Squid Game: Money vs. Humanity

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  • Опубліковано 27 чер 2024
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    === Watch More Episodes! ===
    Squid Game: Who Really Wins? ► • Squid Game: Who Really...
    Debt: A New Religion? ► • Debt: A New Religion?
    The College Crisis: It's Not Just Debt ► • The College Crisis: It...
    Analyzed and Hosted by Michael Burns
    Directed by Michael Luxemburg
    Edited by Brian M Kim
    Produced by Olivia Redden
    Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound
    #squidgame #debt #culture
    © 2023 Wisecrack / Omnia Media, Inc. / Enthusiast Gaming

КОМЕНТАРІ • 891

  • @jcluna9505
    @jcluna9505 6 місяців тому +1920

    As soon as Mr Beast uploaded his version of squid games I knew a lot of people had grossly missed the point of the show, now this? This is a hilarious example of society becoming a satire of itself.

    • @tuanoful
      @tuanoful 6 місяців тому +80

      I don't think anyone missed anything. It's entertaining to watch, it made money for them. Win win.... not everything has to be correct, or have a message or be morally right.
      A network made a show, people liked it, network made money, we got entertained....

    • @freethegays
      @freethegays 6 місяців тому +148

      ​@@tuanoful Everything does have a message though, wether the creator put intention into this message or not. Nothing occurs in a vacuum, every action in society is contributing something to it, actions/events will always be interpreted.

    • @Heartless365
      @Heartless365 6 місяців тому +104

      ​@@tuanofulThere's a really good video by Dan Olson from Folding Ideas called Annihilation and Decoding Metaphor, it's a phenomenally good video about art and meaning.
      Art always has meaning and to deny it is to do a disservice to the creative minds that have put their heart and soul into building their message. I apologize for being rude, but the Squid Game is very blunt with it's fiercely anti-capitalistic message and the fact that you dismiss it so casually as "it's something fun that people like" and have multiple upvotes really illustrates the media literacy and anti-intellectualism problem we're facing today.
      It's one thing for a studio to miss the message, they simply don't care about it. But for someone to look at a story literally about a group of super wealthy people literally paying to watch people kill each other for entertainment, with some of them barely paying attention to the carnage they funded and claim there is no message is just being dumb.

    • @heydude4193
      @heydude4193 6 місяців тому +65

      @@tuanofulit takes a special kind of stupid to watch squid games and not understand it had a message behind it.

    • @tuanoful
      @tuanoful 6 місяців тому +10

      @@heydude4193 How unnecessarily rude you are... are you happy now? I am talking about the game show, NOT the original movie script.... dont be rude to people

  • @GuagDiggly
    @GuagDiggly 6 місяців тому +622

    People literally joked about how someone would make squid game real. Years later we have multiple actual examples. 💀

    • @the_Fisher_King
      @the_Fisher_King 6 місяців тому +8

      The future is now💀

    • @robaerto71
      @robaerto71 6 місяців тому +8

      As a joke?! Let the TikTok-generation grow a little bit up being so numb to dangerous and hazzardous challenges and seing thousands of influencers and content creators die on live-stream the "Hunger Games" or "Squid Games" will soon be reality! I do not know when it will begin but I am dead serious - no pun intendet!

    • @Frizzleman
      @Frizzleman 6 місяців тому +2

      The said games were always real that was the point of the show now people just call it squid games instead

    • @FeiFongWang
      @FeiFongWang 6 місяців тому +1

      The revolution will not be televised brother.

    • @Mcgif21
      @Mcgif21 6 місяців тому +6

      It’s not even close to the same morbidity of the fictional show. As far as I see it’s just another reality TV show like Survivor, and a good one.

  • @theranchokid
    @theranchokid 6 місяців тому +824

    "Any time someone in life says to you, 'I have a great opportunity', it's always a scam" 👏👏👏

    • @austinhernandez2716
      @austinhernandez2716 6 місяців тому +24

      Not always but probably most of the time

    • @WisecrackEDU
      @WisecrackEDU  6 місяців тому +111

      But seriously we have a great crypto opportunity for our audience . . .

    • @nebuloushammer8773
      @nebuloushammer8773 6 місяців тому +14

      I have a great opportunity. It's specifically for me and almost definitely not for you.

