Burnout breeds extremism in workplaces

When Luigi Mangione was arrested for the alleged murder of United Healthcare’s CEO in December 2024, public reaction stunned many observers.

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Instead of universal condemnation, a surprising number of people, particularly younger adults, expressed sympathy. Polls even showed that 41 per cent of young people considered the act acceptable. This raises a troubling question: what could drive ordinary individuals to justify such violence?

The recent study, published in the APA Journal Psychology of Violence, suggests that workplace burnout may be one overlooked factor. Burnout is typically seen as a personal health problem, marked by exhaustion, cynicism, and disengagement. Yet our findings indicate it can quietly shift people’s attitudes in more dangerous directions, including sympathy for extremist ideas.