I'm so frustrated at how Milchick's arc in this season is resonating. Because he absolutely is an oppressor, and as long as we've known him (three long years!) always has been. But then he gets cut down to size for using the same kind of language as his white superiors who put "calamitous" in his performance review, and I'm like, "uggghhhh been there buddy!"
But anyway. Milchick is still an opp, and this season has been an excellent "here's how you crush a union" primer, and thus endeth my comments.
This is an incredible analysis. Also thank you for mentioning the NY Mask Ban - it's exactly the kind of pro-surveillance, anti-worker tactic that you're writing about, and it's especially galling that the effort is being led by a Democrat. As someone who's immune compromised, I'm calling my state reps to ask that they oppose the criminalization of masking.
Currently working my way through Severence and am being blown away at a corporate satire *THIS* biting being an exclusive to a streaming service created by a tech corporation
the opposite of insane! In true milchick fashion, i’d rate this extremely high on the “compos mentis” scale. that's latin for “of sound mind,” in case you forgot from severance orientation.
A few days post-2024 election I got a notification that emergency services had been called to our city zoo. Curious enough why, I read the alert’s two comments. One said, essentially, “Wow, the leopards started eating people’s faces sooner and more literally than expected.” Short Googling story shorter, that’s how I learned about the Leopards Eating People’s Faces Party tweet—which surely had been inspired by the concept of Imperial Boomerang, right?? A dumbed down version, but… you know, effectively visceral!!
//
Digging into those additional reading and related news recommendations now. Thank you for it all:):)
Well, this hit hard. Peel back the layers sounds easy enough but in truth, it hurts like hell. I so do not want this nightmare I’ve helped co-create. More, I can’t bear the suffering all this causes.
Many marginalized groups within the empire are aware of the inhumanity of the empire's actions vs others and it's capacity for barbarity, because they are often subject to some form of similar behavior within the empire. Not to the same degree perhaps but in the same vein. It's part of the dissonance many experience living in a country that has never really tried to live up to its ideals. (tbh many countries are like this but few more so than the US)
It's the most privileged within an empire that shut their eyes the longest, who think the barbarity will never be turned on them. The Trumpy dude whose wife was detained by ICE said he still supports Trump and wouldn't reconsider his vote for him. He thinks immigration is broken and hopefully Trump will fix it. He still thinks that his wife's detention was a mistake that will be 'fixed', rather than the intended consequences of Trump's policies...Even while his wife might be being starved or assaulted in detention.
Severance might be overly...optimistic?...in showing management resisting vs real life. (Optimistic isn't the right word here but you probably get what I mean.)
Absolutely floored by this. The Césaire connection was brilliant, and the way you brought it into the Severance universe? Genuinely spine-tingling. That line—“if only they’d read Césaire”—echoed hard. It’s wild how these control mechanisms always find their way home, and your breakdown of how Milchick, Cobel, and Helena are now choking on the very tools they wielded was… chilling and perfect. Also, thank you for the bibliography—your work always makes me want to read ten more things immediately. Vibe-checked, peer-reviewed, and devastating in the best way.
I'm so frustrated at how Milchick's arc in this season is resonating. Because he absolutely is an oppressor, and as long as we've known him (three long years!) always has been. But then he gets cut down to size for using the same kind of language as his white superiors who put "calamitous" in his performance review, and I'm like, "uggghhhh been there buddy!"
But anyway. Milchick is still an opp, and this season has been an excellent "here's how you crush a union" primer, and thus endeth my comments.
This is an incredible analysis. Also thank you for mentioning the NY Mask Ban - it's exactly the kind of pro-surveillance, anti-worker tactic that you're writing about, and it's especially galling that the effort is being led by a Democrat. As someone who's immune compromised, I'm calling my state reps to ask that they oppose the criminalization of masking.
I appreciate you so much! Thank you!
Currently working my way through Severence and am being blown away at a corporate satire *THIS* biting being an exclusive to a streaming service created by a tech corporation
the opposite of insane! In true milchick fashion, i’d rate this extremely high on the “compos mentis” scale. that's latin for “of sound mind,” in case you forgot from severance orientation.
looking up my high school Latin notes ASAP!!!
clara you're so thoughtful and brilliant
elle!! <3
A few days post-2024 election I got a notification that emergency services had been called to our city zoo. Curious enough why, I read the alert’s two comments. One said, essentially, “Wow, the leopards started eating people’s faces sooner and more literally than expected.” Short Googling story shorter, that’s how I learned about the Leopards Eating People’s Faces Party tweet—which surely had been inspired by the concept of Imperial Boomerang, right?? A dumbed down version, but… you know, effectively visceral!!
//
Digging into those additional reading and related news recommendations now. Thank you for it all:):)
I don't know how you do what you do (complimentary), but I love it.
Jess, you are the nicest—thank you!!
Agreed
"vibe checks and peers are very important" - truer words!
This commentary was a TREAT thank you for this fab analysis 🫶🏻
thanks so much, Violet!! x
Well, this hit hard. Peel back the layers sounds easy enough but in truth, it hurts like hell. I so do not want this nightmare I’ve helped co-create. More, I can’t bear the suffering all this causes.
Many marginalized groups within the empire are aware of the inhumanity of the empire's actions vs others and it's capacity for barbarity, because they are often subject to some form of similar behavior within the empire. Not to the same degree perhaps but in the same vein. It's part of the dissonance many experience living in a country that has never really tried to live up to its ideals. (tbh many countries are like this but few more so than the US)
It's the most privileged within an empire that shut their eyes the longest, who think the barbarity will never be turned on them. The Trumpy dude whose wife was detained by ICE said he still supports Trump and wouldn't reconsider his vote for him. He thinks immigration is broken and hopefully Trump will fix it. He still thinks that his wife's detention was a mistake that will be 'fixed', rather than the intended consequences of Trump's policies...Even while his wife might be being starved or assaulted in detention.
Severance might be overly...optimistic?...in showing management resisting vs real life. (Optimistic isn't the right word here but you probably get what I mean.)
Caveat: I have never watched the show so take this with a grain of salt
The imperial boomerang is also an analysis on whiteness, the codes of which can be learned by anyone.
You’re telling me this for the first time, Darius.
Is that sarcasm i hear through the digital abyss?
Absolutely floored by this. The Césaire connection was brilliant, and the way you brought it into the Severance universe? Genuinely spine-tingling. That line—“if only they’d read Césaire”—echoed hard. It’s wild how these control mechanisms always find their way home, and your breakdown of how Milchick, Cobel, and Helena are now choking on the very tools they wielded was… chilling and perfect. Also, thank you for the bibliography—your work always makes me want to read ten more things immediately. Vibe-checked, peer-reviewed, and devastating in the best way.
Original, insightful, well researched (thank you for the references!) and rightfully provocative
very here for this analysis. per usual you weave many insights into the pop culture moment. brilliant as always.