    • @danielsantiagourtado3430
      @danielsantiagourtado3430 6 місяців тому +2

      ​@@WisecrackEDU🎉🎉❤🎉❤❤❤

    • @johannaweichsel3602
      @johannaweichsel3602 6 місяців тому +6

      MLMs, anyone?

  • @FlackNCoke
    @FlackNCoke 6 місяців тому +274

    Squid Games being a commercial success is the worst thing that could have happened to Squid Games.

    • @PeterSchmuttermaier
      @PeterSchmuttermaier 6 місяців тому +1

      It's the paradox of criticizing the system: If your critique is not successful, nobody learns about it. If it is successful, capitalists take the critique, turn it into a line of products and sell it to you. We can't really win.

    • @joelanderson5285
      @joelanderson5285 6 місяців тому

      Anti-capitalism is BS on literally every level. Play stupid games and win stupid prizes.

    • @AlexQuests
      @AlexQuests 6 місяців тому +2

      You must/would hate Monopoly

  • @Starving_Phoenix
    @Starving_Phoenix 6 місяців тому +75

    The difference between "opportunity" and "desperation" is which side of the transaction youre on.

  • @GuitarBard96
    @GuitarBard96 6 місяців тому +158

    278 never admitted that she broke the social agreement even into the next episode. just straight up denied doing anything wrong

    • @R0cket_Rabbit
      @R0cket_Rabbit 6 місяців тому +86

      What's worse and mind boggling to me was that Mai was suddenly the villain in the group when she was the only one that had that balls to confront 278 about what happened, talking to others about 278 in the bridge game, and taking action against 278 in the next game of chance.

    • @septanine5936
      @septanine5936 6 місяців тому +17

      people go to great lengths to not see themselves as the bad guy

    • @WildDiscoDance
      @WildDiscoDance 6 місяців тому +24

      She straight up gaslit mai by saying she saw wrong 🥴 and nobody else could fuckinf remember?? I’m sure this shit is scripted

    • @nathanbrady8529
      @nathanbrady8529 6 місяців тому +1

      If you'd go to therapy, you'd learn that she's entitled to her reality, and everyone else is to be respectful and accepting of it. She believes she didn't break the agreement, therefore she didn't. Any suggestion that she did would deny her her reality and is therefore abusive.

    • @GuitarBard96
      @GuitarBard96 6 місяців тому +15

      @@nathanbrady8529 what? that guy jumped because she would not move when it was her turn to take her chance. if someone believes that 2+2=5 that doesn’t make it so.

  • @spookyspice596
    @spookyspice596 6 місяців тому +755

    "The anti-capitalist allegory is only one very small part of Squid Game." One very small part? IT'S THE WHOLE DAMN STORY!

    • @FeiFongWang
      @FeiFongWang 6 місяців тому +60

      "Fighting an evil empire directly based on the US is only a very small part of Star Wars."

    • @elmerglue21
      @elmerglue21 6 місяців тому +7

      @@FeiFongWangwasn’t the empire definitely ww2 Germany? Why would it be the us

    • @AresWasTaken
      @AresWasTaken 6 місяців тому +36

      @@elmerglue21 ep 6 was heavily inspired by the vietnam war, and the prequels show the republic to be a failing democracy rampant with corruption where people no longer trust the governing institutions

    • @HumanB312
      @HumanB312 6 місяців тому +12

      @@AresWasTakenit's both.

    • @FeiFongWang
      @FeiFongWang 6 місяців тому +32

      @@elmerglue21 Lucas himself said in the OT the Empire was based on the US during the Vietnam war, which is why it heavily featured the jungle guerrilla fighters, the Ewoks, as the good guys. You can look it up, it's pretty interesting. It wasn't until Disney took control that they specifically made the empire based off of the Nazis, because Disney is completely devoid of creativity, and their art is soulless with nothing at all to say.

  • @LonkinPork
    @LonkinPork 6 місяців тому +322

    It's so funny (in the bleakest way) that the people with the checkbooks saw how popular this show was that called out how deeply insidious they are, and said "Hm. What if we do that, but _without_ killing people? That's not evil right?"
    To quote that Subway sandwich meme, My Brother in Christ you *_ARE_* killing people. You're just not taking them out right where they stand.

