The performance of identity in a digitized, gig-economy world.
The erosion of human empathy and connection under corporate mandates. 📄 Full Paper: "The Ghost in the Borrowed Shell" I. Introduction Possessor (2020)
The Ghost in the Borrowed Shell: Corporate Parasitism and the Dissolution of Identity in Brandon Cronenberg’s Possessor . The performance of identity in a digitized, gig-economy
In the world of the film, Tasya Vos is not simply executing targets; she is performing a grotesque extension of the modern gig economy. Before she inhabits a host, she must intensely study their habits, speech patterns, and personal mannerisms to mimic them flawlessly. Identity is no longer viewed as an intrinsic, sacred human trait; instead, it is treated as a software skin or a set of behavioral scripts that can be downloaded, practiced, and discarded once the job is finished. Introduction The Ghost in the Borrowed Shell: Corporate
Cronenberg brilliantly highlights the devastating toll of this constant performance. When Tasya returns to her actual home and her real family, she is shown sitting in her car, practicing her own "natural" dialogue and expressions before entering her house. She has worn the masks of others for so long that her own authentic self has been hollowed out. She must actively perform being a wife and a mother. This dynamic serves as an extreme metaphor for the hyper-commodified worker under modern capitalism, where individuals are forced to fracture their psyches and adopt artificial personas to fit corporate molds. III. The Violation of the Physical Self ‎'Possessor' review by Mike D'Angelo • Letterboxd