incredibly broken that nobody can rely on it anymore. Specifically it does not work at all against rich people as evidenced by the fact that most of the Trump cases could not even get into court because good lawyers can tie up the legal system for years. If there's no justice system to rely on, and rich people are almost never held accountable for their actions, it's a recipe for frustration and people taking action on their own. This is not to say it's ok, but it is to explain it.
While this killing has opened up another dialog about the role and responsibility of corporate healthcare in the death of thousands of our fellow citizens, this tragedy will do nothing to change our healthcare model. Our rates will simply go up so that the folks responsible can pay for added security for themselves.
Just a thought: Perhaps Luigi Mangione was driven "temporarily insane" by the severe and unrelenting lower back pain he was experiencing after unsuccessful surgery. Check out his spinal imaging, easily found on Google. If I had those honkin'-huge screws "installed" in my back at the tender age of 25 -- only to have the whole procedure fail to fix a damn thing -- I think I would be in a state of rage, as well. Chronic pain is a brain-warper. An argument could be made that he was not in his right mind.
Where Andrew Witty admits he’s practicing medicine without a license. These CEOs are so brazen because they know lawsuits denying care take years, if ever to wind through the legal system. And are just the cost of doing business.
Shooting a man on 6th Avenue may not cost you voters—certainly if you’re Donald Trump you can shoot anyone on 5th Ave & not lose by voters— sanitizing of the CEO of UHC started before this man’s head hit the sidewalk. IJS he had a DUI in 2017 & is/was currently living estranged from his wife. Why does this matter? If Brian had been Black these 2 facts would have lead on the lede. Then add in how his lil algorithm denied a lot of people who PAID FOR HEALTHCARE WERE DENIED SAID HEALTHCARE leading to record profits. The MSM says he was a great businessman! What price a life in this country? His life is obviously worth more than others. That’s crap. I don’t care about the killer or any other BS. The fact he, the CEO claims denier, his life is deemed worth more than approximately 100,000 Americans because he’s a CEO of United Healthcare. May we sow what we reap. We voted Trump & the GOP into office & they’re already talking about cutting Medicare, Medicaid & the ACA. Pre-existing condition coverage? Yeah kiss that goodbye? $35 insulin? That’s over with. I hope it happens fast & a lot of people die. Why? As ye sow so shall ye reap. His life is worth more than mine. Cool. Worth more than people in you know. I get it. “Oh we have to do something about Medicare.” No other 1st world nation has a problem covering people. Don’t fvck with me. We killed meemaw & peepaw in Covid season 1. You got next. Or maybe kids. Sports participation won’t be allowed on insurance anymore. Would you go back in time to save the lives of 100,000 people?
The emphasis on short-term profits over longterm goals brings out the predatory beast of these Elite business executives (a sad excuse for imaginary leadership skills.) I deplore the murder of this United Healthcare CEO, but I also feel very strongly that our broken health insurance system needs more regulations, not less, and removing the profit motive out of healthcare and accepting that Health Care is a social-service for the American People needs to be thoroughly restored, reinvigorated. Members of Congress who have been pushing the privatization of US Health Care need fair warning that voters will come after them if they do not act instead of pandering to these executives. Enough is enough.
so many pearls clutched over a single death, while little is said about the tens of thousands of deaths as a result of 'murder by policy.' had the ceo been a pauper, the police wouldn't have scoured a block, let alone the country, in search of the killer...
How about the violent death of innocent people who were denied healthcare in order to line the pockets of CEOs and investors?!
Hannah Arendt, the philosopher and political theorist who coined the phrase "the banality of evil" in her book *Eichmann in Jerusalem*, explored how ordinary individuals can commit heinous acts not driven by a monstrous nature but rather by thoughtlessness and adherence to bureaucratic norms. Although she did not specifically write about corporate leaders like CEOs in her work, her ideas can still provide a framework for understanding the complexities of morality in leadership roles.
Key Concepts from Arendt's Philosophy:
1. **The Banality of Evil**:
- Arendt suggested that individuals like Adolf Eichmann were not inherently evil but were instead characterized by a failure to think critically about their actions and their consequences. This thoughtlessness, coupled with a focus on obedience to authority and bureaucratic duty, allows ordinary individuals to participate in systemic evil without recognizing the humanity of those affected by their decisions.
2. **Moral Responsibility in Leadership**:
- The leaders of organizations, whether in business or government, wield significant power. However, they can become so entrenched in the operational requirements and profit motives of their positions that they overlook or rationalize the harmful effects of their actions. This disconnect can facilitate unjust practices and policies that hurt vulnerable populations, including denial of necessary medical care in the case of an insurance CEO.
3. **Compartmentalization and Ethical Blindness**:
- Individuals in positions of leadership may compartmentalize their roles, separating their personal ethics from their professional actions. A "nice" CEO might engage in genuinely friendly behavior in personal interactions while simultaneously overseeing policies that result in suffering. This ethical blindness can lead to a significant gap between the intentions of the individual and the outcomes of their corporate policies.
4. **Institutional Culture and Morality**:
- Arendt emphasized that the culture within organizations can create environments where unethical behavior becomes normalized. When a company prioritizes profit and efficiency over compassion and care, it can foster systemic issues where leaders and employees alike may ignore the moral implications of their actions.
5. **Impact of Technology**:
- The use of technology, like AI, to make decisions about healthcare needs and claims is an example of how complex systems can depersonalize decision-making. Arendt might argue that reliance on tools of questionable accuracy without ethical oversight further distances individuals from the moral consequences of their choices.
