What Would You Do If a Better Version of Your Life Was Right Next Door?

COHERENCE (2013) — Are You Really You? What if somewhere nearby there was another version of you? Same face. Same memories. Same relationships. Almost the same life. Except…their life might be better. In this 75 Vintage on Demand film analysis, we’re looking beyond the parallel realities of "Coherence" (2013) to examine the psychology underneath them: identity, belonging, self-preservation, “us versus them” thinking, comparison, and the slow deterioration of morality. When Miller’s Comet passes overhead, eight friends discover that there may be countless versions of their dinner party, and countless versions of themselves. Suddenly, the question isn’t simply "Which reality are we in?" It becomes: "Who belongs here?" We’ll also explore the meaning behind the film’s title through the concepts of "quantum coherence and decoherence". In quantum physics, coherence involves maintaining relationships among possible quantum states, while decoherence occurs when interaction with the environment disrupts that coherence. ([QuEra][1]) That scientific idea becomes an interesting metaphor for what happens to the characters: one seemingly stable group fractures into competing possibilities until no one can be certain which house, or which version of themselves, they belong to. The film also raises fascinating questions about identity and belonging. Research from the Institute for Social Capital explains how shared identity can create feelings of unity and belonging and make trust and cooperation easier. "Coherence" turns that concept upside down when the characters can no longer determine who is truly “one of us.” ([Institute for Social Capital][2]) And once there is an “us,” it becomes frighteningly easy to create a “them.” WebMD's discussion of the “us against them” mentality describes how people naturally categorize themselves and others into groups, and how perceived threats can turn those distinctions into rivalry, exclusion, and bias. ([WebMD][3]) The strangest part? In "Coherence", “them” is also you. We’ll even take a brief look at the movie's fictional Miller’s Comet and an intriguing historical coincidence: the real Great Comet of 1823 (C/1823 Y1) was famous for displaying two apparent tails, including an unusual sunward-pointing feature. I found no evidence establishing that the filmmakers based Miller’s Comet on it, so consider the resemblance an interesting coincidence rather than a confirmed inspiration. ([Wikipedia][4]) By the time Emily discovers a version of the night where everything seems to have gone right, "Coherence" leaves us with its most uncomfortable question: If another version of you had the life you always wanted… how far would you go to take her place? Sources & Further Reading [Institute for Social Capital — Identity and Belonging](https://www.socialcapitalresearch.com...) [WebMD — What Is the “Us Against Them” Mentality?](https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/w...) [University of Waterloo — Quantum 101 Glossary: Coherence & Decoherence](https://uwaterloo.ca/institute-for-qu...) [QuEra — What Is Coherence?](https://www.quera.com/glossary/cohere...) [Great Comet of 1823 — C/1823 Y1 overview](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_C...) *FAIR USE STATEMENT:* This video is a transformative film analysis created for purposes of commentary, criticism, discussion, and education. Any film clips, still images, audio, or other copyrighted material used remain the property of their respective copyright holders. Their inclusion is intended to fall under Fair Use pursuant to Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act. *#Coherence #CoherenceMovie #FilmAnalysis #PsychologicalThriller #75VintageOnDemand* [1]: https://www.quera.com/glossary/cohere... "What is Coherence" [2]: https://www.socialcapitalresearch.com... "Identity and belonging • Institute for Social Capital" [3]: https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/w... "\"Us Against Them\" Mentality: Why Is It Dangerous?" [4]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_C... "Great Comet of 1823"