Luigi Mangione and The Adjuster: A Masterclass in Storytelling

December 12, 2024
9:09 pm

Sometimes, history feels like it’s ripped straight from the pages of a dystopian novel. A single person, a single act, ignites something that transcends them, breaking through the noise to challenge the status quo. Luigi Mangione, or as the internet calls him, The Adjuster, is one such figure.
But this isn’t about clout-chasing or exploiting a trending story for attention. This is about witnessing history as it unfolds—a moment so charged with meaning that it demands to be examined, both as a cultural shift and as a masterclass in storytelling.
Because what we’re seeing is unprecedented. Not just the act itself but the ripple effect that has left the world reeling, asking questions they might not have dared to ask a few weeks ago. What makes Luigi Mangione so compelling isn’t just the shock value of what he did—it’s the societal mirror he’s holding up and the narrative lessons his story offers us.

The Catalyst

Let’s start with the facts. Luigi Mangione, a 26-year-old with a background in engineering, came from a world that seemed tailored for success. The son of privilege, educated at top institutions, with accolades and achievements that read like a blueprint for the American Dream. But instead of blending into the system that had raised him, Mangione became a disruptor.
His alleged act—a public and violent targeting of a CEO tied to a system infamous for its exploitation, United Health Care—was not random. It was pointed. Deliberate. A message.
What followed was a tidal wave of public response that no one saw coming. Not the media, not the authorities, and maybe not even Mangione himself. The bullet casings found at the scene—engraved with “Deny, Defend, Depose”—were chillingly poetic. They encapsulated the modus operandi of a healthcare system that routinely denies claims, defends its decisions in court, and deposes the vulnerable, leaving them to fend for themselves.
This wasn’t just about one man or one act. It became a symbol, a moment of reckoning that exposed cracks in a system so vast and entrenched that people had stopped questioning it. Thousands of people turned to social media to share their stories, and why empathy for the CEO wasn’t one of them. And yet, here he was, a single figure who managed to make the invisible visible.
The media’s reaction was predictably chaotic: they scrambled to control the narrative. First, they painted him as a violent outlier with mental health issues. Then, as public sentiment shifted, they leaned into confusion—contradicting stories about his weapon, his motive, even his identity. The idea was clear: confuse and control, divide and conquer.
But it didn’t work. Instead of turning on him, the public rallied.

This video by Debate Her inspired me to write this article and you should watch it too.

Sociological Implications

What’s fascinating—and a little terrifying—is how quickly this moment has awakened something primal in people. Class consciousness, a term that felt like an artifact from a bygone era, suddenly roared back into relevance. And this time, it wasn’t just confined to academic circles or niche internet forums. It was everywhere.
For perhaps the first time in decades, the conversation wasn’t about left versus right but about top versus bottom. Mangione managed to do what no politician or activist had achieved: he united people across divides that once seemed insurmountable. MAGA supporters and progressive leftists, blue-collar workers and tech elites, all finding common ground in their disdain for a system that prioritizes profit over people.
And yet, the media tried to spin it. They fixated on the superficial—the public’s obsession with Mangione’s looks, the memes, the spectacle—ignoring the deeper truth. They couldn’t acknowledge the elephant in the room: that this man’s actions had forced millions to confront the reality of systemic injustice.To ask hard questions about power, privilege, and what happens when people are pushed too far.

What we’re witnessing isn’t just a news story. It’s a cultural shift. A moment where people are waking up and realizing the game is rigged. And that maybe they can do something about it.

Storytelling Lessons from a Modern Folk Hero

From a storytelling perspective, this is gold. If you were crafting a character to spark a revolution in a novel, you couldn’t do better than Mangione. He’s complex, polarizing, and deeply human – a figure who defies easy categorization. Is he a hero or a villain? A martyr or a madman? The answer depends on who you ask, and that ambiguity is what makes his story so powerful.

His actions serve as a textbook example of a strong inciting incident. A single act that disrupts the status quo and sets a larger story in motion. In fiction, this is what hooks the audience, what makes them lean in and say, “What happens next?” In reality, it’s what sparks movements.

And then there’s the narrative itself. Themes of rebellion, justice, and the cost of change are baked into this story. But what’s even more striking is the way it blurs the line between fiction and reality. This isn’t just a story happening to people – it’s a story they’re participating in. By sharing memes, creating hashtags, and debating his actions, they’re becoming characters in this unfolding drama.

Even the media’s attempts to control the narrative are part of the story. The contradictions, the misdirection, the silence on certain aspects – it’s all straight out of a dystopian playbook. But instead of shutting down the conversation, it’s only fueling it. People are asking questions, sharing theories, and piecing together a story that’s bigger than Mangione himself.

Monopoly Clues: A Symbolic Gesture

Among the clues Mangione allegedly left behind was a Monopoly-themed backpack, filled with game pieces and fake money. The message was clear: the healthcare system, and perhaps society itself, is a rigged game.
This symbolic act is what turns Mangione from a figure of controversy into a folk hero in the making. In storytelling terms, it’s the flourish of a mastermind antagonist—or protagonist, depending on your perspective. It’s not just rebellion; it’s a call to action, with meaning, with something people can latch onto. Even if the public may romanticize some aspects, it doesn’t take away the meaning and the conversation it brought to the table.
Read more about this here.

Conclusion: The Power of Stories

At its core, this isn’t just about Luigi Mangione or the act that made him infamous. It’s about the power of stories to shape how we see the world – and how we see ourselves within it. Stories, whether they’re told in books, movies, or breaking news headlines, have the ability to ignite something in us. They make us question, they make us dream, and sometimes, they make us act.

As writers, we can learn so much from moments like this. The importance of a strong inciting incident. The complexity of characters who defy easy labels. The way themes can resonate on a personal and societal level. But perhaps the most important lesson is this: stories matter. They have the power to change minds, to inspire action, and to leave a mark on the world.

And as we watch this story unfold, we’re reminded that the lines between fiction and reality aren’t as clear as we might think. Because sometimes, the most powerful stories aren’t the ones we write – they’re the ones we live.

Note: Whatever is happening, at this point it’s hard to tell what’s true or not in this case, if it’s one person or many, but regardless of that, I wanted to reflect on what is happening.