    • @divinedemonj
      @divinedemonj 6 місяців тому +12

      And to make it worse, it indirectly cheapened the stakes of the first season by making the horror of the deaths of the characters emotionally hypothetical. A nightmare we can conveniently forget because its just a mere gameshow, right?
      Now I am imagining Arnold Scharzeneggar hosting a reality tv version of the Running Man.

    • @petiteguignol
      @petiteguignol 6 місяців тому +3

      @@divinedemonj It happened. It was called American Gladiators

    • @bluesoman
      @bluesoman 6 місяців тому +8

      They always start from pure evil and dial it back until it is palatable. They don't start from a place of good and corrupt it.

  • @final_catalyst
    @final_catalyst 6 місяців тому +118

    278 really ends up being a perfect example of the gutting of social systems. especially pensions, those that benefit and move through it turn around when they are safe/no longer immediately benefiting and say well this isn't needed anymore

    • @dowman5
      @dowman5 6 місяців тому +20

      ​@Joe-sg9ll Highlighting 278's selfishness isn't racist, just because she's a black woman. She openly dismissed a plan that actually benefitted her when compared to how the original Squid Game characters handled the glass bridge game. In fact, she got off lucky compared to Doek-su, who attempted the same strategy in the original series, but it backfired on him.
      Although I do acknowledge that some subtle racial dynamics were present within the wider game, that wasn't the case with the glass bridge game.

    • @dowman5
      @dowman5 6 місяців тому +7

      @Joe-sg9ll So you're not going to at least try to address my counter argument, and choose to still dismiss the criticisms on player 278 as racist, even though they weren't?
      Have fun with that, buddy.

    • @Noondroid
      @Noondroid 6 місяців тому +5

      278's later elimination was the best part of the show

  • @michaeltonus3888
    @michaeltonus3888 6 місяців тому +70

    Squid Game: People's ability for empathy and solidarity is constrained by their material conditions.
    Squid Game The Challenge: People's ability for empathy and solidarity is constrained by their material conditions! :D

    • @martinalfaro4427
      @martinalfaro4427 6 місяців тому +10

      This reminds me a lot of the quote from parasite: They’re not rich because they’re nice, they’re nice because they’re rich.

  • @yousifnash5378
    @yousifnash5378 6 місяців тому +73

    I'm my own employer, so I'm stealing time from myself watching this video. TAKE THAT ME!

    • @yoonahkang7384
      @yoonahkang7384 6 місяців тому +1

      You are self exploiting . Same here

    • @sinnsage
      @sinnsage 6 місяців тому

      Same

  • @pyrothelostone
    @pyrothelostone 6 місяців тому +25

    With Takeshi's Castle coming back, theres something ive noticed about it while watching, the contestants on that show arent competing against each other, they are acting as an army working together to attack Takeshi's Castle, and the atmosphere on that show is so much happier than any other show of a similar style. Everyone cheers on each other, people have fun even when they lose. Theres something special there, and i think the fact its not a competition between the participants has a big part to play in that.

  • @ctomsky
    @ctomsky 6 місяців тому +55

    "Our show isn't about debt! It's about fake philanthropy disguising how rich we're getting from your suffering! I mean, opportunity!"

  • @ariesmry
    @ariesmry 6 місяців тому +118

    They were able to make a reality tv squid game show and it be wildly popular because we live in a dystopia.

    • @SomeRandomDevOpsGuy
      @SomeRandomDevOpsGuy 6 місяців тому +5

      While many people watched it, sounds like most (including me) hated it. Curious how the viewership goes for ssn 2. Whole thing just felt forced, staged, and scripted. Not onenof the contestants talked about how excited they were to be on the show. First time the staff appeared, not one person cheered. Sections that were filmed over hours were edited to look like a 5 minute timer. Then the “deaths” when shot with the paintballs… don’t get me started. I’m a huge survivor fan and even so I couldn’t stand squid game the challenge. Yet, all that and I was counted as one of the viewers.

  • @danielsantiagourtado3430
    @danielsantiagourtado3430 6 місяців тому +195

    Boss makes dollar, we make a dime. Watching wisecrack while sick. Always helps

    • @Frizzleman
      @Frizzleman 6 місяців тому +10

      Currently watching wise crack on company time

    • @TheBeelzboss
      @TheBeelzboss 6 місяців тому +4

      Oh it is way worse than a dollar to a dime, penny might still be generous...

