MovieChat Forums > Severance (2022) Discussion > What if you'd simply said no in the brea...

What if you'd simply said no in the break room?

posted 2 years ago by ribtin (145)
16 replies | jump to latest

When they're forced to repeat the same apology over and over, I kept wondering why the hell they complied? As far as we can see, there's no threat of physical violence, or any other reason to keep repeating it other than the guard telling them to do it. So why even bother playing these mind games at all?

Personally, I know I'm such a stubborn guy that I would have flat out refused to read it any more after seeing what it was the very first time. And the more they tried to push me, it would only encourage me to resist even more.

If they'd actually threatened to hurt me or the people I care about, that would have been a whole other matter... But going along with such an obvious mindless power play over and over just because they ask? That's a big NOPE.

[–] Tricklebrook (309) a year ago

They had to remain in the break room until they gave a satisfactory statement. That would eventually compel you to comply.

[–] ribtin (145) a year ago

Or else what?

[–] xbxoxy (43) a year ago

Even if they let you go at 5pm... Of they put you right back at the break room when you arrive the next day, they would feel that they never left the room. So for the "innies" It would be like if they've been in the break room for several hours non stop.

[–] ribtin (145) a year ago

However it would be just as tiresome for the guards to just sit there, asking me to please, please, please say the line, which I would simply ignore. It would quickly turn into an endurance game, and I know, that when provoked like that, my stubbornness knows no bounds.

[–] FilmBuff (6697) a year ago

Or else your entire life would be spent in the break room being told to repeat the line. You never go home, you never sleep, or at least, you never have any knowledge of doing so. You'd simply wake up as you came out of the elevator, be taken to the break room, and spend 9 hours sitting there being told to repeat the line. For your entire life, with no end until death.

[–] Skavau (9421) a year ago

At a certain point though, it's also torture for Milchick having to sit with you for 9 hours.

And they can't exactly restrain you so you can just walk out.

[–] FilmBuff (6697) a year ago

They can rotate someone new in every hour if they want to. And while they may not restrain you, they can lock you in the room.

[–] Skavau (9421) a year ago

There's only 3 people there apparently lol

[–] UncleRuckis (2552) a year ago

They didn't have to do shit. They didn't even have to stay(except for the outie throwing them right back in). If i'm in her position where I don't want to be there, I'd be quick to tell them to piss off and not do a damn thing they ask. Short of physical violence, there isn't a damned thing they can do to compel you.

[–] Tricklebrook (309) a year ago

Wouldn't you starve to death or die of thirst?

[–] UncleRuckis (2552) a year ago

If they locked you in indefinitely, then sure, but they don't work in a literal prison. It's a 9 to 5 office space and as they've already shown, they definitely don't want the innies offing themselves. Pretty sure they'd give up on an innie not doing a damned thing for a week and wasting both time and money.

[–] ribtin (145) a year ago

The guards would have to eat too though. So I'd just follow in their footsteps, when they got up and left. What could they do about it?

[–] FilmBuff (6697) a year ago

I'm sure they feed you. They probably give you an hour lunch break, then back to the break room. Your entire life would be 9 hours in the break room being told to say it, an hour lunch, and then another 9 hours in the break room, on repeat, for 40 years.

[–] MichaelJPollock (650) a year ago

I understood the "innies" had the emotional intelligence and maturity of children (a bit like Tyrell explains of the Replicants in Blade Runner: they only have a few years life to learn the emotions that you and I take for granted), which would explain why they marvel at lame sandwich parties and seem to enjoy the lame rewards they receive.
This would probably also explain why they seem to be very conforming and obeying in the presence of an authority figure, like when they are told to repeat a sentence ad nauseam in the break room as punishment.

[–] CalvinJarrett (251) a month ago

But there is a threat of physical violence. Remember the bruises on Mark's fingers? It looked like they literally must have rapped his knuckles. His outie then said, "Apparently, I jammed my hand at work." I have a feeling that was the only way they got him to read the apology that time. He was as stubborn as you purport to be, ribbon, but once they showed him they weren't afraid to resort to physical punishment, he must have given them what they wanted to get out of the break room ... with both hands.

[–] Where (1267) a month ago

I kept thinking what if they sang “I’m Henry Viii I am” like the ghost did in Ghost.