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Do I really have to watch Squid Game?

Apparently I want to look at Squid Game. It’s a kind of zeitgeist issues it’s a must to watch to be a part of THE CONVERSATION. This can be a drawback as a result of I don’t like the concept I might not be a part of THE CONVERSATION. Then again, I’ve completely no urge for food for hyperviolent dystopian TV exhibits wherein the driving narrative is actually about which one of many characters you want dies badly this week.

For these not aware of Squid Sport, it’s a Korean present wherein a number of gamers compete for an enormous money prize in a collection of video games, the place the losers die graphically. The opponents all volunteer to participate out of monetary desperation and are initially blind to the perils. Friendships are shaped and sacrifices made among the many exploited underclass. Thus a snuff collection takes on the veneer of an emotional class critique of financial plight inside capitalist society however with added throat slashing. And it’s the present of the second.

This then is the dilemma: cultural relevance or contented ignorance. It’s a catastrophe. Socialising is again in full swing. Not watching this disagreeable zeitgeisty present will ship me bare into the eating room. If I don’t watch Squid Sport, how can I be a part of the chat on the water coolers, which I now not stand round?

I admit I might not be one of the best decide. I didn’t take pleasure in The Hunger Games, of which that is primarily a variant, on the apparently footling grounds that I don’t discover movies in regards to the pointless homicide of youngsters entertaining. On the upside, Squid Sport has at the very least elevated the victims to maturity.

And whereas that is allegedly a biting commentary on capitalist society, I can’t assist noticing that there are not any democratic capitalist societies really staging murderous video games for the enjoyment of viewers. I do know there aren’t as a result of it could be on ITV3 — at the very least till it went huge and was moved to prime time, although clearly then they’d need to rent a psychologist to watch the wellbeing of contributors.

Ah, you say, however what that you must perceive is that that is an excessive imaginative and prescient of a capitalist system wherein individuals die day by day by dropping the sport of life. Poverty forces dangerous decisions on these with few choices. (It’s value noting that South Korea’s poor wrestle in a rustic with comparatively low social security spending.) But Squid Sport’s deaths aren’t gradual and lingering, however bloody and trendy. And regardless of the faults of the capitalist system, the one department of it which really regards dying as leisure is present enterprise.

So what to do for those who don’t need to watch? You’ll be able to in fact simply bluff it out; there’s sufficient data on-line to get you thru a fundamental chat. This enables you to not be unnoticed when THE CONVERSATION begins however to keep away from detailed dialogue with lofty disdain for the exploitative programme making. However if you wish to make some extent of your refusal to look at, you’ll want one thing extra to keep away from condescension and social marginalisation.

Right here, then, are some additional conversational gambits for the Squid Sport refuseniks.

Greater aesthetic: Yeah, I watched the primary episode however as soon as I received the fundamental premise I’d solely have been staying on for the killing and emotional exploitation. And it’s potential to understand the injustices in society with out drooling over a load of poor individuals being dispatched for sport.

Passive aggression: No, look it’s nice that it helped provide you with a warning to the existence of actual poverty. May you cross the halloumi?

Increase the stakes: Truly I’m watching the brand new Squid Sport. It’s set in a focus camp. Everybody primarily competes with others to outlive choice. It’s actually shifting. These most capable of work, to seek out additional rations or one other layer of garments, have a barely larger likelihood of surviving the lottery of being chosen for dying. Though, and there’s actual pathos right here, usually they do every part they’ll and nonetheless die. Admittedly the deaths are a bit grim however put it right down to gritty vérité.

In Seoul technique: In the event you watch numerous Korean TV, it’s fairly extra spinoff than a western viewers may realise.

Anti-intellectualism: To be trustworthy we’re watching Ted Lasso proper now. There’s not numerous social commentary nevertheless it’s fairly humorous. No, nobody’s died however one of many stars did tear his hamstring. That was fairly emotional.

Elitism: In case you are actually concerned with piercing evaluation of the exploitation of the lots perhaps learn some Marx. In the event you don’t fancy the books, there was all the time the mini-series of Das Kapital, although it was fairly drawn out, what with all these individuals dying from consumption and industrial accidents. It simply wasn’t occasion TV. If solely alienation concerned a couple of extra tugs of conflict over a cavernous drop.

Comply with Robert on Twitter @robertshrimsley and electronic mail him at robert.shrimsley@ft.com

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