    • @esztiszep6334
      @esztiszep6334 6 місяців тому +4

      Boss makes a dollar I make a dime. Watching this right now on company time 😂

  • @Bob-jn8jt
    @Bob-jn8jt 6 місяців тому +48

    People really missed the point of the original show.
    Crazy how life imitates art and art imitates life. Allegory turned parody within a parody.

  • @TheCalifornianeskimo
    @TheCalifornianeskimo 6 місяців тому +75

    It never ceases to amaze me how hard the points get missed on so many things like this

  • @DrSardonicus
    @DrSardonicus 6 місяців тому +40

    The poor Star Wars analogy they attempted; "the possibility of deriving further stories from it." The better analogy would be if the producers went ahead and **created** an evil empire, then filmed them exploiting their subjugates for entertainment purposes.
    They didn't just "take a small aspect" of the idea. They re-created it (without the dying but still the suffering). That's the difference.

    • @softwaifu
      @softwaifu 6 місяців тому +1

      Bro the star wars franchise has absolutely been coopted and reinterpreted from its original anti-imperial, Vietnam Era values. Please.

  • @parkerhahaha
    @parkerhahaha 6 місяців тому +38

    Altruism exists in many non human species and the crutch of calling selfishness “animalistic” is routed in a narrow view of who has the capacity to care for others. This view and resulted in unimaginable suffering for other animals with the capacity for compassion

  • @jeffreyquizon509
    @jeffreyquizon509 6 місяців тому +6

    Its so interesting how everyone had amnesia to Ashley not doing her part except Mai and they didnt want to turn on her and turned on Mai when she stood up to Ashley in the next game

  • @damienkeane6048
    @damienkeane6048 6 місяців тому +329

    That was horrible, selfish and stupid by player 278. I was glad when she got eliminated eventually.

    • @libertyadams5961
      @libertyadams5961 6 місяців тому +74

      Exactly! The plan literally benefited her (as a lower number) and she was still stupid enough to not go with it...If she was a higher number I can get why she'd e annoyed or hesitant, but bruh, the plan is made to give people like YOU a better chance! ) one 50/50 jump vs 10+ when you're inevitably first in line

    • @ambraosadiaye1639
      @ambraosadiaye1639 6 місяців тому +2

      Fr

    • @giovani6230
      @giovani6230 6 місяців тому +67

      They should’ve made her finish the game without any help. And then she has the nerve to act like a “team player” after

    • @leemeyers5335
      @leemeyers5335 6 місяців тому +32

      That's interesting too because I think that's the one thing that DOES change the context of the show vs the reality-show which I think @wisecrack missed (respectfully). The original, fictional Squid Games wasn't being filmed (at least not on a global scale), where all of the contestants in the context of this show know they are 1. Going to make it out alive and 2. Going to be on T.V... If you want it to be true allegory for how people behave under capitalism, I think it would be truer if they didn't die AND it wasn't broadcasted, perhaps in more of a scientific research-like environment. The group of people deciding to work together may have been influenced by the potential public shaming they would have to endure. It could be some people decided that losing publicly would be better than winning shamefully, which you would likely, eventually, have to endure unless you are RIDICULOUSLY LUCKY. Cameras off though, let's see what happens. And you could argue many of our workplaces do have cameras, but many know how to avoid scrutiny and fly under the radar, and no one is "constantly" watching us in a Trueman show kind of way; it's just not the same as being on a reality T.V. show and how that would influence people.

    • @JasonX909
      @JasonX909 6 місяців тому +21

      Why did noone push her? That's my question

  • @juliacoves5873
    @juliacoves5873 6 місяців тому +128

    Being in a union really helps with the competitive nature of work. Its one of the reasons I love being in a union. You get promoted based on very specific things and you have to apply for a promotion instead of waiting for your manager to consider promoting you. I prefer this method because it doesn't incentivise us to throw each other under the bus, and incentivises us to work together. This is really important in my line of work (urban planning). Its very interesting also because there is a private sector of urban planning and you can see huge differences in the work environment between us in the public sector with a union and those in the private sector without one. The private sector has been experiencing a huge talent drain to the public sector for this reason, especially the intermediate levels of positions.edit - this is in Canada, I can't speak to the American urban planning job situation

  • @k31than
    @k31than 6 місяців тому +65

    @13:19 Man, I remember watching this episode. I hated that girl so much. And to add insult to injury, the Asian lady, Mai, ended up being the villain [to everyone's eyes] afterwards for attempting to give that dude justice and that girl some karma.

