Very interesting read! In my opinion, One really important aspect of Luigi’s life that led to his so called “breaking point” is his lack of success with women. It seems he severely lacked confidence with women. He reportedly didn’t have any relationships during his time in Hawaii, even though he was living in that co op space, surrounded by friends and beautiful young women.
Pure speculation on my part, but I feel like he used his back injury as a bit of an excuse for his lack of “skills” with woman. Even oddly offering up to his friend that he couldn’t have sex because of his back. Especially given the fact that he is clearly an attractive guy, I suspect he was deeply frustrated by his lack of success and sex with woman, and may have felt entitled to their attention and affection, yet clearly was unable to attain that attention.
I think the health care system, his back, lack of women, led him to brian thompson, as a scapegoat. I’m not saying he didn’t have strong beliefs about the “injustices” and unfairness of the healthcare system in the US, but I think an under appreciated element of his motivation to kill is that he knew it would give him unlimited amount of attention, especially from women. It’s well known that many serial killers gain a cult like attraction from many women and he knew he would get it. It’s hard to tell if he actually wanted to get caught or not.
Anyways, my two cents is I think he “used” his back injury to hide his rage at not being noticed by friends, family, and especially women, and went nuclear to gain that attention at all cost.
I just completely disagree, I don’t think he had problems with women at all. And the timeline of events for the “radicalized by back pain” narrative makes no sense. You can check out my article on the back injury, but he was actually extremely happy with the surgery to fix it, which removed all pain and gave him a new lease on life. The time period when he was in the worst pain due to an injury exacerbating the existing issue was the period from the injury taking place to the surgery. Yet they are claiming he was radicalized in a 6 month period after the successful surgery, which he was extremely satisfied with and encouraging others on reddit to not hesitate to get the surgery. He regretted not doing it sooner and being in pain for longer than necessary bc of being afraid of the surgery. I don’t believe he was frustrated with lack of success with women or that he was radicalized by pain.
“Almost certainly under pressure immense psychic pressure”
“and not anywhere were it might cost the economy”
Great article. To expand a little bit on one of your points, I think this type of thing is exactly why the humanities and liberal arts are goods, and it is unfortunate that higher education no longer has this type of cultural grooming.
Luigi spent a lot of time reading nonfiction books from various intellectuals, as you point out. And there is nothing wrong with that, these books can be great; I read that type of stuff myself. But I imagine that if some of that time instead had been spent on reading a wide variety of novels, classics, religious texts, etc. then this story would have turned out a lot differently.
Luigi clearly had the brainpower to appreciate material like that, but it has fallen out of fashion. There is something, I believe, about the (classical) liberal arts which broadens your mind in such a way that any extremist ideology no longer feels tenable.
At this point I am not ready to even pretend that this is the guy who did it. After so many years of coverups, covert ops, and lies from media and government (both of whom apparently have an awful lot to lose from people knowing the truth about almost anything!), I am going to move forward mentally on this story and assume that this is absolutely not the guy.
You wrote a pretty interesting and in-depth article about LM and gave some good theories yet all everyone can comment on is his lack of sex. It goes to show how this world is, all people care about is sex. I am 35 years old and have never had sex, barely think about it, and could go the rest of my life without it. I don't confess this to alot of people because they would think I'm an Alien for sure but I'm pretty sure I'm not. Like Luigi I'm pretty content with defining my own happiness and not conforming to society's expectations. Even if I was desperate for sex the thought of opening my body to someone who had like 100 partners is just disgusting.
LM was and still is handome (and I'm sure would never be ugly) and according to his inner circle had a pretty great personality. Most of my sexy, beautiful girlfriends are single and struggle to find a suitable partner. People think that when you are beautiful it's easier. Trust me it's not, either people think you're taken or they feel insecure, I can go on and on but why bother?
When you have been attractive all your life and enjoyed the privilege that comes with it losing that prowess can certainly be a factor in his mental health decline ! Luigi is a sociopath he doenst care about the greater good an angry incel that scapegoated Brian Thompson and blamed everything on him !
Lone-wolf shooters end up alone for a very good reason. And they often try to rationalize their crimes by wrapping them up in some cause that could possibly mitigate the crime, because they KNOW what they are doing is a crime and they don't want to have to be held responsible for it. This was crass opportunism. An elite with a ghost gun. I bet I can get away with it. Maybe if I scribble some bullshit in a notebook I will look a little less evil than I am? He almost lovingly carved his bullets and it could've been with any three words--the bullets were the things that would kill and I bet he slept with his hand wrapped lovingly around his gun. He had the means and the opportunity but his motive is really lacking.
