the mellow tigger's musings

I think there are 3 main reasons why events are unfolding as they are in the USA today. There are some good resources for understanding these points too. If you pick only 1 thing to investigate, then I recommend watching the entire 1-hour video in point #1.

In short, Trump is here to oversee the decline of the USA economy, with our oligarchs running off with as much wealth as they can plunder by any means necessary. They clearly believe there will be zero consequences for their behavior, with them expecting that the collapse is imminent. Let the looting begin.

These points don't even get into climate change, artificial intelligence, universal basic income and GINI scores, anti-intellectualism, chemical pollutions, and other civilization-changing issues facing humanity and our planet. It's no wonder that everyone is anxious. There's more to be anxious about than usual. Past collapses of civilizations would be dire to those humans in them, yes, but they didn't affect the entire biosphere like our current crises do. It's okay to pause for mental health... which they are also targeting.

I knew as soon as I saw the first report about the killing of the United Healthcare CEO that we were going to be hearing a LOT about it on national news, because it does not serve the status quo to let people think that there are immediate (if violent) solutions to problems plaguing American life. Granted, there is good reason in Minnesota to hear a lot about this crime committed in New York state, because United Health Group is incorporated here in the state of Minnesota, in the Twin Cities suburb of Minnetonka, in my own Hennepin county.

Beyond that initial impression, I shared the common (and unethical) emotional reaction that hoped for the escape of the killer. It was especially easy to think of the killer as a kind of Batman hero figure because we learned several interesting things almost immediately after the killing. Within a day, we learned that 1) Novo Nordisk was cutting insulin prices by over 70%, 2) Anthem reversed its plan to limit coverage of anesthesia in surgery, and 3) health insurers started hiding their faces online. It sure did seem as if a lowly peon had spooked the ravenous beasts of capitalism.

Reporters noted the lack of public sympathy while the internet flooded with memes, artwork (my favorite), and music. The collective response seemed mostly to be: "Sorry, empathy is out of network." That phrase harkened to a common denial excuse for needed healthcare in the USA. People not from the USA may have a hard time understanding the pain and despair that our healthcare system (which is clearly worse than in other developed countries) evokes amongst those of us subjected to it. It's worse than I already described, and United Healthcare was the worst (data source) of the bunch. It is alleged in court that they knowingly used a "faulty" AI algorithm with 90% error rate to automatically deny claims at their institution. Yes, 90% error rate.

I've seen the reports this afternoon that someone was caught as the apparent killer. After 5 days. In another state. With every single piece of evidence still on his person. That coincidence seems... interesting.

I decry capitalism here frequently. And plutocracy. And violence. I'm not exactly a pacifist, but I think a great deal more justification of violence is needed than is usually offered. It's unwise to urge vigilantism, because we absolutely cannot trust any holder of a weapon with the rational discretion to choose a reasonable target. Just look at police killings and, closer to home, the phone threat at a different health insurer here in Minnesota. Individuals cannot be trusted to wield violence reasonably. Neither can mobs. We must make changes collectively in our laws, which are the codification of our ethics. It's long past time that we moved that needle of progress. We should institute laws to reduce these situations that make violence seem like a justifiable solution to a pressing problem.

In fictional Star Trek history, the Bell riots began on Earth on 2024 September 01. It is such an important date in Star Trek history that even Space.com offered this timely story of the fictional event. For those who are less familiar with Star Trek, this 50-second clip from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Past Tense" (aired 1995) introduces the topic:

If you have 11 minutes to spare, then this YouTube piece does a better job explaining the context and significance of the Bell riots. The main takeaway, however, is this:

• A key doom-and-gloom low point of Star Trek history, where the unemployed and homeless are kept housed in separate Sanctuary Districts for poor people, is still a better utopian vision than our current USA reality.

The disconnect here reminds of me of that famous JFK quote from 1962, "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."