The murder of the CEO of United Healthcare reflects the deep consequences of cultural dysregulation and domination hierarchies. From an Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) perspective, acts of violence are not isolated phenomena but rather symptoms of a society that fosters widespread suffering by prioritizing profit and power over human connection and well-being.
The alleged gunman’s actions can be seen as the culmination of prolonged stress, pain, and perceived helplessness in the face of systemic injustice. His mother’s experience of being denied care by a corporation that effectively controls access to life-saving and pain-relieving treatment likely created an environment of chronic relational trauma. Denial of care in such a context is not just a bureaucratic inconvenience—it is experienced as an assault on one’s humanity, signaling that their suffering is not seen or valued. This message, reinforced over time, can dysregulate both the individual directly affected and their loved ones, leading to feelings of anger, despair, and, in some cases, a desperate need to take action, however misguided.
The significant public support or delight in response to the act of violence further underscores the societal sickness at play. It reveals a deep reservoir of collective frustration and rage toward systems that are perceived as predatory and unaccountable. When domination hierarchies such as corporate healthcare systems prioritize profits over care, they erode trust and relational safety at every level of society. People at the bottom of these hierarchies feel trapped, unseen, and powerless, which can drive a collective hunger for justice or retribution, even when it takes a violent form.
IPNB teaches us that environments shape behavior. A culture that permits, protects, and profits from the suffering of others will inevitably create individuals who embody that harm, whether as abusers or as those who lash out in desperation. The young person’s actions, while tragic, are not solely the result of their individual circumstances. They are also a reflection of a society that has failed to meet basic relational and physiological needs, creating systems that harm, isolate, and dehumanize.
Healing such cultural wounds requires dismantling the structures that perpetuate domination and exploitation. It means prioritizing systems that support care, equity, and shared power while addressing the deep relational wounds created by hierarchical systems. It also demands accountability—not just for individual acts of harm but for the systemic abuses that lead to such tragedies in the first place. The public’s reaction, while troubling, serves as a wake-up call: the status quo is intolerable, and transformative change is urgently needed.
This post includes content generated by ChatGPT, a language model developed by OpenAI. The AI-generated content has been reviewed and edited for accuracy and relevance.
