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How should we look to history to make sense of Luigi Mangione’s alleged murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson?
Luigi Mangione has been arrested for murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, prompting discussions on historical parallels between today’s societal issues and the Gilded Age, emphasizing significant differences and challenges within both eras.
Richard White, Stanford University
I’m a Gilded Age historian who has drawn parallels between our current moment and the late 19th century, two periods known for staggering economic inequality and sweeping technological change.
But much of the coverage of the murder of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, and Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing him, has given me pause.
As many journalists and pundits would have it, both Thompson and Mangione appear to have wandered into the New York borough of Manhattan from the late 19th century.
In their interpretation, the two Gilded Ages are no longer running on parallel tracks. They have collided, mixing their occupants and baggage into a chaotic mess.
When I and most other historians talk about parallels between the Gilded Age and today, the comparisons are structural. They reflect broad conditions affecting millions of people. It’s when pundits pull particular examples from the past to explain the actions of individuals today that trouble arises.
We haven’t been here before
New York Times columnist Bret Stephens casts Thompson as a character out of a Horatio Alger novel: a working-class hero who pulled himself up by the bootstraps. Also writing in The New York Times, sociologist Zeynip Tufekci comes close to making Luigi Mangione a reincarnation of Alexander Berkman, the anarchist who tried to assassinate industrialist Henry Clay Frick. Over in The New Yorker, Dhruv Khullar suggests that in its arbitrariness and callousness, the prototype for the U.S. medical system, which Mangione excoriated in his manifesto, originated somewhere in the Gilded Age.
Today’s historians and journalists obviously think the past has much to teach their fellow citizens. And their motives are sensible: They want to push back against the idea that the past is irrelevant, that everything important has occurred in the past 15 minutes – a view reflected in a favorite phrase of President-elect Donald Trump to describe whatever crisis du jour is afflicting the United States: “We’ve never seen anything like it.”
So comparisons between two periods can serve as a brake on hasty claims that everything has changed and that the current moment is unprecedented. But in my view, specific comparisons often make a categorical mistake. They substitute modern beliefs and judgments for those of people in the past.
In the immediate aftermath of the murder, Tufekci wrote that “The currents we are seeing are expressions of something more fundamental. We’ve been here before. And it wasn’t pretty.”
Wait, slow down: “We” have not been here before. The major, most obvious – and virtually always ignored – difference between the Gilded Age and our own time is that we did not live in it. None of us were alive in the late 19th century. The people who were alive back then didn’t think like us or act like us. Finding structural similarities does not turn writers into Nostradamus, able to discern the signs and predict the future.
It is all too easy to use the past as a tool for driving home lessons derived from modern beliefs or ideologies. Without knowing much about either Thompson or Mangione – let alone anarchists or Horatio Alger heroes – Mangione becomes the equivalent of a 19th-century avenger of the working class, while Thompson is a modern “Ragged Dick,” rising to his post through pluck and hard work.
Most popular and political appeals to history are not just superficial, they are also quite ahistorical. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the courts.
Jonathan Gienapp’s new and brilliant book, “Against Constitutional Originalism,” eviscerates what he describes as the sloppiness, ahistoricism and anachronisms of the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative members, who often justify their decisions by invoking what the nation’s founders intended. According to Gienapp, their core sin is simple: They are ventriloquists putting their modern ideas in the founders’ mouths and claiming they have recovered original meanings.
Emerging from the morass
This ahistorical thinking runs across the political spectrum. It comes from asking the wrong questions, and thinking that structural similarities produce roughly identical outcomes.
The two periods share more than soaring inequality and vast technological change. There were attacks on racism and resurgent racism; mass immigration and backlash against it; frequent swings in party control; economic booms and busts; a dearth of bold leadership; failures in governance; and outbursts of violence.
Both eras also experienced declines in lifespans, environmental deterioration that has affected health, and the efforts of the well-to-do to seal themselves off from the diseases of the less fortunate.
But often left out is the fact that the Gilded Age confronted these issues; it was also, paradoxically, a period of reform. Beginning at the end of the 19th century, lifespans increased, childhood mortality fell, epidemic diseases declined, and public health produced remarkable results.
Now, that trajectory has reversed. Death and disease are at the heart of the murder of Brian Thompson, who was on his way to meet with investors hoping to profit from a company whose calculated decisions sentenced some people to suffer for the gain of others.
Useful questions might be: How did the Gilded Age escape its crises? And why did solutions that seemed to gradually improve health and well-being for most people over generations cease to work? How did UnitedHealthcare, the people who profit from it and those eager to invest in it come to be?
There is a history there.
Richard White, Professor of American History, Stanford University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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The Knowledge
Metrolink Offers Fare-Free Rides for Earth Day 2026 Across Southern California
Metrolink offers fare-free rides for Earth Day 2026 across Southern California, encouraging sustainable travel and reduced emissions.
Last Updated on April 21, 2026 by Daily News Staff
Metrolink Offers Fare-Free Rides for Earth Day 2026
LOS ANGELES — April 22, 2026 — In a continued push toward sustainable transportation, Metrolink will once again offer systemwide free rides on Earth Day, inviting commuters and travelers to leave their cars behind and explore a cleaner way to move across the region.
A One-Day Opportunity to Ride Free
On Wednesday, April 22, passengers can board any Metrolink train — including the Arrow service — without purchasing a ticket. The initiative is part of the broader celebration of Earth Day, encouraging environmentally conscious travel choices.
The fare-free program is designed to appeal to both regular riders and first-time users, particularly those navigating Southern California’s persistent traffic congestion and rising fuel costs.
Encouraging Sustainable Travel Habits
“Earth Day is a reminder that small changes, like choosing public transit over driving one day a week, can have a meaningful impact on our environment,” said Doug Chaffee, chair of the Metrolink Board.
