At the end of chapter I of Capital, Marx invites us to picture “a community of free individuals, carrying on their work with the means of production in common, in which the labour power of all the different individuals is consciously applied as the combined labour power of the community….The life-process of this society…is treated as production by freely associated men, and is consciously regulated by them in accordance with a settled plan. This, however, demands for society a certain material ground-work or set of conditions of existence which in their turn are the spontaneous product of a long and painful process of development.”
A POST-CAPITALIST DREAM?
Pluribus, the newest TV series by Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul creator Vince Gilligan, presents us his version of this post-capitalist dream. Due to a strange happening on Earth, humanity is turned into a single consciousness. People keep their individual bodies, but their minds act as one. All human knowledge and memories are summed up in this universal entity, and since the well-being of each one becomes directly the well-being of the whole, the entire world is reshaped: there are no more crimes or war; production and distribution are completely reorganized to satisfy human needs, but also in a respectful relationship with other species and the environment; social and personal bonds are deeply reoriented; art and leisure time become a priority.
In a time where the world seems to be reaching its edge by unending wars, climate chaos and ubiquitous hate, it’s comforting to escape to this fantasy of a new, humanist society. However, besides its entertainment value, Pluribus triggered in me several questions about what it means to be human and how can social uprooting be achieved in today’s reality.
The show has no direct answers, but it provides food for thought. First, because the mechanisms of social change are presupposed. They just occur. The transition from one type of society to another is the science fiction premise of the show. Due to an external phenomenon, humanity acts as one. In real life, it is precisely our diversity and individuality that seems to get in the way of any profound transformation—not just because this diversity entangles us in contradictory bonds, with one part of humanity oppressing others, but also because the ones who long to get rid of that oppression haven’t been able to act in unity in the pursuit of such a goal.
There is no unanimity on which kind of new world—if any—we want. Should it be anticapitalist? If so, what would that concretely mean? If not, what other world? Should all the oppressed people agree on what kind of society they dream of before being able to achieve it? How and how long would it take to come to such agreement? Or else no unanimity is required and each one can begin to build the new world on their own, a task in which others may join them—or not—according to their own times and ideas? Or, rather, are we at the mercy of some supernatural event, just as in the show?
Another crucial question posed by Pluribus is what happens with the ones who don’t want to join the new society. Because, yes, there are some people—a minority—who are not affected by the merging phenomenon. This reminded me of Marx’s concept of the “dictatorship of the proletariat,” which states that, once in power, the workers should enforce direct policies to shape socialism and, especially, to get rid of capitalist remnants that could bring about a return to the old system. This is one of the main conflicts of the show, and the way it is addressed, even within its science fiction cover, made me reflect about love, free will, individuality and social well-being.
In summary, both for the deep philosophical issues it tackles, and for its artistic value—great performances, gorgeous music and cinematography, in particular of some Central and South American landscapes—Pluribus is a show worth watching. At some points, I felt profoundly touched witnessing what greatness humanity can achieve when it works towards a common goal—“Human power is its own end,” as Marx put it. Its first season—aired September to December 2025—has nine episodes and is available on Apple TV.
–Héctor
Mexico City, April 9, 2026