Very thoughtful, and I share many of your impressions and analysis (while maintaining his presumed innocence), and as an Arab immigrant woman leftist, actually am concerned by how a certain faction of young, white men (especially ones as you describe, honest, curious, motivated at least in part by a wish to contribute to humanity) never seem to find themselves even remotely curious or toe dipping into more coherent leftist worldviews.
One important note though re: Lyme. I am a Ph.D clinical psychologist and psychotherapist and also steeped for years in the world of misunderstood complex neuro-immune and autoimmune and post infectious illnesses. Chronic lyme, and other illnesses like it, e.g. ME/CFS, long covid, POTS, etc are deliberately *maligned* and *dismissed* as psychogenic, when they are not- at all. There is a whole history of misogyny, insurance & benefits system willful fraud, CDC collusion, etc behind why that is, truly truly scandalous stuff, way beyond the scope of the comment, but I think important to correct here.
While not over signifying the biological, because the other sociological & intrapsyshic factors weigh as equally, those complex illnesses cause widespread neuro-inflammation and neuropsychiatric symptoms and brain fog is an under statement of an often devastating devastating symptom, generally, but let alone to someone so identified with their intelligence & cognitive acuity. So it seems possible that all sorts of biological risk factors and conditions for which the medical system was at best inept or at worst willfully harmful were going on (again ALL speculative, and I'm not endorsing at all that he was in fact the assassin).
There’s a pissed-off little anarchist hiding inside all of us that we have to deal with one way or another. By allowing his to rise up and act, Luigi Mangione blew his wad and became a cautionary tale, cannon fodder in a 2,000-year war that was already lost 500 years ago. There is much in this world that sucks and is unjust in the extreme. My personal inner anarchist takes periodic literary potshots, releasing the pressure somewhat and keeping me from thinking about taking up arms against all the mobsters and immoral assholes whose misdeeds I’m investigating.
Couldn´t he be eclectic in his beliefs?. Why apparent inconsistency is associated with instability?.
You know about the Beatles finding no satisfaction in their spiritual searches?. Am I wrong on that?.
Well, there is long Covid for brain fog, it can last on average 5yrs, according to some recent article I think from one contributor here at Substack. With a clinical antecedent of Lyme´s it could have been neglected: search satisfaction bias.
Yeah, it might be engineers are somewhat predisposed, but I bet in the sea of engineers and other professionals it will not be statistically significant. Mere post-factos… or is it post-factoi?.
You can´t talk directly to great thinkers, not on X, not on Substack, not over email, not on TV and certainly not on the radio. One talks with what´s available if one wishes.
Psychic pressure sounds to me like many psychics fell onto the guy in Mr Smith matrix style.
On the chronic pain as not qualify as an emergency, there are several posts, some even in The New York times how in the US, the emergency room is actually an alternative to a primary care physician overbooked.
Well, a young prosperous white male I think will find difficult to fit in with people who speak of Wasps, white privilege, patriarchy and rich privilege. If he didn´t embrace neurodiversity or gender ideology: welcome to the center right!. Talk about the left not being inclusive with inclusivity ideology.
If there is a doubt about my allegiances my short story “Amigo” and “Una Hermosa Amistad” are about true diversity for me: special friendships, without added labels.
About the crippling pain of Mr. Luigi Mangione, I have a post that speculates, heavily, because of lack of access to clinical records by me:
I realised some people may not get the money fire reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnX-D4kkPOQ&ab_channel=TheOnion
Man that last paragraph, point 21. That's the humanist response we need.
(Small point, I think you meant to write "sick and dying", not "sick and denying".)
I think you’re the only one who is showing empathy to him in Substack universe.
Why are you saying he's the killer, he didn't even have a trial yet. Ridiculous.
Very interesting read! In my opinion, One really important aspect of Luigi’s life that led to his so called “breaking point” is his lack of success with women. It seems he severely lacked confidence with women. He reportedly didn’t have any relationships during his time in Hawaii, even though he was living in that co op space, surrounded by friends and beautiful young women.