    • @jenniferw7928
      @jenniferw7928 6 місяців тому

      What did Mai do?

    • @k31than
      @k31than 6 місяців тому +10

      @@jenniferw7928She tried to get the girl eliminated in the next game despite the fact that everyone just agreed not to put anyone else at risk of elimination except for themselves (which is ironic in a way because that is exactly what the girl refused to do in the above clip). But anyway, it was a game of chance and it didn't go the way Mai hoped for.

    • @jenniferw7928
      @jenniferw7928 6 місяців тому

      @@k31than thanks! I don't want to watch the show, but that psychology is interesting

  • @nightfuryrevenge1825
    @nightfuryrevenge1825 6 місяців тому +189

    I think it’s interesting that the original show the audience was the wealthy, while the reality show version the audience is presumably the middle class. When the wealthy exploit us for their entertainment it clear. When we exploit those under us for comfort there’s a disconnect. In our small privilege, it is easy to watch human misery on a screen and rejoice “I’m so glad it’s not me, and even if it was me, I’d be the one who wins” it’s reinforcement of American Exceptionalism and evident that more deconstruction of colonialism must be performed.

    • @Ultralined
      @Ultralined 6 місяців тому +3

      Meanwhile survivor has had God knows how many seasons and people don't bat an eyeeee.

    • @AnonymousAnarchist2
      @AnonymousAnarchist2 6 місяців тому +8

      ​@@UltralinedI litterally protested season 2. In person. with other people.
      Pretty sure those protests are still ongoing.
      Welcome to the side where we care about humanity first and dollars second.

    • @mhawang8204
      @mhawang8204 6 місяців тому +1

      This deserves more likes 👍

    • @kyleferguson4236
      @kyleferguson4236 6 місяців тому +2

      Idk I think they totally missed out by not allowing the viewers to gamble on who won, and instead of all the stupid ass interviews trying to make the contestants relatable THAT I SKIPPED BECAUSE THEY WERE SO CORNY, the could have used that air time to go over the standing and set up the new bets for the next round. THAT would have made for clever tv

    • @bugjams
      @bugjams 6 місяців тому

      While I agree with all your points - I'm not sure the "I'm glad it's not me, and if it was, I'd still win" has anything to do with Americans or colonialism specifically. That just sounds like basic human instincts to me. Of _course_ you'd be glad it wasn't you, and of _course_ you'd lie to yourself and imagine yourself winning if it was. Interestingly, studies have found that people generally want to stay alive. Even the most empathetic and saintly people will push others in front of a train if it means saving themselves. The fear of death is an insanely powerful motivator, which is why we're all still here.

  • @dabluflcn
    @dabluflcn 6 місяців тому +65

    People often take away the wrong message from dystopian media. Bladerunner is a great movie and I love me some Cyberpunk dystopian hell but when I look at where we're going with things like generative AI and automation I'm reminded: I don't want to live in that universe.

    • @Frizzleman
      @Frizzleman 6 місяців тому +17

      It’s important to remember that movies like blade runner or squid games are not necessarily glimpses into our possible future but representations of the modern world. 1984 was famously written about contemporary society in Britain in 1948 but people missed the message of that book and assumed it was about a possible future.

  • @SOURCEw00t
    @SOURCEw00t 6 місяців тому +50

    This is a perfect example of how in King of the Nerds season 1, when one girl Celeste won in the final round verse Genevieve. Even though fairly Genevieve should have won the finals because she did the most, somehow Celeste, who did nothing, won because it came down to a vote from everyone who had already lost. Somehow, everyone forgot how hard Genevieve worked to get there and yet still gave Celeste the victory undeservingly.

