‘Lumon Industries’ is the enigmatic corporation at the heart of Apple TV+’s psychological thriller series “Severance” (2022). The company is known for its bizarre work culture, ethical dilemmas, and unsettling corporate control, making it one of the most intriguing fictional organizations in modern television. In this article, we will explore Lumon’s origins, its severance procedure, workplace structure, symbolism, and the larger themes it represents.
Origins and History of Lumon
Lumon Industries was founded by Kier Eagan, a visionary leader whose philosophy shapes the company’s culture and doctrine. While the show does not fully disclose Lumon’s true industry, it appears to be a biotechnology and corporate research firm with mysterious experiments taking place inside its labyrinthine headquarters. The Eagan family dynasty has controlled Lumon for generations, with Kier being revered almost as a religious figure.
The Severance Procedure: Dividing the Mind
Lumon’s most infamous innovation is the Severance Procedure, a controversial brain surgery that splits an employee’s consciousness into two separate identities:
“Innie”: The work persona, which exists only inside Lumon and has no memory of the outside world.
“Outie”: The personal life identity, which has no recollection of their time at work.
This process creates an ethical dilemma—Innies are essentially trapped in an endless work cycle, unable to leave or experience a life beyond the office. The show raises deep questions about free will, corporate control, and the loss of personal autonomy.
Departments and Workplace Culture
Lumon’s headquarters is a vast, sterile, and eerily designed office space with multiple mysterious departments, including:
Macrodata Refinement (MDR) – The department where protagonist Mark S. (Adam Scott) and his colleagues sort seemingly meaningless numbers for an unknown purpose.
Optics and Design – A strange, artistic division whose role is unclear.
Security and Wellness – Focuses on employee well-being but in a disturbingly corporate-controlled way.
The Break Room – A punishment area where employees must repeatedly recite apologies as part of psychological conditioning.
The company’s oppressive policies include strict rules, surveillance, and psychological manipulation, making Lumon feel more like a dystopian experiment than a traditional workplace.
The Symbolism of Lumon
Lumon represents a critique of corporate culture and modern work environments, symbolizing:
Work-life balance struggles – The severance procedure takes the idea of separating personal and professional life to an extreme.
Corporate indoctrination – Employees are subjected to propaganda, rituals, and blind loyalty to the company’s founders.
Loss of identity – The show explores what it means to be human when a person’s experiences and memories are forcibly divided.
Theories About Lumon’s True Purpose
Throughout “Severance,” hints suggest that Lumon’s work may be far more sinister than simple corporate employment. Some theories include:
Mind control experiments – The company might be perfecting techniques for controlling human consciousness.
Artificial intelligence and cloning – The severed employees could be part of a larger experiment involving AI or genetic manipulation.
Religious cult influence – The extreme worship of Kier Eagan resembles that of a cult, hinting at a deeper ideological agenda.
Lumon Industries is more than just a fictional company—it is a chilling reflection of corporate excess, human rights violations, and the dangers of unchecked power. As “Severance” continues, fans eagerly await revelations about Lumon’s ultimate goals and the fate of its trapped employees.