Pure speculation on my part, but I feel like he used his back injury as a bit of an excuse for his lack of “skills” with woman. Even oddly offering up to his friend that he couldn’t have sex because of his back. Especially given the fact that he is clearly an attractive guy, I suspect he was deeply frustrated by his lack of success and sex with woman, and may have felt entitled to their attention and affection, yet clearly was unable to attain that attention.
I think the health care system, his back, lack of women, led him to brian thompson, as a scapegoat. I’m not saying he didn’t have strong beliefs about the “injustices” and unfairness of the healthcare system in the US, but I think an under appreciated element of his motivation to kill is that he knew it would give him unlimited amount of attention, especially from women. It’s well known that many serial killers gain a cult like attraction from many women and he knew he would get it. It’s hard to tell if he actually wanted to get caught or not.
Anyways, my two cents is I think he “used” his back injury to hide his rage at not being noticed by friends, family, and especially women, and went nuclear to gain that attention at all cost.
He had several girlfriends over the years and allegedly sex tapes with over 20. And not the shooter. So there's that.
I just completely disagree, I don’t think he had problems with women at all. And the timeline of events for the “radicalized by back pain” narrative makes no sense. You can check out my article on the back injury, but he was actually extremely happy with the surgery to fix it, which removed all pain and gave him a new lease on life. The time period when he was in the worst pain due to an injury exacerbating the existing issue was the period from the injury taking place to the surgery. Yet they are claiming he was radicalized in a 6 month period after the successful surgery, which he was extremely satisfied with and encouraging others on reddit to not hesitate to get the surgery. He regretted not doing it sooner and being in pain for longer than necessary bc of being afraid of the surgery. I don’t believe he was frustrated with lack of success with women or that he was radicalized by pain.
oh he def wanted the infamy but sadly didn’t think it through properly and it will cost him !!
Typos:
“Almost certainly under pressure immense psychic pressure”
“and not anywhere were it might cost the economy”
Great article. To expand a little bit on one of your points, I think this type of thing is exactly why the humanities and liberal arts are goods, and it is unfortunate that higher education no longer has this type of cultural grooming.
Luigi spent a lot of time reading nonfiction books from various intellectuals, as you point out. And there is nothing wrong with that, these books can be great; I read that type of stuff myself. But I imagine that if some of that time instead had been spent on reading a wide variety of novels, classics, religious texts, etc. then this story would have turned out a lot differently.
Luigi clearly had the brainpower to appreciate material like that, but it has fallen out of fashion. There is something, I believe, about the (classical) liberal arts which broadens your mind in such a way that any extremist ideology no longer feels tenable.
I appreciate this post; I thought it gleaned at his values well, and was merciful.
At this point I am not ready to even pretend that this is the guy who did it. After so many years of coverups, covert ops, and lies from media and government (both of whom apparently have an awful lot to lose from people knowing the truth about almost anything!), I am going to move forward mentally on this story and assume that this is absolutely not the guy.
You wrote a pretty interesting and in-depth article about LM and gave some good theories yet all everyone can comment on is his lack of sex. It goes to show how this world is, all people care about is sex. I am 35 years old and have never had sex, barely think about it, and could go the rest of my life without it. I don't confess this to alot of people because they would think I'm an Alien for sure but I'm pretty sure I'm not. Like Luigi I'm pretty content with defining my own happiness and not conforming to society's expectations. Even if I was desperate for sex the thought of opening my body to someone who had like 100 partners is just disgusting.
LM was and still is handome (and I'm sure would never be ugly) and according to his inner circle had a pretty great personality. Most of my sexy, beautiful girlfriends are single and struggle to find a suitable partner. People think that when you are beautiful it's easier. Trust me it's not, either people think you're taken or they feel insecure, I can go on and on but why bother?
When you have been attractive all your life and enjoyed the privilege that comes with it losing that prowess can certainly be a factor in his mental health decline ! Luigi is a sociopath he doenst care about the greater good an angry incel that scapegoated Brian Thompson and blamed everything on him !
Absolutely!
Lone-wolf shooters end up alone for a very good reason. And they often try to rationalize their crimes by wrapping them up in some cause that could possibly mitigate the crime, because they KNOW what they are doing is a crime and they don't want to have to be held responsible for it. This was crass opportunism. An elite with a ghost gun. I bet I can get away with it. Maybe if I scribble some bullshit in a notebook I will look a little less evil than I am? He almost lovingly carved his bullets and it could've been with any three words--the bullets were the things that would kill and I bet he slept with his hand wrapped lovingly around his gun. He had the means and the opportunity but his motive is really lacking.
