Why are assassinations on the rise?

Our first "emergency" pod

Hey folks,

Today we have an “emergency” episode of sorts, meaning we weren’t planning on doing it until something happened in the news. We didn’t follow the usual NST format, instead opting solely to learn from someone who actually knows what’s going on.

After the killing of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, and the divided reaction (to say the least) to the suspected assassin Luigi Mangione, we wanted to know why it feels like there’s been a resurgence in political violence.

Robert A. Pape has studied political violence for decades and he was kind enough to hop on a call with us to explain what exactly political violence is, why we’re seeing so much of it, and what can be done about it.

(Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Acast)

• Read Professor Pape’s New York Times Op-Ed: What the Glorification of Luigi Mangione Reveals About America

• Pape in Foreign Policy: The Violent Style In American Politics

Should we do more reactions to the news like this? Let us know.

Now onto some lighter fare: NST needs your help for an upcoming episode. We’re looking for short reactions to our question: Is it okay to wear outside clothes on your bed? Please send a short voice memo (about 30 seconds) to mannynoahdevan@gmail.com.

We’re taking next week off, but we’ll be back on New Year’s Eve with something new.

Thanks and happy holidays,

Manny, Noah, Devan.