The Cult of Kier 👴🏼 What PCVE practitioners can learn from Severance

⚠️ Spoiler Alert ⚠️ This post references overarching plot themes from the Lumon world, the fictional company featured in the Apple TV series Severance 🧠

🤷 No idea what I'm talking about? The trailer below provides a basic 101 📺

The season 1 Severance Trailer.

⚠️ Severance plot themes ahead ⚠️

Lumon industries is a high-demand group.

Severance's writers and cast have explored the underlying corporate cultic nature of the show, with the fictional company founded by character Kier Egan being passed on through hereditary succession in true dynastic style. As depicted across its two seasons thus far, Severance offers a compelling perspective that serves as a timely reminder for those working in preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) that it is essential to distinguish between fanaticism, extremism, and violent extremism. Conflating these distinct concepts risks compromising the effectiveness of disengagement initiatives and potentially weakening the very protective factors such programs are designed to strengthen.

Fanaticism vs Extremism vs Violent Extremism

Fanaticism is an intense, uncritical devotion to a cause, idea, or person. It's an extreme form of enthusiasm or zeal. Violent extremism, on the other hand, is the belief in the use of violence, or the encouragement, justification, or support of violence, to achieve ideological, religious, social or political goals.

While a fanatic may hold beliefs that seem extreme to many, they do not necessarily act violently. Violent extremists, however, use or support violence to further their beliefs.

Fanaticism and extremism are closely related, but they’re not the same thing.

💡 Fanaticism can be a component of violent extremism, but it is not always present, and fanaticism alone does not indicate either extremism or violent extremism.

Fanatics are committed to their beliefs, which don't usually change or become more extreme over time. Fanaticism can manifest in many ways, some of the most common include:

🔥 Extreme devotion to an idea, religion, political cause, or leader.

🚫 Intolerance of opposing views or people who think differently.

💥 Potential for aggression or hostility, especially when beliefs are challenged (noting aggression and violence are not interchangeable terms: aggression is a behavioural intention to cause harm or assert dominance, either physically, verbally, or psychologically; while violence is the actual use of physical force with the intent to injure, damage, or kill).

🤯 Often marked by emotional intensity over rational thought.

Mr Milchick displays a fanatical commitment to Lumon workplace culture.

Radicalisation, on the other hand, is often observed when a person adopts new beliefs and becomes fanatical about them to the point where they move away from moderate social norms, and potentially support or justify violence to remedy their grievances.

Lumon as a High Demand Group

How we talk about people who are deeply invested in their beliefs matters. I choose to use the term 'high-demand group' because it describes the level of commitment people make to their beliefs, without judging, disparaging or denigrating them.

A high-demand group is an organisation that requires a significant level of commitment from its members, often impacting multiple aspects of their lives. Cults are high-demand groups, as are gangs, terrorist and violent extremist organisations. Some faith-based groups also fall into the high-demand category, as do some corporate cultures. Commonalities shared between all forms of of high-demand groups include:

High Level of Participation: Members are expected to dedicate substantial time, resources, or emotional investment to the group. This can involve daily or multi-weekly commitments across various aspects of their life such as education, employment, relationships, and the sharing of resources.
Authoritative Demands: The group, or group's leader/s, makes demands that members feel compelled to fulfil, with little room for refusal. Non-compliance often results in significant personal costs, such as social exclusion, emotional distress or even banishment.
Impact on Personal Life: High-demand groups influence many core elements of a member's life, often discouraging followers from interactions with the outside world (particularly the forming of meaningful relationships with outsiders) and critical thinking beyond the group's information environment.
Social-Psychological Influence: High-demand groups often use powerful social and psychological tactics to ensure compliance and loyalty among members, which can sometimes lead to exploitation.
Propaganda is frequently employed to shape the adoption of scripture and doctrine, often incorporating literature, art, music, and poetry as persuasive tools. While Lumon’s use of Soviet-era propaganda may serve as a stylistic device within the television series, it nonetheless reflects aesthetic influences commonly observed across a variety of high-demand groups

There is even a Reddit thread (or two) dedicated to the likeness.

The terms 'high-control group' and 'high-demand group' are frequently equated, yet the connotation of 'control' warrants careful consideration, as adherence to belief systems isn't uniformly a matter of free choice. While many individuals willingly choose to engage with, participate in, and follow particular belief systems, this is not always the case.

