MIDSOMMAR REACTION/DISCUSSION MEGATHREAD || SPOILERS

The discussion of empathy is so interesting, especially when you compare the two groups. It almost goes without saying, but this is what facilitates or impedes communication among the groups. I think it can be read as a comment on collectivism vs individualism.

Individualism was definitely the downfall of the Americans. Because it encourages hyper-self focus, I think this severely blunted their emotional intelligence and empathy. I just think back to when Mark, while tripping, called his friends "family" and then wanted someone else to lay down with him--a very small request, but which brings bonding and closeness, that everyone ignored. I think that just encapsulated the disconnect even among friends from early on: They were only superficially on the same trip (i.e., they all took the drug/arrived in Sweden at the same time, but otherwise were on different trajectories.) (Also, in this scene, I love the juxtaposition of Dani's initial reaction vs. her later reaction. When a tripped-out Dani encounters the circle of cult members smiling and laughing, she thinks they're laughing at her and runs away. Later, after she catches Christian cheating, you intially see some of that same paranoia when her 'crowd' starts crying with her but this quickly melts away.) As you said, this deficit of empathy opens up a space for Dani, the only deeply empathetic member of the group, in the cult.

Had they all had similar motives, akin to the cult, or at least healthy levels of empathy, they probably would've escaped with their lives; but no, they were all atomized, too wrapped up in their own words -- their theses (which probably directly drove Josh to his death after Christian announced his), looking for women, etc. -- to listen to each other or even recognize the cult's misgivings, which was further encouraged by academic compartmentalization and rationalization.

This was probably the genius of Pelle's insight -- he recognized all this and practically let the events unfold for themselves. After all, how many social faux pas's did the Americans make, owing to their lack of empathy and emotional intelligence, which ultimately served as the rationales for their sacrifices?

/r/Midsommar Thread Parent