Resisting the Innie/Outie Dichotomy Through Mundane Encounters: In Defense of “Spaces of Transition”

This chapter discusses the stark innie/outie division that hinders “spaces of transition,” such as coffee breaks and corridors, crucial for reclaiming the “right to the city” and resisting “conspicuous production.” Since spaces of transition, associated with civic participation and diversity, disrupt the rigid on-or-off flow of daily life, Severance’s portrayal of convenient transitions between work and non-work states creates disorientation and eases capitalist exploitation. The chapter argues that Lumon exerts control by limiting access to these spaces. Spaces of transition also challenge the “always on, always available” culture of our time, offering an escape and complicating the transition from “off” to “on.” It is no surprise that resistance in Severance emerges through banned interdepartmental interactions and access to an outer-world self-help book. The chapter concludes that salvation for Severance characters lies in embracing spaces of transition to disrupt the ease of shifting between innie and outie states.