With gas prices continuing to strain household budgets, the agency hopes the initiative will inspire more residents to consider rail as part of their regular commute.
Regional Connections Expand Access
Metrolink’s Earth Day promotion aligns with similar efforts by other Southern California transit providers. Riders can seamlessly connect to services operated by: LA Metro and the Orange County Transportation Authority, Riverside County Transportation Commission, San Bernardino County Transportation Authority and Ventura County Transportation Commission.
These partnerships extend the reach of fare-free travel across a six-county region, making it easier for riders to explore destinations without relying on personal vehicles.
Service Adjustments and Rider Tips
Passengers should note that trains will operate on a reduced weekday schedule, implemented earlier this spring. Despite the adjustment, all Metrolink lines and station cities remain in service.
For those planning a trip:
- No ticket is required — simply board the train
- Bikes are welcome, with capacity ranging from three bikes per standard car to nine in designated bike cars
- A curated destination guide highlights attractions within walking or biking distance of stations
Environmental and Economic Impact
Metrolink is also promoting its Personal Impact Calculator, a digital tool that allows riders to estimate how switching from driving to rail can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower fuel expenses.
A Broader Trend in Public Transit
Fare-free transit days have gained traction nationwide as agencies look to boost ridership and promote sustainability. Southern California’s expansive commuter rail network makes it particularly well-suited for such initiatives, offering a viable alternative to one of the country’s most car-dependent regions.
Bottom Line
Metrolink’s Earth Day promotion is more than a one-day free ride — it’s a strategic effort to shift commuter behavior, reduce environmental impact, and showcase the convenience of regional rail. For Southern Californians, April 22 presents a low-risk opportunity to rethink how they travel.
Source: Metrolink
https://metrolinktrains.com/news/metrolink-goes-fare-free-for-earth-day-on-april-22
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Money Management: The Importance of Financial Literacy
You may have mastered the core subjects like math and grammar in school, but financial literacy – or understanding the basics of money management in order to help you make better financial decisions – often goes overlooked before adulthood. It’s not so much a course of study as it is a plan of action. When you understand how to earn, save, spend and invest wisely, you aren’t just building a stable future for yourself, but your family and community as well.
(Feature Impact) You may have mastered the core subjects like math and grammar in school, but financial literacy – or understanding the basics of money management in order to help you make better financial decisions – often goes overlooked before adulthood. It’s not so much a course of study as it is a plan of action.
Financial literacy in the United States has remained stagnant at generally low levels for several years, according to research from TIAA Institute and the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center, with even lower levels among Gen Z. Yet greater financial literacy – including key aspects such as goal-setting, budgeting, saving, credit management and investing – is strongly linked to better financial outcomes, including lower rates of debt constraint and financial fragility.
While emboldening yourself to understand financial terms can be a little overwhelming at first, once you have a grasp of basic concepts you can begin to get a handle on your money and make better financial decisions. Simply put: When you understand how to earn, save, spend and invest wisely, you aren’t just building a stable future for yourself, but your family and community as well.
From nonprofit partnerships to volunteer-led programs and fee online resources, Schwab and its employees help millions of people every year build the knowledge and confidence to take charge of their financial futures by serving as board members, mentors, role models and educators.
Because financial health is a lifelong journey, the earlier people learn vital money skills, the better. That’s why the financial advisory services provider develops education programs geared toward kids that continue into adulthood, helping people no matter where they are on their journeys.
Talk Money
It’s never too early to start a conversation about financial literacy. Having teens identify goals that are important to them – such as concert tickets or a first car – can kickstart coversations about money. Working with your child (and a financial advisor, if necessary) on a plan for saving to realize those goals can serve as a jumping off point. After achieving some success, their enthusiasm may grow, which is a powerful motivator to keep saving.
Support School Initiatives and Programs
Outreach programs that empower young people to make smart financial decisions is key to a bright future. Programs like Money Matters – Schwab’s flagship financial education program utilized by the Boys & Girls Clubs of America – gives young people hands-on experience with all aspects of money and investing.
This example, and others, don’t just include program funding – they build partnerships that create impact and opportunity with national collaborations that reach more than 17 million youth annually, empowering young people with the tools and confidence to make smart financial decisions for life.
Spread the Financial Love
Championing financial literacy empowers everyone – individuals, families and communities. By serving as a board member, mentor, role model or educator to help bring financial literacy to others in your community, you can supply the tools and knowledge to lead programs that focus on giving back, empowering future generations in countless ways.
To learn more about financial literacy and find resources to empower your local community, visit SchwabMoneywise.com.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
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SUVs and EVs Take Center Stage at the 2026 New York International Auto Show
(Feature Impact) The 2026 New York International Auto Show is shining a spotlight on the latest in automotive innovation, from advanced technology to the growing shift toward electric vehicles. One automaker, Kia, is using the show to highlight two versatile SUVs designed to offer more space, capability and flexibility for modern drivers.
Watch this video to learn more
The all-new 2027 Kia Seltos has grown in size, offering a roomier interior with additional legroom, headroom and cargo space. It also adds a hybrid powertrain, making it the only vehicle in its class with three powertrain options. The SUV comes packed with advanced safety features, a more capable all-wheel-drive system and premium interior touches, including dual 12.3-inch display screens and an available panoramic sunroof.
The automaker is also showcasing the all-electric EV3, a compact SUV designed to make electric vehicle ownership more practical. With an estimated range of up to 320 miles, fast-charging capability and optional all-wheel drive, it balances performance, technology and everyday usability. Its intuitive features and flexible design make transitioning to electric simpler for a wider range of drivers.
Both models represent Kia’s commitment to providing options that blend capability, innovation and style. To learn more, visit Kia.com.
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