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Severance’s Skin-Deep Critique of Capitalism

⁨53⁩ ⁨likes⁩

Submitted ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨Pro@programming.dev⁩ to ⁨movies@lemm.ee⁩

https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/severances-skin-deep-critique-of-capitalism

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  • simple@lemm.ee ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I don’t understand this post, Severance never claimed to be a mindblowing political series. It’s a sci-fi thriller that also happens to be a satire of corporate culture, nothing more. It doesn’t need to be “a deeper critique of capitalism” to tell a good story

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    • neidu3@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Yeah, upon reading the post I immediately thought of an article from a long time ago whether some anime was feminist or antifeminist. It was just an average anime that didn’t even engage with the topic.
      The conversation around a piece of art becomes infinitely worse once values are ascribed to it arbitrarily.

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      • pdxfed@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Found the anti-feminist! /s

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      • endeavor@sopuli.xyz ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        I read your post multible times and found no references to you being pro skub. That means you must be anti skub.

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    • terraborra@lemmy.nz ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Office Space on ketamine.

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    • Fedegenerate@lemmynsfw.com ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Early on the show told us it wouldn’t be a deep philosophical exploration. By making that aspect of the show (personified through as the brother in law) be comic relief.

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      • FooBarrington@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        While he is comic relief, no arguing that - it doesn’t preclude his role in the series from sparking interesting debates. It’s just a different discussion than the one you’re presumably hoping for.

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  • Ilandar@lemm.ee ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Kinda reminds me of the first episode of the latest season of Black Mirror, which was a rather shallow critique of subscription models that received rave reviews from viewers despite the fact they were watching it on Netflix.

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    • dditty@lemm.ee ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I agree! Black Mirror episodes often make a point and then beat you over the head with it

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      • Ilandar@lemm.ee ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        I feel like the fanbase for that show goes rabid for any of the really obvious “cApItaLisM bAd” dystopian episodes, which are probably my least favourite just because they’re never particularly creative. As you say, they’ll start with an obvious point and never develop it any further. It’s kinda like one of those satirical news sites where the headline is 99% of the joke and the rest of the article is just filler than nobody bothers to read.

        (Still a good show overall though, I appreciate that they’ve retained some variety over the years despite the quirky/light hearted episodes typically receiving a worse reception).

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  • anarchiddy@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Jesus, this writer is dense.

    Honestly, I never personally thought of this show as an explicitly Marxist critique of capitalism, but the way this article hyper-focuses on profit being an absent detail of the show makes me think they just don’t know what Marxism is. I don’t think there could be a clearer allegory of alienation of labor than the severance procedure.

    I guess if that’s what you think Marxism is, fine. If Lumon having near total control over the lives of its workers isn’t a critique of class relations under capitalism, I don’t know what would be.

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  • reef@lemmy.ca ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I agree

    As much as I like Severance, people have been overselling the political commentary aspect of it

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  • Krauerking@lemy.lol ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Honestly it’s all skin deep and not as smart of a show as the praise makes it.
    Literally the show performs one of my least favorite tropes for lazy writers that want to write off a character but don’t want them dead or have to figure out a good character arc and then even has the gall to act like it was poignant with a literal:

    Train To Nowhere

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    • FooBarrington@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      There’s no reason to assume Irving won’t be a part of the next season (and, IIRC, the actor already stated he’ll still be a part of the show). You might be projecting a bit here.

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      • Krauerking@lemy.lol ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Oh sure. But for now he’s just on a round trip out and back in so that we don’t have to ask where he is for the finale.

        I had no doubts from the fact that they put the character on a train to nowhere. It’s not a decision when faced with the question of what to do with a character next. It’s “exit stage left” so that you can write yourself out of a hole with them later.

        Its a good show but the writing is lazy insofar as they don’t have a plan and are giving themselves easy ways forward or out of jams.

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