For EconLog, I wrote a reflective piece on Season 2 of Severance and how it relates to the book Wild Problems by Russ Roberts.
You Cannot Outsource Life: Severance and Wild Problems (EconLog link)
The essay is about pain and a meaningful life.
Rather than accepting that work, grief, and love may transform us, Lumon divides experience from identity. An adult who is primarily asking, “Who do I want to become?” likely would reject the Lumon…
Read more at the link above. Remember that the first words spoken in Season 1 were “Who are you?” Maybe Russ Roberts should do a whole podcast on this show.
During a rare slower week in the summer (thanks to my sister) I was able to binge Season 2. The genre could be described as Science Fiction. S2 does answer some of the questions raised in S1 but ends with a new cliffhanger to bring you back for Season 3. If you want to enjoy the show, the trick for me was not to take it too seriously. Ben Stiller is a producer and you can see traces of what feels like Zoolander humor to me.
I think the dialog is great. The sibling relationship and marital disputes and office inside jokes feel realistic.
As I said about Season 1, this show could be, among other things, a meditation on AI alignment. When you think enough about AI alignment, I guess you start seeing it in your TV shows. I wrote about that previously in: Artificial Intelligence in the Basement of Lumon Industries
Other previous posts on Severance, based on Season 1:
Lumon Industries and Drudgery (Joy)
Perks in Severance (Joy)
Economist Writing Every Day 