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Jan 24, 2023Liked by Max Read

I've been thinking a lot about this multi-media trend that I've been calling "cryptobureaucracies", that feels like a close cousin to halogencore. I'm looking at Loki, Severance, and the game CONTROL -- all of which feature these halogencore-style offices which house companies that do inscrutable things that require lots and lots of paperwork. The protag spends a lot of time exploring "what the fuck do they even do here?" and encountering bizarre revelations that only serve to make the world more confusing.

Any thoughts on a better name for this micro-micro-genre?

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I love this neologism... where does Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy fit in - if it does? It has relatively high stakes, and maybe a dearth of halogen, but I can't think of a movie more redolent of bureaucracy, moral compromise, and sheer office-bound grubbiness (and the incredible BBC version doubles down on all the above...)

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