I’ve been fascinated by the assassination of an American health insurance executive. Not so much the true crime aspect as what the reaction indicates about American culture, and where we might be headed. Here I’d like to work out some ideas.

A caveat: I’m writing this as the story evolves. As of now Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthCare, is dead, having been shot to death by an as yet unidentified killer. By the time you read this things will probably have changed.

Another caveat: my academic colleagues will be quick to point out that I’m not an American culture expert, nor a folklorist. I’ve studied elements of both on my way to a different PhD, so get ready with those grains of salt.

To begin with, there are definitely links to classic American folklore here, like the case of DB Cooper, who famously committed a crime and got away with it. I wrote “famously” because he’s a beloved folk hero. We also adore some criminals who don’t get away with it, because we find them exciting and lovely, like Bonnie and Clyde.

At a different level American culture is well stocked with vigilantes fictional and real, individuals who seek to right perceived wrongs by breaking the law. Think of Batman or John Brown, lynch mobs irregular…