Severance: Ben Stiller Compares Lumon Industries To Apple

Luna Greco

4 min read

Post on May 17, 2025

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Ben Stiller's Apple Comparison: A Masterclass in Corporate Aesthetics

Stiller's comparison isn't superficial. He highlights the uncanny resemblance between Lumon Industries' sterile, minimalist aesthetic and Apple's iconic brand image. The deliberate design choices in Severance – clean lines, muted colors, technologically advanced yet strangely impersonal equipment – are not accidental. They reflect the controlling nature of Lumon Industries, creating a visually stunning yet profoundly unsettling environment.

• Deliberate Design: The show's meticulous set design, from the stark white hallways to the minimalist office spaces, creates a feeling of sterile perfection that’s both attractive and unnerving.
• Control Through Aesthetics: This aesthetic isn't just visually appealing; it's a tool of control. The lack of personal touches, the uniform environment, all contribute to a sense of depersonalization that mirrors Lumon’s manipulation of its employees.
• Apple's Parallel: Apple, known for its minimalist design philosophy and emphasis on seamless user experience, shares this aesthetic. However, Severance uses this similarity to highlight the insidious nature of Lumon’s control, suggesting that a polished exterior can mask deep-seated ethical issues.
• Subtlety of Control: The visual similarities underscore the unsettling truth: Lumon's control is not brute force but a carefully crafted, aesthetically pleasing system of manipulation.

Beyond Aesthetics: Lumon's Manipulation Mirrors Tech Company Practices

The parallels between Lumon Industries and real-world tech companies go far beyond aesthetics. Severance explores disturbingly familiar themes of workplace pressure, employee burnout, and the ethical implications of unchecked corporate power.

• The Severance Procedure: The central premise of the show—the surgical separation of employees' memories between their work and personal lives ("innies" and "outies")—is a chilling metaphor for the blurring lines between work and personal life in today's hyper-connected world.
• Ethical Implications of "Innies" and "Outier": The complete separation of identity highlights the ethical concerns of companies demanding total commitment from their employees, potentially at the cost of their mental and emotional well-being.
• Real-World Parallels: The intense pressure, long hours, and potential for burnout depicted in Severance reflect concerns voiced by many tech workers about the demanding nature of their jobs. Stories of employee overwork and lack of work-life balance are increasingly common.
• Secrecy and Control: Lumon's secrecy and control over information—keeping employees in the dark about their work's true purpose—mirrors concerns about opacity and lack of transparency within certain tech giants.

The Psychological Thriller Aspect: Severance and the Dark Side of Innovation

Severance masterfully uses the Apple comparison to heighten the unsettling atmosphere and suspense. The show's unsettling imagery and sound design contribute to a pervasive sense of unease, mirroring the subtle yet pervasive control exerted by Lumon Industries.

• Unsettling Imagery and Sound: The show uses visual and auditory elements to create a constant low-level anxiety, mirroring the psychological manipulation employed by Lumon.
• Psychological Manipulation: The methods used to control employees—from subtle gaslighting to more overt manipulation—are unsettlingly effective, illustrating how corporate environments can manipulate individuals for profit.
• Dark Side of Innovation: Severance acts as a cautionary tale about the potential dark side of technological advancement and unchecked corporate power, highlighting the need for ethical considerations in technological development.
• Dystopian Fiction Parallels: The show echoes themes explored in other dystopian fiction, such as the dehumanization of workers and the dangers of unchecked corporate power, further emphasizing the seriousness of its commentary.

The "Severance" of Identity: A Commentary on Modern Work Culture

The show's most powerful commentary lies in its exploration of the impact of the severance process on employee identity. Lumon Industries exploits the already blurred lines between work and personal life in modern society, pushing its employees to the brink of emotional and psychological collapse. The show forces us to confront how our identities are increasingly shaped by our work and the potential for corporate entities to exploit this.

Conclusion

Ben Stiller's comparison of Lumon Industries to Apple serves as a powerful metaphor in Severance. The similarities in aesthetic and the underlying manipulative practices expose the insidious nature of corporate control. The show’s compelling narrative serves as a chilling commentary on employee exploitation, the dark side of technological innovation, and the urgent need for ethical considerations within corporate structures. Watch Severance, engage in discussions about the ethical implications of its portrayal of a corporate dystopia, and further research the complex issues it raises concerning Lumon Industries, corporate control, and tech company ethics. Don't just watch Severance; let it challenge your understanding of the modern workplace and the potential consequences of unchecked corporate power.