Conclusion:
In the context of the scenario involving Brian Thompson, Arendt’s insights prompt critical reflection on the nature of leadership and the responsibilities that accompany power. Being a "nice guy" does not absolve individuals of accountability when their actions, or the systems they manage, contribute to widespread harm. The phenomenon of the "banality of evil" serves as a cautionary reminder that ethical vigilance and thoughtful engagement with the consequences of one's decisions are essential, especially in roles that affect the lives of many. Arendt’s ideas encourage us to look deeper at the structural and cultural forces at play in organizations that lead to behaviors resulting in suffering, regardless of the personal character of those in charge.
Judgment at Nuremberg is free on YouTube. Everyone should watch it or watch it again and think about how evil the U.S. healthcare system is and how everyone who participates in it for profit is committing crimes against humanity.
Are you talking about those evil “middlemen” who sit on death panels that questions the doctor/patient relationship and deny healthcare to innocent people and look away when they die, putting profits in the pockets of CEOs and investors? Families are ruined but they are left in poverty or bankrupt because they don’t have a golden parachute, even one with a hole in it…
Is being directly responsible for the death of 68,000 people a year violence or not?
Obviously, health insurance is not health care.
You say, "And the truth is, UnitedHealth’s actions are not the result of one man’s work."
But insurance executives have always had choices. In a different time, when predatory behavior was frowned on, they would have made choices that didn't rip at the fabric of our society. They chose to be part of the race to the bottom, to increase profits by harming instead of serving their customers, to become literally monsters with no feeling for their fellow man.
I believe Mr. Thompson was quite literally a mass murderer. The fact that he did it at arm's length and didn't have to come face to face with his victims or their suffering does not change that. And "everybody's doing it" is a poor excuse, especially for one who apparently led the pack.
The fish begins to rot at the HEAD.
And by a significant amount over competitors which is already bad enough > 32%
Your nuance is appreciated! Thank you for addressing the violence and the gross failings of the healthcare profit obsession. We need public policy solutions that address perverse incentives in healthcare—and fast!
The other set of issues surrounds the fact that for many of us the justice system in the United States is so incredibly broken that nobody can rely on it anymore. Specifically it does not work at all against rich people as evidenced by the fact that most of the Trump cases could not even get into court because good lawyers can tie up the legal system for years. If there's no justice system to rely on, and rich people are almost never held accountable for their actions, it's a recipe for frustration and people taking action on their own. This is not to say it's ok, but it is to explain it.
It’s never been a “justice” system. It’s a judicial system that favors rich white men.
While this killing has opened up another dialog about the role and responsibility of corporate healthcare in the death of thousands of our fellow citizens, this tragedy will do nothing to change our healthcare model. Our rates will simply go up so that the folks responsible can pay for added security for themselves.
Just a thought: Perhaps Luigi Mangione was driven "temporarily insane" by the severe and unrelenting lower back pain he was experiencing after unsuccessful surgery. Check out his spinal imaging, easily found on Google. If I had those honkin'-huge screws "installed" in my back at the tender age of 25 -- only to have the whole procedure fail to fix a damn thing -- I think I would be in a state of rage, as well. Chronic pain is a brain-warper. An argument could be made that he was not in his right mind.
Thoughts and prayers. It's impossible to murder a system.
"we all have to remember our shared humanity."
It's what the CEO and his shareholders FORGOT in the hunt for MORE PROFIT !.
The crime against this kind of company GREED is aggravated Assault or Murder for which these criminals ought to be doing PRISON TIME.
Where Andrew Witty admits he’s practicing medicine without a license. These CEOs are so brazen because they know lawsuits denying care take years, if ever to wind through the legal system. And are just the cost of doing business.
https://bsky.app/profile/kenklippenstein.bsky.social/post/3lcoissyse22h
Shooting a man on 6th Avenue may not cost you voters—certainly if you’re Donald Trump you can shoot anyone on 5th Ave & not lose by voters— sanitizing of the CEO of UHC started before this man’s head hit the sidewalk. IJS he had a DUI in 2017 & is/was currently living estranged from his wife. Why does this matter? If Brian had been Black these 2 facts would have lead on the lede. Then add in how his lil algorithm denied a lot of people who PAID FOR HEALTHCARE WERE DENIED SAID HEALTHCARE leading to record profits. The MSM says he was a great businessman! What price a life in this country? His life is obviously worth more than others. That’s crap. I don’t care about the killer or any other BS. The fact he, the CEO claims denier, his life is deemed worth more than approximately 100,000 Americans because he’s a CEO of United Healthcare. May we sow what we reap. We voted Trump & the GOP into office & they’re already talking about cutting Medicare, Medicaid & the ACA. Pre-existing condition coverage? Yeah kiss that goodbye? $35 insulin? That’s over with. I hope it happens fast & a lot of people die. Why? As ye sow so shall ye reap. His life is worth more than mine. Cool. Worth more than people in you know. I get it. “Oh we have to do something about Medicare.” No other 1st world nation has a problem covering people. Don’t fvck with me. We killed meemaw & peepaw in Covid season 1. You got next. Or maybe kids. Sports participation won’t be allowed on insurance anymore. Would you go back in time to save the lives of 100,000 people?
The emphasis on short-term profits over longterm goals brings out the predatory beast of these Elite business executives (a sad excuse for imaginary leadership skills.) I deplore the murder of this United Healthcare CEO, but I also feel very strongly that our broken health insurance system needs more regulations, not less, and removing the profit motive out of healthcare and accepting that Health Care is a social-service for the American People needs to be thoroughly restored, reinvigorated. Members of Congress who have been pushing the privatization of US Health Care need fair warning that voters will come after them if they do not act instead of pandering to these executives. Enough is enough.
Excellently written, as always, Wendell.