Back in August, the administration released a government-wide effort to "crack down on all the ways that corporations add unnecessary headaches and hassles to people's days and degrade their quality of life." The fact sheet gave examples like customer service doom loops, terrible chatbots, or paper-driven processes that could easily be handled electronically. All are undeniable examples of corporations unwilling to invest to make experiences better for their customers: either they don't want to pay for technology or use technology to replace humans, such as using annoying phone menus and bots. I'd planned to write a whole article on this topic.
Then, the CEO of United Healthcare, Brian Thompson, was shot and killed in New York City on his way to an annual investor's meeting. While the killer's motive is still unknown, the CEO's death has sparked a "torrent of hate for health insurance companies," as described by a New York Times headline.
The initiative to address "everyday headaches and hassles" is a small symptom of a much, much larger problem. People are exhausted, angry, and feel like they're constantly being asked to do more with less. While they feel squeezed in nearly every aspect of their lives, the top 1% of people in the U.S. hold 30% of the nation's wealth, according to data from the Federal Reserve, reported by CNBC.
The "morbid glee" at the death of United Healthcare's CEO, the Times reports, is expressed by people who have been harmed by the insurance industry. Whether it's insurance, inflation, layoffs, or some other life-altering damage, people are fed up with playing by the rules only to get kicked in the teeth. Of being helplessly trapped where no one is looking out for them — not politicians, courts, or their employers. Fairness and justice feel very far away.
The squeeze and the backlash
The Vergecast, a podcast from tech publication The Verge, reflected on the biggest stories of the year. Video games reporter Ash Parrish noted that the industry will start to feel the impacts of layoffs. "These layoffs of the last two years are really starting to hurt and pinch these big corporations because now they have nothing to show for it," Parrish said. "They laid off everybody, they closed these studios, and now they have no product anymore because there's nobody around to make it." Some of the companies that insisted layoffs were necessary won't be able to turn things around, further fueling anger from those impacted.
So first, we have companies that promised things would get better if they reduced their headcount. That may have momentarily appeased their investors, but eventually, they need to show results. The phrase "the chickens are coming home to roost" comes to mind.
Next, there's the looming threat of increased prices in the U.S. In November, the country elected an autocrat who promises to impose tariffs on foreign foods — a practice that economists say will most certainly raise prices on consumer goods. Companies will not eat the cost of the tariffs; they'll pass it along to their customers. The Brookings Institute wrote that "the 25% tariff applied each time a product moves along supply chains will add up quickly and raise prices, rendering many of these supply chains economically unviable...It is clear that if implemented, these tariffs will harm U.S. industry."
"Layoffs will save the company." "Tariffs will help the economy."
People are tired of deception and false promises.
Meanwhile, morale everywhere is at an all-time low. So low, in fact, that struggling tech giant Intel had to bring back free coffee for workers in an effort to boost morale. The company eliminated many of its office perks as a cost-saving measure after laying off 15,000 workers earlier this year.
Somehow, I don't think free coffee is the root cause of low morale. It's survivor's guilt after the company cut about 10% of its workforce. Or it's staring into impending doom as the company falls further behind its competitor, Nvidia (and Intel's CEO stepped down a few days ago). It's job insecurity, rising costs, unattainable goals, and all-around lack of trust.
We are on the precipice
Back when I started writing this publication, the vibe was very different. We were in the middle of The Great Resignation. People were elated, and some power was transferred back to working people. I thought we were at the beginning of a movement.
The murder of United Healthcare's CEO this week feels like the precipice of another kind. In the aftermath, news outlets reported the Department of Justice was investigating executives at the company (including the CEO) for insider trading. A 2023 article circulated that UnitedHealth is being sued because it used faulty AI to deny coverage, and two elderly patients died as a result. The company denies the most claims of any insurance company, a whopping 32% in 2023 — twice the industry average.
While United Healthcare's CEO may not have been personally villainous, he certainly represented a villain in the story of pain, suffering, and greed.
Rival insurance provider Blue Cross Blue Shield had previously announced that it would cap the reimbursement rates for anesthesia during procedures, regardless of how long the procedure lasted. After the murder of the United Healthcare CEO, BCBS reversed its decision.
Violence is not the answer. But people have been pushed to a breaking point and feel like nothing ever changes. Based on the eruption of outrage against the insurance industry this week, it's not hard to imagine how someone — out of millions who have been harmed — finally snapped. The next chapter in this story should not be "assassination works." But it should definitely be a wake-up call that people are on the edge and cannot be pushed any further.
Meanwhile, Pantone released its color of the year: chocolate mousse. I feel less and less optimistic about the new year if this is the representative color. Feels like we're headed for a shitshow.
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So true.