From Murder To Memes: The Strange Cultural Reaction To Luigi Mangione

Few murders in recent memory have sparked such intense public reaction as the shooting that killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan earlier this month. And the suspect, Luigi Mangione, is only adding to the intrigue as we learn more about him.

Villain vs. vigilante

Let’s be clear: Any decent human should agree that gunning down a business executive in broad daylight is not an appropriate way to handle even the most severe grievances. Unfortunately, there have been too many social media posts glorifying this deadly act.

On the other hand, the broader coverage has included some important context. Deficiencies within the insurance industry have been problematic for years, but Thompson’s apparent targeted assassination put those concerns in the spotlight and some activists hope it will lead to much-needed reforms.

And as the story continues to unfold, the internet continues to provide a seemingly endless stream of satire and social commentary in the form of memes.

A range of responses

After Mangione, 26, was arrested in Pennsylvania on charges of second-degree murder, his mugshot and online history began to spread far and wide. This, of course, fueled the creativity of countless social media creators and/or trolls who couldn’t wait to weigh in on the trending news.

The resulting flood of content generally fell into one (or more) of the following categories:

• Dark humor: As with many high-profile deaths, some people chose to search for the morbidly funny.
• Nintendo memes: A certain Italian plumber who shares Mangione’s’ first name received some extra attention this week.
• Flirty posts: Whether commenting on his looks or offering an alibi, there were some strangely frisky reactions.
• Memecoins: Unsurprisingly, the unregulated crypto market saw an opportunity to capitalize on the story.

But an underlying theme seems to be that America’s healthcare system needs help.

Chris Agee December 12th, 2024

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