    • @KidKingdomHearts
      @KidKingdomHearts 6 місяців тому +11

      This is why I don’t watch “Big Brother” or any show that gives the losers a chance to sway the ending.
      Whether is be the season Paul lost Big Brother to Nicole, or the season of the challenge Johnny Bananas decided to take the entire pool of money for himself in front of Sarah’s face-these shows have truly taught me the horror money has over people

  • @Birthday1313
    @Birthday1313 6 місяців тому +136

    Currently dealing with an Ex-Employer who owes me not only 2 weeks pay in lieu of notice, but also 68 hours of pay. Then they actively tried to fight EI so I would go homeless before Christmas because they didn't want to get fined... also there is currently a Human Rights case open on them and the Union going after them. This all over me submitting my accommodation request they asked me to do.

    • @christiandauz3742
      @christiandauz3742 6 місяців тому

      Get Anonymous to hack them
      In exchange for donating to Ukraine

    • @boneappletee6416
      @boneappletee6416 6 місяців тому +4

      Unfortunately, they only wanted you to submit that accomodation request as it was (I'm assuming?) required of them - but they definitely didn't want that request to cause them any effort.

    • @SageWon-1aussie
      @SageWon-1aussie 6 місяців тому +2

      I guess they were checking to see who was prepared to be the most dishonest for their benefit heya.

    • @ali773n
      @ali773n 6 місяців тому

      In something similar. Fired me over nothing.

  • @andgainingspeed
    @andgainingspeed 6 місяців тому +52

    The reference to school debt reminded me Michael paid $15K for improv classes. I'm starting to wonder if that investment is paying more dividends than his other classes and/or degrees. 🤔

    • @DefnitelyNotFred
      @DefnitelyNotFred 6 місяців тому +1

      ​@@Joe-sg9lla mindset people enter voluntarily? Can't you imagine a reality where people born before you and with way more power devised a system where you were a slave throughout your life in the hopes of somehow achieving that same status? Playing into that system is not a choice for you, you don't have a say

  • @SinnocencePlays
    @SinnocencePlays 6 місяців тому +73

    Boss makes a dollar, I make a dime; I’m watching Wisecrack on company time. ;)

    • @WisecrackEDU
      @WisecrackEDU  6 місяців тому +17

      You're also a poet

    • @danielsantiagourtado3430
      @danielsantiagourtado3430 6 місяців тому

      ​@@WisecrackEDU🎉🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤❤

    • @Leopoldshark
      @Leopoldshark 6 місяців тому +7

      Boss makes a dollar, I make a cent
      Watching Wisecrack at work is time well spent

    • @SageWon-1aussie
      @SageWon-1aussie 6 місяців тому

      ​@@WisecrackEDU i like to imagine how angry these people would be if someone stole their phone.

    • @thisdudegotreal
      @thisdudegotreal 6 місяців тому

      Based

  • @funtechu
    @funtechu 6 місяців тому +21

    Debt actually pre-dates almost all forms of modern economies, even predating barter societies. It is more fundamental than capital, coinage, or barter. The book Debt: The First 5000 Years by David Graeber is a fascinating read, and definitely a must-read if you are still under the misconception that debt is a modern invention.

    • @mooreanonumbers
      @mooreanonumbers 4 місяці тому +1

      This, I came for BS jobs, but the rest of Graeber's bibliography is what really changed my worldviews.

  • @Fleshdeficiency
    @Fleshdeficiency 6 місяців тому +11

    My boss makes a dollar when I make a dime, so I watch wisecrack on the company time! 😤

  • @BrutalSnuggles
    @BrutalSnuggles 6 місяців тому +6

    I can't steal from my employer, they steal from me every hour so this is just getting some of my time back

  • @IAmNumber4000
    @IAmNumber4000 6 місяців тому +65

    How are most people so unable to grasp critiques of capitalism??
    I thought it was relatively common knowledge that "money is the root of all evil" and that greed shapes the structure of society in unfavorable ways, but people see a show like Squid Game and all they think is "wow cool gameshow"??
    What is wrong with people?!

