[vowelless]

Its shocking and gore, portraying a totalitarian sub society with hints of communism. It reminds us of North Korean. But for some reason, westerners think its a “critique of capitalism”.

Edit: to clarify, the “hints of communism” here refers to the game on the island, not south korea. These people willingly left capitalism to join this weird commie authoritarian style game to make money.

[pastacacioepepe]

> with hints of communism

Seriously? It portrays current South Korea, which is one of the most capitalist societies in Asia. Did we watch the same show?

In fact, most of the circumstances that bring the players in the squid game are due to poverty and failed capitalism.

[vowelless]

It showed greedy, flawed people who _chose_ to leave a possibly capitalistic system (they actually dont discuss the outside world too much) and participate in a totalitarian hell hole as they are enticed with cash. Not out of lack of options, but due to messed up promises by the dictator in charge and their own greedy nature, or bad choices (like gambling debt, crashing a overlevered portfolio which is hardly poverty).

It is reminiscent of communist revolutions of the past where people choose to overthrow a system to establish a totalitarian system so that they can get some gain out of it.

[pastacacioepepe]

Boy did you completely miss the meaning of it.

They all live in a strongly capitalist society, which works in the same way as the squid game does, just less gory but still brutal. It is still a competitive race to the top where the losers are left behind. That's exactly capitalism and meritocracy for you, if you didn't get it yet.

What the squid game organizers offer to them is, at least for once a fair-ish opportunity. The players all take it, even if they know they will very probably die. It is still fairer to them than a life in the capitalist hellhole that is South Korea in the show.

[vowelless]

Might I suggest doing some introspection?

Perhaps I “completely missed” the meaning of it. I hardly saw much discussion about the flaws of Korean society (and thus dont presume anything about it with my own biases — I didnt get the visual it was a “hellhole”). What I saw was a horrible father/son in gambling debt (his choice to gamble), a pretentious trader who overlevered and lost peoples money (his choice to be greedy), a bunch of thieves, and a crazy old rich man (clearly a sadist). I didnt see abject poverty that arose due to capitalism. I am trying hard to see how the free market got these people to be like that. Feel free to explain if you would like.

Then I saw these people constantly choose to be inside a messed up totalitarian system so that they could get cash. They were societys degenerates who were driven by so much greed that they joined this quasi commie / authoritarian system to get even more cash.

Maybe you are saying that for degenerates, a normal free market is a “hell hole” and thus they need this game. Ok, fair enough. But that doesnt tell us much about capitalism.

[pastacacioepepe]

Look, just read this interview of the creator[0]. No more need to speculate or discuss what he meant, he will confirm what I'm already telling you.

A couple questions that should help clarify the meaning of the show:

> Why did Hwang create a horrifyingly brutal contest that holds human life so cheap? “Because the show is motivated by a simple idea,” he says. “We are fighting for our lives in very unequal circumstances.”

> Are you making a profound point about capitalism? “It’s not profound! It’s very simple! I do believe that the overall global economic order is unequal and that around 90% of the people believe that it’s unfair. During the pandemic, poorer countries can’t get their people vaccinated. They’re contracting viruses on the streets and even dying. So I did try to convey a message about modern capitalism. As I said, it’s not profound.”

- [0]: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/oct/26/squid-g...

[catlikesshrimp]

Horse races and investment portfolios would be out of context in a communist state.

You didn't watch the same show.