Episode 36: "Vibe or die!" On psychedelics, dancing and ritual murder in 'Midsommar'

In this episode we discuss the folk horror film Midsommar, written and directed by Ari Aster. While we make a reasonable attempt at recounting and analysing the plot of the film, we focus our conversation on the themes of the film—on the contrasts between the stifled, technologically-mediated communication of the industrialised west and the embodied, empathic relationships of the Harga. We consider the nuclear family and the evolved nest; the isolation of individuality versus engulfment in the communal; psychedelics, anthropology, in-groups, out-groups and cultural relativism. We explore what it means to be ‘attuned’ to a community (and what it means to fail in this attunement, or in other words, fail to ‘vibe with’ a community). We consider the limitations of the horror genre and speculate as to whether the western mind is even capable of imagining a style of community-centered living like the Harga, without there being some inevitable horrible darkness that ruins it and allows us to rest assured that our current way of life in the industrialised west—despite rampant depression, anxiety, isolation, disconnection, relentless consumption, addiction and fear—is better than any alternative. And if by the end of all that, you’re still thirsty for more, we save another thirty minutes or so for a bonus episode, to be released on our patreon and substack next week. References Midsommar (2019) written and directed by Ari Aster Cary Elza (2023) ‘“Do you feel held?”: Gender, Community, and Affective Design in Midsommar’ Darcia Narvaez — The Evolved Nest Rite Felski (2015)— The Limits of Critique Sara Ahmed For more detail on the metaphor of “the room” mentioned in this episode, check out Altered Mates — Episode 30 — Where are my minds? On the Left Brain / Right Brain Divide Shirley Jackson (1948) — The Lottery Ursula Le Guin (1973) — The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas The Wicker Man (1973) directed by Robin Hardy Links Altered Mates Website Altered Mates Instagram Altered Mates Substack Altered Mates Patreon Music for the show by Si Mulumby A Glimpse of Eternity by Alejandro Tuama Purchase the novel here (hard copy, ebook and audiobook). Listen to the free serialised audiobook here.