Chris Paul and Burning Bright take on M. Night Shyamalan’s Split, unpacking its psychological horror and deeper symbolic layers. They highlight James McAvoy’s performance as Kevin Wendell Crumb and his 23 personalities, drawing parallels to narrative warfare and how media offers different “alters” of the same central message. The hosts dive into the good twin/evil twin dynamic, centralization versus decentralization, and how propaganda thrives on consensus while truth does not.
Their discuss...
Chris Paul and Burning Bright take on M. Night Shyamalan’s Split, unpacking its psychological horror and deeper symbolic layers. They highlight James McAvoy’s performance as Kevin Wendell Crumb and his 23 personalities, drawing parallels to narrative warfare and how media offers different “alters” of the same central message. The hosts dive into the good twin/evil twin dynamic, centralization versus decentralization, and how propaganda thrives on consensus while truth does not.
Their discussion branches into Trump’s communication style, trauma as both a weapon and a source of resilience, and how cultural manipulation echoes MK Ultra–style conditioning. They also examine connections to modern gender debates, linking the “they/them” identity to collectivism versus sovereignty, and the biblical concept of Legion as hive-minded evil. Closing thoughts tie Casey’s survival, rooted in her scars and trauma, to humanity’s antifragility and the danger of weaponized victimhood.
This episode blends film critique, philosophy, and cultural analysis, showing how Split serves as a metaphor for narrative control, sovereignty, and the battle between good and evil.
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