Jesse Armstrong's Mountainhead depicts a group of wealthy tech billionaires isolated in a snowy retreat while chaos unravels outside, spurred by A.I. deepfakes on a social media platform. As societal breakdown escalates, they remain fixated on their screens, viewing real-world tragedies as mere abstractions. The characters, including the social media mogul Venis Parish, showcase the delusions of grandeur prevalent in their world of power and technology, making it clear that their status blinds them to the suffering caused by their innovation in a deeply flawed society.
As he trudges through the snow with Randall, the venture capitalist who serves as the group's self-appointed philosopher king, Venis asks him, "Do you ... believe in other people?"
For these four men, the widespread devastation is in some ways proof of concept that they're as important as they believe themselves to be.
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