BRAVO.
He's not the shooter
Great point, Mom!
Very thoughtful, and I share many of your impressions and analysis (while maintaining his presumed innocence), and as an Arab immigrant woman leftist, actually am concerned by how a certain faction of young, white men (especially ones as you describe, honest, curious, motivated at least in part by a wish to contribute to humanity) never seem to find themselves even remotely curious or toe dipping into more coherent leftist worldviews.
One important note though re: Lyme. I am a Ph.D clinical psychologist and psychotherapist and also steeped for years in the world of misunderstood complex neuro-immune and autoimmune and post infectious illnesses. Chronic lyme, and other illnesses like it, e.g. ME/CFS, long covid, POTS, etc are deliberately *maligned* and *dismissed* as psychogenic, when they are not- at all. There is a whole history of misogyny, insurance & benefits system willful fraud, CDC collusion, etc behind why that is, truly truly scandalous stuff, way beyond the scope of the comment, but I think important to correct here.
While not over signifying the biological, because the other sociological & intrapsyshic factors weigh as equally, those complex illnesses cause widespread neuro-inflammation and neuropsychiatric symptoms and brain fog is an under statement of an often devastating devastating symptom, generally, but let alone to someone so identified with their intelligence & cognitive acuity. So it seems possible that all sorts of biological risk factors and conditions for which the medical system was at best inept or at worst willfully harmful were going on (again ALL speculative, and I'm not endorsing at all that he was in fact the assassin).
There’s a pissed-off little anarchist hiding inside all of us that we have to deal with one way or another. By allowing his to rise up and act, Luigi Mangione blew his wad and became a cautionary tale, cannon fodder in a 2,000-year war that was already lost 500 years ago. There is much in this world that sucks and is unjust in the extreme. My personal inner anarchist takes periodic literary potshots, releasing the pressure somewhat and keeping me from thinking about taking up arms against all the mobsters and immoral assholes whose misdeeds I’m investigating.
https://biffogram.substack.com/p/anarchy-101
Maybe we all should try reading Michael Moore on this one.
https://www.michaelmoore.com/p/a-manifesto-against-for-profit-health?selection=0dc48d1a-733b-4266-8611-388fdeb54933
Hey!, I have a post about the Trolley Problem!
https://federicosotodelalba.substack.com/p/my-delulu-solulu-to-the-moral-trolley?r=4up0lp
Couldn´t he be eclectic in his beliefs?. Why apparent inconsistency is associated with instability?.
You know about the Beatles finding no satisfaction in their spiritual searches?. Am I wrong on that?.
Well, there is long Covid for brain fog, it can last on average 5yrs, according to some recent article I think from one contributor here at Substack. With a clinical antecedent of Lyme´s it could have been neglected: search satisfaction bias.
Yeah, it might be engineers are somewhat predisposed, but I bet in the sea of engineers and other professionals it will not be statistically significant. Mere post-factos… or is it post-factoi?.
There are no social sciences:
https://federicosotodelalba.substack.com/p/beauty?r=4up0lp
You can´t talk directly to great thinkers, not on X, not on Substack, not over email, not on TV and certainly not on the radio. One talks with what´s available if one wishes.
Psychic pressure sounds to me like many psychics fell onto the guy in Mr Smith matrix style.
On the chronic pain as not qualify as an emergency, there are several posts, some even in The New York times how in the US, the emergency room is actually an alternative to a primary care physician overbooked.
Well, a young prosperous white male I think will find difficult to fit in with people who speak of Wasps, white privilege, patriarchy and rich privilege. If he didn´t embrace neurodiversity or gender ideology: welcome to the center right!. Talk about the left not being inclusive with inclusivity ideology.
If there is a doubt about my allegiances my short story “Amigo” and “Una Hermosa Amistad” are about true diversity for me: special friendships, without added labels.
About the crippling pain of Mr. Luigi Mangione, I have a post that speculates, heavily, because of lack of access to clinical records by me:
https://federicosotodelalba.substack.com/p/en-respuesta-al-articulo-luigi-magalone?r=4up0lp
Is the idea that immortality and extinction are distinct - opposite! - futures common?