Human Hearted Discussion: The Ethics of "Pluribus"

Humanism is more than just a 'lack of religious belief', it's a positive life stance. Human heartedness is a humanistic approach to living a better life through building a more cohesive, compassionate, values driven society.

This month we'll discuss the ethics of Pluribus (stylized as PLUR1BUS), a 2025 post-apocalyptic science fiction series created by Vince Gilligan for Apple TV.

I chose this topic because I found the ethics around decisions made by the characters very thought provoking. You don't need to have seen the show to contribute to the discussion, as the premise is fairly easy to describe. Just be aware that the discussion may contain spoilers.

The show follows Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn), a cynical novelist who is one of only 13 people immune to a global alien virus. This virus, derived from an extraterrestrial signal, transforms the rest of humanity into a peaceful, permanently happy collective consciousness known as the "Others" or the hive mind. While the hive mind claims to seek a utopian existence and remains nonviolent toward the immune, it admits an ultimate goal of assimilating everyone once it learns how. Carol, viewed as a reluctant hero, embarks on a global quest to reverse this "Joining" and restore human individuality, even as she discovers that her own intense negative emotions can physically harm the collective.

Arrive at 6:30 for social chat and to order food. The discussion will start at 6:45. Contact Mary-Anne via Meetup if you have any last minute problems.