The Squid Game Challenge as a Metaphor for Human Reality
For no particular reason, Mrs. Denmarkguy and I happened upon one of the current Netflix TV phenomena: "Squid Game The Challenge" last night.
It is basically a reality game show version of the Korean phenomenon Squid Game (which was a scripted show) in which people - usually with financial dire straits - can win a large sum of money. Whose "reality" this might be considered to be is definitely up in the air!
All in all, I found the whole thing more depressing than entertaining. In many ways this program showcases the worst of humanity and it also strikes me as a very interesting piece of social commentary even though I'm not so sure that's what it's intended to do.
How so? In many ways it looks like a twisted caricature of extreme capitalism run amok... not entirely unlike many aspects of USA society. Here's what I considered:
You've got a large number of participants (several hundred; I think somewhere over 450) and they're all participating in a contest against each other for a prize somewhat over four million US dollars... in what is a winner takes all situation where one person gets everything and everyone else gets nothing.
One winner; everybody else is a loser.
Within the game, nobody even has a name everybody is just a number. And you're communicated with by a disembodied voice that sounds eerily mechanical. In other words the individual players are completely dehumanized.
The prize - which is large to begin with - actually grows every time somebody is eliminated making it advantageous to get rid of your fellow players. Because, after all, you're going to get more money if they're out.
Because it is a game of elimination, it of course brings out the worst dog-eat-dog nature in all the people there.
To make it a little more gruesome, the consequence of elimination - that is, failure - is death. In the case of this particular game it's a symbolic death in that you are shot with an ink pack to signify that you are now dead. Succeed... or die.
In some ways, it feels an awful lot just like life on planet Earth. Or, at least, life on planet Earth if you're alive and kicking in North America, with a ambition to make something of yourself.
I'm sure there are lots of people that will argue that this is no different from lions and gladiators in the Roman arenas 2000 years ago and perhaps that is true. A lot of people are more entertained by the gruesome than by the good.
Still, I found the whole analogy of the giant corporation, run by robotic overlords for whom workers are like Kleenex- use them up and throw them away- a little disturbing.
Thanks for stopping by and have a great remainder of your week!
How about you? Did you watch Squid Game? Whats your opinion of it? Leave a comment if you feel so inclined — share your experiences — be part of the conversation!
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Created at 2023.12.08 01:48 PST
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I have not watched it myself and for the precise reasons you have shared here. I also find stuff like that completely depressing.
The older I get, I have to say I wonder more and more why people choose to fill their minds and time with such things...
I don't get it either Jaynie; there's much about Greater Humanity that just doesn't make sense to me... hence my lifelong tendence to keep most of the world at arm's length!
I am with you on that one, lol. Also one of the reasons I moved out into the middle of nowhere, lol.
I have to admit that it warmed my heart when you first "went walkabout" and it looked like you'd chosen to get off the hamster wheel of insanity that is this world! Good for you for doing that... and for choosing what matters in life.
I love the boonies... even if it's 40km to the nearest place with "big box stores." I spent my life in cities (Copenhagen, 1.4 mill.; London, HUGE; Austin, Texas, 2 mill; Dallas, HUGE, etc) and a 15-minute drive from a town of 10,000 suits me just fine!
I could not agree more!!! In fact we actually went over the mountain into the city day before yesterday... and I was MORE than happy to wave it goodbye at the end of the day.
I suppose sometimes you just have to do what you have to do. I have never really been very good at prioritising myself - I needed to rectify that and also to just put things back into perspective. I know many are bitter with me for cutting all ties, but like I said - I put myself and my own needs first for a change... but happy that at least a few friendly faces remained :) so, thank you for that!
Thank you, friend!
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I watched the fictional Squid Games series and will probably watch Season Two if it ever comes out. I have no plans to watch the game show version. Sounds like Twitter where everyone is often out to get everyone else. But as I said, I have not seen it so I'm commenting based on your description, not having seen it myself. Which is also like Twitter where everyone aligns for or against tweets without actually taking the time to looking into things. We all say, Do Your Own Research but its so much easier to jump on a bandwagon especially if the wagon driver is a member of your chosen tribe.
Anyway, thanks for the thought provoking post and have a nice day! :)
Yes, you're absolutely right! Many people's "favorite exercise" seems to be jumping to conclusions. Thinking for yourself is just not fashionable or cool in 2023. Shades of that cult classic movie "Idiocracy..."