Respecting an individual’s right to freedom of choice—even when those choices are contested or appear to be influenced by coercion—is a cornerstone of liberal democracies and underpins the principles of a tolerant, inclusive society.

Not all high-demand groups are extreme. For example, monks and nuns often make a conscious choice to live within high-demand faith-based communities. Similarly, others may find purpose and belonging in alternative lifestyles, opting to live in communes, eco-villages, or artist collectives that exist on the margins of mainstream society.

While not all high-demand groups are harmful, they can pose risks if leadership abuses its power or manipulates members for personal gain.

Benevolence or Malevolence?

One of Severance's most interesting aspects is Lumon's pervasive influence, extending into its employees' personal lives through company-provided housing, healthcare, education, and integrated social services. Such 'dual-purpose' organisations often take a cradle-to-the-grave approach underpinned either by their religious mission and/or their political and ideological beliefs. These organisations often sit somewhere on a spectrum between benevolence and malevolence regarding the intent behind integrated service delivery.

For example, at the benevolent end of the spectrum, the Catholic Church provides faith-based, integrated social services as part of its religious mission to support communities. In stark contrast, the Islamic State represents a malevolent example. It sought to establish a transnational caliphate governed by strict interpretations of sharia law, using the provision of social services as a recruitment tool. The group explicitly rejected democratic and secular governance, aiming to polarise societies and justify violence against non-Muslims and moderate Muslims alike in pursuit of its ideological objectives.

Although Lumon isn't a government, religion, or terrorist group, it provides government-like services, such as healthcare and education, to its employees, their families and the residents of its towns. Lumon's influence over its workers—whether severed or not—extends far beyond the typical 9-to-5, raising questions about its power and control.

What PCVE practitioners can learn from Severance

Severance offers a compelling and evolving commentary on a high-demand group and in doing so provides a nuanced perspective on the diverse backgrounds of individuals who become members. By highlighting the intersectionality of these experiences, the series reminds us that membership of high-demand groups is far from monolithic and reflects a broad spectrum of identities and motivations. Severance also underscores the importance for PCVE practitioners to distinguish fanaticism from extremism and violent extremism, to ensure these concepts are not erroneously conflated.

Fanaticism ≠ Radicalisation.

Is Lumon radicalising employees and adherents? At this point of the series, my assessment is no. But it does incubate and incentivise fanaticism, particularly within its severed workforce. Sub-plots orbiting the main characters also provide a glimpse into the broader Lumon world which suggest the group - or individuals associated with it - may also exhibit elements of coercive and/or authoritative control. While we'll have to see where season three takes those sub-plots, high-demand groups and environments do often attract those enamoured by authoritarianism - particularly when they see themselves as, or aspiring to be, part of the group's elite.

Fanaticism ≠ Radicalisation ≠ Violence.

Fanaticism is not a direct pathway to radicalisation, nor is radicalisation an inevitable progression to violence.

Fanaticism is common across many aspects of society—consider passionate sports fans, dedicated collectors, or individuals with strong brand loyalty. While these individuals may be deeply committed to their interests, their investment rarely translates into violence or the adoption of grievances that justify violent action.

The tendency for some individuals to hold extreme overvalued beliefs and seek belonging within high-demand groups is not a new phenomenon. There is historical evidence that humans held beliefs that we would consider extreme by today's standards, as early as 9,000 BCE.

Contemporary examples of high-demand groups whose beliefs are considered extreme by mainstream society include faith-based organizations like Shincheonji (New Heaven and New Earth), lifestyle groups such as Landmark Forum, and multi-level marketing organizations like Amway.

Generational Fanaticism

Severance hints at generational fanaticism but is yet to fully explore more than Miss Cobell's backstory and provide a glimpse into Miss Huang's.

Individuals may encounter high-demand groups through various avenues: some are drawn to their ideology and community, while others are born into them, marry into them, or encounter them through circumstances like incarceration or seeking social support. Generational fanaticism can also stem from conflict and may be linked to trauma. Children who witness violence, oppression, or loss (e.g., in war zones or under authoritarian regimes) may be more likely to adopt the extreme views of their parents or community leaders.

