'On Becoming a God in Central Florida' is slowly unmasking FAM as the perfect metaphor of late-stage capitalism
Last week's episode saw the unmasking of FAM founder Obie Garbeau (Ted Levine) as a delusional megalomaniac who takes joy in putting its members through isolating rituals of competition. By the end of it all, the FAM members are shamed into believing that they are individually to blame if they aren't making money. The 'system' is never at fault. This week we see the unmasking of FAM's real business -- of selling false hope to the hopeless, telling them they have a chance when they don't. Can there be a better metaphor for late-stage capitalism?
In episode six's big reveal, Cody Bonar (Théodore Pellerin) tells Krystal Stubbs (Kirsten Dunst) what he has learned after becoming a part of Obie's 'circle of trust'. FAM products themselves have non-existent margins of profit. Obie is essentially making his money (and paying employees like Cody) out of the proceeds made from the 'mandatory' sale of his 'Garbeau system' tapes, tickets to his motivational lectures, FAM rallies, and conventions to every member of FAM. In essence, his biggest money-spinner isn't the product itself but the lies he spins around them.
An incensed Krystal screams at Cody to leave the house when he tells her this. But she fails to acknowledge how her 'Splashercise' is the same hokey in a different bottle. Only instead of tapes and motivational lectures, she sells 'mandatory' exercise in the pool to her downline for $2 per head. For a character that is so astute, Krystal sure has her blindspots.
Earlier, at a fundraising dinner for Vice President Dan Quayle, she is also oblivious to the withering shade that Cody's mother Ellen (Mary Steenburgen) throws her way. At this point, Krystal is practically floating on a cloud at the opportunity to rub shoulders with the elite and shaking hands with the vice president. She is brought down with a bang when she sees Obie make fun of her bedazzled 'Spash-ercize' business model scrapbook that Cody had carefully placed in Obie's chair earlier in the evening.
Obie is not being cruel to her per se. She is just a convenient target for his rage at being publically snubbed by Vice President Quayle, despite "donating millions". As a viewer, you get momentary pleasure at how Obie has been suckered in by an even bigger hustler than himself in the political sphere. This is the point that 'On Becoming a God...' is trying to make. Late-stage capitalism is all about who can be the biggest hustler, with the elite reserving the winning cards for themselves.
The show contrasts the glitzy dinner scenes with Ernie's (Mel Rodriguez) quest to 'save' his downline Victor (Reinaldo Faberlle) from giving up on FAM. He goes with Victor to his ESL class and manages to rope in the class's professor into the "distribution business" and ensures his cooperation in roping in the Latino students in his classes too. His authenticity masks the inauthenticity of FAM and his earnest pitch has the note of genuineness that Cody and Krystal lack. Of course, he has to skip work to do all this but for Ernie, the emotional reward in giving people hope is more satisfying than his soul-crushing routine at the water park.
Then, comes a moment that decides Ernie's future course of action. When they walk into the neighborhood pizza place, they walk into an armed robbery in progress. While others cower in fear, Ernie sees the desperation on the robber's face. To him, he is just a man who has no hope. As he tries to talk him down, hoping he can 'save' another man from destroying his life, another customer shoots him down. Ernie standing in shocked silence, his face splattered with blood and brains, is a dark foreshadowing of his role in the show. How many people will be destroyed (materially if not physically) because of his well-meaning interventions?
But to Ernie, the incident is a wake-up call. He quits his job and goes off to tell Krystal the happy news. Krystal, however, has just been hit by Cody's revelation. She tells Ernie that they have to get everyone, including themselves out. Ernie for the first time loses his temper with Krystal, telling her, "You can't take away people's hope. Without hope, they die!" With those words, Ernie shows us why false hope is better than no hope. And even if we know that we are being lied to, we'll buy into it, every time, as long as we can keep dreaming the American Dream.
'On Becoming a God in Central Florida' airs Sundays on Showtime at 10 pm ET.