In the inaugural season of the TV series Severance, viewers are introduced to Mark Scout, a man grappling with the loss of his wife, Gemma, whom he believes is dead. Season 2 expands on their backstory, presenting flashbacks that capture both the joyful moments of their romance and the profound sorrow they faced, including the heart-wrenching experience of a miscarriage. The struggle to maintain a marriage through such trials is not just a narrative device; it encapsulates the acute pain and resilience inherent in human relationships.
Set within the confines of Lumon Industries, a nefarious corporation, Severance explores a chilling procedure that bifurcates employees’ consciousness. The “outie” enjoys weekends and a paycheck, blissfully ignorant of work-related stress, while the “innie” toils away, completely detached from family life and personal identity.
Severance is more than just an action-packed thriller, even though the “innie” characters engage in sneaky escapades and confrontations within Lumon’s metaphorical prison. The philosophical quandary the show presents is whether individuals might willingly choose to imprison parts of their lives that are painful. Both Mark and Gemma at some point believed they could escape their grief before becoming unwitting captives of Lumon. The narrative challenges viewers to consider the distinction between short-term pain relief and the arduous journey toward developing a meaningful identity in an imperfect world.
When work becomes unbearable, the arrangement appears efficient under cost-benefit analysis. However, in his book Wild Problems, Russ Roberts urges us to reconsider decisions made solely to avoid pain. He argues that if happiness were the only metric, many would forgo parenthood, yet the most significant life choices—like career and family—cannot be reduced to mere calculations. These are “wild problems,” transformative choices that shape the very essence of the decision-maker. The experience of becoming a parent fundamentally alters one’s perspective, making it impossible to fully understand the implications before taking the plunge.
Individuals who prioritize immediate happiness might find themselves aligned with Lumon’s philosophy. Instead of embracing the notion that work, grief, and love can reshape us, Lumon creates a divide between experience and identity. An adult focused on asking, “Who do I aspire to be?” would likely reject Lumon’s dehumanizing system—a sentiment most viewers would undoubtedly support, as it would imply a world devoid of prisoners.
This dilemma resonates deeply in the tale of Mark and Gemma. Their marriage was not a flawless series of joyful moments; it was marked by struggles, including infertility and conflict. The stark image of an empty wooden crib in their home became a poignant symbol of their shared grief.
Lumon views it as a scientific triumph when a severed version of Gemma can disassemble the crib without grappling with the associated pain. The corporation believes that by erasing her memories of the crib, it has triumphed over suffering.
While I won’t spoil the conclusion of Season 2, a pivotal moment involving that crib serves to upend Lumon’s philosophy, emphasizing the deeper fulfillment found in preserving human connections through life’s adversities. Mark and Gemma’s love is intrinsically tied to their shared memories; it is shaped by the way they faced their challenges together.
It’s essential to clarify that suffering does not inherently enhance a marriage or life. Pain can indeed fracture individuals and relationships. Roberts’s assertion is that a meaningful existence cannot be constructed merely by optimizing pleasurable moments while erasing unpleasant ones. Some experiences are invaluable for what they reveal about character and commitment. Moreover, since severance technology is a fictional construct, we must heed Roberts’s invitation to embrace life’s challenges while acknowledging that pain is unavoidable.
Lumon regards pain as a byproduct to be discarded. Wild Problems provokes the question of whether pain could be integral to the person one chooses to become. Both Severance and Wild Problems converge on a critical issue: can we truly attain the lives we desire without undergoing the transformations that such pursuits entail?
Russ’s conclusion is that this separation misinterprets the essence of human flourishing. Life is not just a series of favorable outcomes; it is a coherent narrative that encompasses suffering while also providing opportunities for profound love.
The allure of severance lies in the promise of escaping pain, even for trivial matters like visiting the dentist. However, the show suggests that any attempt to entirely evade pain—if such severance were possible—ultimately leads away from true freedom, often resulting in pain manifesting in other areas. When free individuals become preoccupied with avoiding discomfort, they risk losing meaning in their lives, and society, in turn, may become oppressive.
