On the Assassination of Brian Thompson


The only form of political power is violence. The political basis of that society is irrelevant, be it democratic or autocratic, a vote in a democratic society is nothing more than an acceptance of that society’s terms and the only message sent is the consent to be governed. The only way an individual could truly express its wishes to society is through violence, it’s the only language an institution can understand, being that it itself rests on nothing other than violence. No oppressive legislation has been overturned by the polite request of the people, but rather the fear of the people’s wrath. Take the recent assassination of United Healthcare’s CEO as a perfect example. The American two party system is nothing other than a two headed snake designed to uphold the status quo while quarreling with itself enough to give the people the illusion that they could impact its trajectory. Neither party has any intention of deprivatizing healthcare, issues like this that threaten to uproot USA’s capitalist basis are not presented as options for the people to change, they are intentionally presented as unquestionable fact while the parties jingle inconsequential populist issues in the voter’s faces. The only way one can voice their opinions on these monopolies without being laughed out the door is through actions like we have seen demonstrated today. Public opinion may mean nothing to the oligarchs but the fear of murder will get any man’s attention. 

This is the reality of class conflict, a reality which speaks only the language of violence. The egoist sets his sights not on glittering institutions, he knows there will always be those who violently force their standards on others in the name of law, for the egoist no society will do because, by nature, no society would serve a lowly individual’s cause over its own great cause. Therefore the only society that will do for the egoist is one that fears its people. The 40 hour work week was not granted by the powers that be out of kindness, it was taken by force. Your own freedom is no different, the state views you as its own, it will take everything it can get from you and dictate what you can do with what it grants you. If you want your life to be your own you cannot be reliant on big brother, you must take it for yourself, and if a state insists its ownership over you, you must instead assert your ownership over it by communicating that you are your own; and dictate the ways it will conduct itself through the only language it understands.

Erik Bonhomme is the co-founder of the Egoist Union International and founder of the EUI’s Tennessee branch.