    • @nicoledempsey3415
      @nicoledempsey3415 6 місяців тому +16

      Because no one is poor, they're just future billionaires

    • @brendanmcculloch2406
      @brendanmcculloch2406 6 місяців тому +5

      a major part is cognitive dissonance that the "pinnacle of human ingenuity" could even BE critiqued

    • @Bojoschannel
      @Bojoschannel 6 місяців тому +9

      Being poured propaganda since birth has made most of us see capitalism as the "natural state of things", as common sense and something as essential as the air we breathe. Couple that with the exhaustion prevalent among everyone, the worsening living conditions and the unavailability for time for thinking and reflecting plus the desperation of making a living and most people just can't even comprehend a capitalist critique, at best they could say: "yes, it sucks, but that's the way things are"...

    • @septanine5936
      @septanine5936 6 місяців тому +2

      Most people I've talked to don't like capitalism, but can't imagine or believe in anything besides it. they think it's the only way, the natural order, that anything else is impossible. many think it's part of human nature, because they've been told so, by capitalists. Also, I think many would rather not actually think about critiquing capitalism, because to do so they'd likely have to acknowledge their own role in it, that they too seek to capitalize.

    • @mhawang8204
      @mhawang8204 6 місяців тому

      @@septanine5936 On a shallow level, people are also fed the idea that socialism = communism = authoritarianism = China or whatever the boogeyman of the era is. Like capitalism sucks but it’s still better than anything else.

  • @darkfirestar
    @darkfirestar 6 місяців тому +28

    2:00 As someone who was hit by a car and permanently messed up but not too messed up, I can tell you it's not worth it. The amount of people I've lost over the years versus the amount I got didn't make up for it. Now I'm just broken alone and mostly broke anyway because I can't work XD

  • @jaredsummers1846
    @jaredsummers1846 6 місяців тому +7

    BEEF with Stephen Yeun and Ali Wong was just as good too! 👍

  • @benscharlin
    @benscharlin 6 місяців тому +7

    The winner of the whole thing, Mai I think her name was, was the only player after the bridge injustice occurred, that tried to get justice against the player that refused to play by the groups agreed upon rules, which resulted in the demise of a trustworthy player. But instead of being hailed as a hero for trying to eliminate a villain, Mai was persecuted herself as being untrustworthy, and people worked hard to eliminate her even though she was in the right. Your point about collective amnesia. Didn’t they all see that Mai just wanted justice? Nope, they all “forgot” what occurred, persecuted a just person, and defended the unjust perpetrator. Mai won the whole game in the end. Karma??? I think so. Can we discuss the concept of karma since that was basically the result of the show?

  • @gregorynuttall
    @gregorynuttall 6 місяців тому +21

    The society of the spectacle at it's finest 👌. Capitalism just consumes it's own critique, and sells it.

  • @Talmadge33
    @Talmadge33 6 місяців тому +21

    I think turning squid game into an actual game is really interesting. It doesn’t miss the point anymore than Family Feud or Wheel of Fortune does. But with squid game, we get a great social experiment. The best was when folks would lose and say how much it sucked to lose because of a game of chance….but THAT’S the point. The entire thing was a game of chance. Ppl who progressed further thought they were playing better than others, but in reality, it was always a game of luck. Not speed, not skill, not strength, just luck.

    • @Shay416
      @Shay416 6 місяців тому +2

      Ding ding ding. It's also amazing that they blew past the fact that Squid Games really hit with an American audience, the most individualistic society in the western world 😂

  • @kirbymarchbarcena
    @kirbymarchbarcena 6 місяців тому +7

    I'm sure the writer/creator, Hwang, already expected this to happen. The viewers got entertained, Netflix increased viewerships, critics had lots to say, and all of them knows Hwang's point...but never cared at the end.

  • @the_Fisher_King
    @the_Fisher_King 6 місяців тому +13

    Prime example that capitalism recuperates everything even the stuff that is supposed to oppose it. Reminds me a lot about mark fishers writing on Kurt Cobain, that no matter what he did , he was always commercialized, always exploited.

  • @alexeyman7301
    @alexeyman7301 6 місяців тому +9

    SIR, YOU DO NOT NEED TO CALL ME OUT FOR WATCHING THIS AT WORK LIKE THAT
    I literally laughed out loud so hard a coworker asked me what I was doing so I had to make up a funny memory about my dog.
    That said, i can listen to whatever i want while I type up my documents...especially if i need to take a break from staring at my computer screen, to stare at my phone screen, and watch a video about you encouraging me to watch your videos while on the clock.

