What We Can Learn About Ourselves From Watching 'Succession'

Like many people, I’ve been hooked on the HBO series Succession, about the fictional Roy family, owners of Waystar RoyCo, a global media and entertainment conglomerate. The series starts with the family's patriarch, Logan Roy, played by Brian Cox, taken ill, leading to a struggle between the children for future control of the company. It is gripping television as we watch Kendall, Roman, and Shiv, who are Logan's children from his second marriage, vie for power, along with Shiv's husband Tom, Logan's grandnephew Greg, and Connor, Logan's eldest child.

If you have been watching, you may already have asked yourself this, but if not: Which of the characters—Kendall, Roman, Shiv, Tom, Greg, or Connor—reminds you most of yourself? Don’t think too long about it but choose the one that comes straight to mind. What is it about this character that is like you? Be honest with yourself.

Chances are that one of the characters will remind you of yourself in some way.

Is it Connor, who seems disconnected from reality and living in a bubble of his own illusions? Greg, who wants to be on the inside but remains on the outside? Tom, who is on the inside, but knows he could be out in an instant? Shiv, who is disconnected from herself and bent on power? Roman, an emotionally immature joker? Or Kendall, so lost and paranoid?

All of these characters are essentially unlikable and dysfunctional. None of them seem happy or fulfilled despite their wealth. Ideally, you would say that none are like you, but for most of us, we will find ourselves drawn to one as they are carefully created characters clearly designed to reflect a range of personality types. But they are all half-formed characters with little in the way of redeeming features. Nonetheless, there may be some aspect that you recognize in yourself. As much as you may feel drawn to one, it is likely you also feel repulsed by them. That is where we can learn an important lesson.

Whichever character you choose, it tells you something about yourself that you would rather not be true. These are all characters showing different ways of being inauthentic in the world.

For example, like Kendall, maybe you feel you are always trying to do the right thing and progress but no matter it is like the world keeps knocking you back. Or like Greg, you are never fully included. Or like Connor, you are surprised to find that no one else shares the same view of yourself as you do. Whatever it may be, the authentic person:

• Perceives reality as it is.
• Is comfortable with who they are.
• Doesn’t look to others to tell them how to live their life.
• Knows how they feel about things.
• Has an adult approach to life.
• Knows their own best direction.

In this way, each of the characters points us towards what a more authentic life would look like, and what direction is right for us, in order to live more authentically, and ultimately happier and more fulfilling lives.

For more about authenticity, see my book, Authentic: How to Be Yourself and Why it Matters.