The Magic (and Horror) of Severance: Could We Unplug from Reality, and Would We Want To?

Ok, hear me out: Severance on Apple TV+ is so good that it made me think about how, just like the employees of Lumon Industries, I might secretly want to "sever" myself from my own daily realities. Imagine being able to totally compartmentalize your life—the work you do, the things you stress about, the mundane bits you wish you could forget—by simply flipping a switch. No more worrying about the treadmill of deadlines or never-ending emails.

If only I could “sever” my thoughts around weight loss. Honestly, if that was a possibility, I’d probably hit the button in a heartbeat. Because let’s face it, it’s hard and a constant struggle. If I could switch off and let the other me do all the exercise and healthy eating, and I can come back in to my best body, then why not?

But that’s what Severance really explores. Is it really worth it to create a version of yourself that’s disconnected from the whole, complete human being you are? The show digs deep into the idea of duality—what we show the world versus what we experience privately—and it’s both a bit of a sci-fi thriller and a meditation on our relationship with work, identity, and, yeah, the internal guilt trips that seem to follow us no matter where we go.

If you haven’t seen it, the premise of Severance is simple but brilliant: a mysterious corporation called Lumon Industries has developed a procedure that severs an individual’s memories between work and personal life. The work self (we’ll call them the “inward” self) doesn’t remember a thing about their personal life outside the office, and the personal self (the “outward” self) has no idea what’s happening at work. They are two different people, living two separate lives in one body. It sounds almost freeing, right? Imagine no more guilt about overworking, no more stress spilling into your personal time. But then, of course, there’s the flip side—the haunting realization that you’ve erased pieces of your own existence. What’s left of you when you can’t remember anything from your whole life?

That’s what struck me as both totally captivating and, let’s be real, completely terrifying. At first, it seems like a relief to have that separation. But then you start to wonder: If you could separate out the parts of your life you don’t like, would you really be living an honest one? Or would it be… well, a bit of a tragedy?

I know that’s deep, but hey, it’s what Severance makes you do. It’s the kind of show that gets you thinking about how much of yourself you’d be willing to trade away in exchange for some peace. Would we trade a little personal freedom for the sake of mental clarity or efficiency? Some days, I’m not sure. But then I think about how much better my work life would be if I could leave the 2am pizza behind, forget about the gym guilt, and just… be? I could actually make some strides (no pun intended) on both my career and personal happiness.

But that’s what makes Severance so captivating—while it shows you the possibility of a perfect life free from personal baggage, it also warns you of the consequences. It’s not just about separating work from life; it’s about the consequences of forgetting the very thing that makes you whole: yourself.

And here's the kicker: if you could just sever the parts of you that aren’t working—whether it's body issues, relationship issues, or even the endless existential questions about what you’re doing with your life—would you still be you?

I think the beauty of Severance lies in its question: Can we really compartmentalize our lives and still be whole?

Spoiler: we’re probably better off not severing anything.

And while I’d love to get a little memory reboot (hello, carefree vibes, bye-bye weight-loss guilt), the reality is, I’ve got to face the music. I did the crime, and now I must do the time (with some thoughtful self-compassion along the way). So, maybe no severing here. But, it sure makes for one heck of a binge-worthy thought experiment!

Let me know what you think! Would you hit the “sever” button if you could, or would you prefer to keep your memories, baggage, and all?