In the case of radicalisation to violent extremism, there is growing evidence to support observations in the field. A 2017 report by the UK's Home Office (Countering Violent Extremism) and a 2016 report from Australia indicated that in cases of radicalisation, familial ties and peer networks were among the most influential factors in pushing individuals toward extremist ideologies. Research has also shown that regions affected by long-standing conflict (e.g., Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria) have observed that children often inherit ideological beliefs from parents and communities impacted by these conflicts.

Experiences of high-demand groups vary.

While one individual may view their involvement in a high-demand group as beneficial or empowering, another in similar circumstances may experience significant harm. The same group practices that promote personal growth or community for some can be deeply traumatic or damaging for others.

Factors like membership duration, level of involvement, leadership dynamics, and individual resilience can contribute to an individual's experience, with born-in and longterm members facing unique struggles when seeking to disengage due to a lack of baseline experiences outside the group’s worldview.

While narratives from those who leave often highlight harm or coercion, it’s important to recognise that some individuals actively choose to live in accordance with the group’s beliefs and practices. When we do hear from these individuals, their perspectives are frequently met with scepticism or assumptions of coercion, which can overlook the complexity of personal agency and belief.

Conclusion

Severance offers those working in the field of PCVE a rare opportunity to examine the internal dynamics of a fanatical high-demand group from an external vantage point. The television series offers a valuable opportunity for objective observation—provided viewers are able to set aside personal biases and suspend judgment.

Mashable: I went to the 'Severance' pop-up in Grand Central. It was wild. https://mashable.com/article/severance-grand-central-station-pop-up

Despite being a remarkably diverse species, humans often exhibit a paradoxical lack of tolerance for the diverse beliefs and ways of life that others choose to embrace. This limited acceptance is particularly evident in matters of worship and personal values, where differences can lead to significant societal tensions.

Pathways into and out of high-demand groups are rarely straightforward. They are often deeply personal and shaped by a complex interplay of social, psychological, and contextual factors. Responding with quick judgments and misapplied labels not only risks alienating those who may be seeking support, but also reinforces stigma and diminishes the effectiveness of meaningful engagement and intervention.

While some individuals are indeed coerced or manipulated into such environments, others may have made conscious choices to participate—driven by a search for belonging, purpose, or a perceived sense of justice. Assuming coercion by default can erase individual agency and obscure the broader dynamics at play. It may also hinder disengagement and reintegration efforts by closing off opportunities for trust and open dialogue.

Taking a dignity-affirming approach recognises the humanity of each individual. It honours their agency and acknowledges the nuances of their experience, without condoning harm. This approach is not only more ethical, but essential for fostering inclusive and resilient communities.

For PCVE efforts to succeed, we must shift from judgement to understanding. Empathy and respect must form the foundation of our work. These values create the conditions for trust, transformation, and sustainable reintegration—ultimately enhancing our collective capacity to prevent violence and support positive social change.

Interested in reading more?

Here is a selection of associated references that readers might find interesting. If you can't access academic journals, drop me a line and I'll try and get you a PDF copy.

On Severance as a Cult (may contain spoilers)

On workplace cults:

On high demand Groups:

On disengagement from high demand groups:

On regions affected by long-standing conflict where children inherit ideological beliefs from parents and communities:

Mullins, C. W., & McCauley, C. (2018). The Roots of Radicalization: A Review of Literature. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 62(7), 1577-1601.

This study discusses how ideologies can be transmitted generationally, particularly in conflict zones where children are exposed to extremist beliefs through family and community influence.

Sageman, M. (2004). Understanding Terror Networks. University of Pennsylvania Press.

In his influential work, Sageman explores how children of individuals involved in extremist groups, particularly those in conflict zones, can inherit radical ideologies, often from their parents or the wider community.

Horgan, J. (2005). The Psychology of Terrorism. Routledge.

Horgan's research highlights the role of family and community dynamics in the radicalisation process, particularly in post-conflict settings where children are raised with ideologies rooted in long-standing grievances.

Bakker, E. (2006). Jihadi Terrorists in Europe: Their Characteristics and the Circumstances in Which They Joined the Jihad: An Exploratory Study. International Institute for Counter-Terrorism.

This study examines the pathways to radicalisation, including how children in conflict-affected regions, such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan, may inherit ideological beliefs from their families.