I can see many of Pluribus' scenes being similar to talking to people completely in AI psychosis, beyond that: I don't think the central theme is collectivism (utopia) vs. being allowed to be an individual (chaos).
I thought the themes dealt more with “staying resilient even when everyone gaslights you into thinking you're the problem”.
The hive mind and its story makes no sense, although, as Carol rightfully points out, they have all the lawyers and marketing teams to make even their goals seem normal. The fact there was a violent takeover in which a billion people were killed is brushed over later, yet Carol is abandoned for having severely hurt one member of the hive mind? They have these moral boundaries that don't allow them to take the stem cells of people due to its invasiveness, yet don't see converting someone into them, a complete loss of individuality, as an invasive act.
The episode that makes this abundantly clear is HDP: Human-Derived Protein. Carol discovers that they're chopping up people and eating their body parts, which leads to her discovering that they're planning on letting humanity die out, and they already have a marketing video ready to set the narrative. They invented a neat little acronym, so nobody says “human body parts” any more, but an incredible euphemism that's selling an easier to swallow reality. Carol's planned exposé is prevented by all of this, leaving her incapable to even complain. All remaining humans are completely buying into the hive mind's propaganda and simply repeat their talking points back to her. This is where the “AI psychosis” comparison fits right in.
The fact that the hive mind never asked, never voted, explained its violent takeover like some genius plan when in reality it was nothing but ridding people of the chance to disagree or protest something akin to death. Beyond that, how exactly is everyone remembered? Even the billions of people who died? Where do their memories continue existing? Just someone else's head?
The Alien virus got to earth through a message from outer space and now they spread that message back into the cosmos, possibly with a self-sustaining mega antenna that will outlive humanity. They infected, enslaved humanity and force them to live in a way where everyone dies within a decade and then tell people they're the problem if they ask questions about this mass extinction event.
Love the show, it's just too realistic on the gaslighting!
