In a world where change seems to be the central theme of modern discourse, one question continues to emerge: Is the system truly changing? To answer this, we first need to define what we mean by “the system.” The system consists of various institutions that are designed to hold citizens accountable, including educational systems, the judiciary, and society as a whole.
Broadly speaking, the system refers to the complex web of institutions that govern society—everything from the educational framework to the judiciary to the social structures that uphold power dynamics. These institutions are designed to hold citizens accountable, provide justice, and ensure a functioning society. But when we look at the world today, are they evolving as we would hope, or are they reinforcing the status quo?
The system is, by nature, resistant to change. It operates under the assumption that stability is key to societal function. Education, the judicial system, and even healthcare are part of this framework. Each institution is meant to serve a specific purpose—education provides knowledge and skill, the judiciary administers justice, and social structures (e.g., healthcare, economy) aim to create balance and promote equity. However, this structure has often been criticized for maintaining power dynamics that benefit a select few. Despite all the rhetoric of progress, it often feels like the system works for the powerful, not the powerless. This sense of stagnation is where the conflict lies—society calls for change, but the system seems to remain largely unaltered.

Recent events have brought this disillusionment to the forefront. The shocking actions of Luigi Mangione, who assassinated the CEO of a universal healthcare organization, shed light on the raw undercurrents of capitalism. His desperate act, driven by years of frustration and perceived systemic injustice, reveals a deep-rooted truth: capitalism, in its current form, continues to dominate global systems. Those in positions of power are becoming increasingly influential while the rest of society struggles to find their voice in an ever-opaque, profit-driven system.
Mangione’s violent response to the overwhelming power and inequality that plague healthcare highlights a chilling reality. Rather than addressing the core issue—inequality—society has simply chosen to punish the symptoms of a broken system. Capitalism’s hold on institutions like healthcare continues to make it a commodity, not a service to all. Those at the top profit immensely, while the majority suffer in a cycle of inadequate care and social exclusion.
It’s not just healthcare where this dynamic plays out. Education, too, has become a business. Tuition costs have skyrocketed, leaving students with crippling debt in exchange for a degree that is often not enough to secure a sustainable future. The justice system, which was once designed to promote fairness, is increasingly stacked against those who can’t afford to navigate its complexities, reinforcing societal divides rather than bridging them.
This is the system we live in today: a system in which capital controls nearly every aspect of life, from access to basic needs like healthcare and education to the opportunity for upward mobility. It’s clear that while society may progress in certain technological or social spheres when it comes to addressing these systemic inequalities, change seems elusive.
So, is the system really changing? In a word, no, not in a way that fundamentally alters the power dynamics that govern society. We are witnessing incremental changes—policies that may temporarily alleviate some issues, awareness campaigns, and even reforms that appear progressive on the surface. But until the core institutions of society are restructured to serve everyone equally, it’s hard to say that real, meaningful change is happening.
True change requires a fundamental rethinking of how society is organized. It’s not enough to tweak the edges; we need to reframe how power is distributed and how resources are allocated. Without that, it’s only a matter of time before another disillusioned individual like Mangioini surfaces, driven to extreme action by a system that continues to favour the powerful.
While the system may be undergoing changes in terms of its outward appearance or minor reforms, it remains largely unchanged at its core. The forces that govern our lives—capitalism, inequality, and concentrated power—continue to dominate the narrative. Until society confronts these issues directly and works to create a system that is truly equitable, we can only ask ourselves: is the system really changing, or are we simply looking at the same old structures in a different light? We must confront the undeniable truth that our current systems may be failing to protect the interests of the many in the face of such growing power imbalances.

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