  • @jmeals1
    @jmeals1 6 місяців тому +4

    Constantly stealing time at work to watch wisecrack.

  • @MangoPrism
    @MangoPrism 6 місяців тому +5

    My dad has had to fire people before and you can really tell when he does cause when he gets home he is totally and utterly drained. It’s noticeable that he is aware of the consequences of being fired, but he has no other choice. He has brought up the ethics of firing people several times at dinner cause it just crushes him to realize he has to do this to someone. It’s crushing to see that nobody wins here even if we’re tearing ourselves apart

  • @333matt333CHII
    @333matt333CHII 6 місяців тому +6

    Literally had some layoffs at our company yesterday, and my first thought was that it felt like we were in squid games. Because suddenly several of my co-workers were basically eliminated before an all-employee meeting letting us know.

  • @damientonkin
    @damientonkin 6 місяців тому +5

    It reminds me of how soldiers have to be taught to dehumanise the enemy in order to reliably be able to kill them.
    I mean in game design there's the magic circle concept where the rules of real life are suspended and replaced by the rules of the game but that only really works in games where there aren't tangible consequences outside the game, like in Russian roulette.

  • @danielmikula1375
    @danielmikula1375 6 місяців тому +3

    I can't wait for Netflix to release the new "Do Not Create the Torment Nexus" series where they create the Torment Nexus.

  • @benbuchanan3673
    @benbuchanan3673 6 місяців тому +4

    About the bridge scene: the odds are probably not 1/2 but just a function of which logics the producers want to reward or discourage. The sinister reality of this kind of programming is that the narrative and the appropriate logics are predetermined by production.

    • @Shay416
      @Shay416 6 місяців тому

      Chance optimized by power...I like how regardless of the entertainment factor, a lot of people are thinking critically.

    • @bugjams
      @bugjams 6 місяців тому +1

      That's a good point. The floors don't break like in the show, they're controlled by someone... that person could've wrote down beforehand which plates are "fragile" and just gone with that, or not. We don't know.

  • @TheSquirrelChaser
    @TheSquirrelChaser 6 місяців тому +61

    Was 10/10 disappointed that they didn't actually execute the losers. Very sad. I mean, yeah watching desperate people become sad when they don't win the money is fun and all, but what about authenticity? Ready to see someone next season that needs to rebuild their lives after losing it all to Masterworks.

  • @danielsantiagourtado3430
    @danielsantiagourtado3430 6 місяців тому +8

    Congrats on over 1000 videos on a week! You all grinded🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

  • @element_119
    @element_119 6 місяців тому +6

    Work stealer here, thanks for making such good videos to watch on company time!

  • @eshna2012
    @eshna2012 6 місяців тому +13

    Thanks for introducing me to the Ruskin quote about being ruled by idiots - definitely spreading that one around. ✌️💥

  • @tsuki_ryuu
    @tsuki_ryuu 6 місяців тому +19

    This video, and if one is made on another UA-cam channel, is as close as I will get to watching the Squid Game Challenge. I can’t help but think about the rich guys rooting and betting on their favorites in the original when it comes to the thought of watching the reality version. But reality tv and competitions tend to make me uncomfortable anyway, something like a modern day carnival sideshows to gawk at.

  • @justinrivera1618
    @justinrivera1618 6 місяців тому +4

    I’m not surprised that the bridge strategy fell through the way it did. Anytime you ask a large group of individuals to sacrifice their individuality for someone else to benefit from the thing that they themselves are here for is asking for failure. If I lose, I don’t get a second chance at the game which means that my incentive to win Vastly increases, so why am I taking the L and going home just so that somebody who is all the way at the back of the line can benefit from all the sacrifices

    • @dowman5
      @dowman5 6 місяців тому

      The bridge plan still worked on some level. After that part shown in the video, everyone else resumed with the plan and skipped over 287, since they couldn't find a way to punish her without worsening their chances to win.
      As it turned out, a surprising number of contestants survived, compared to Squid Game itself. Of the 20 who entered, 12 of them won. In Squid Game itself, the 16 who entered reduced to 3 by the end.

  • @TeamSoraPresents
    @TeamSoraPresents 6 місяців тому +7

    Don't you love it when a massive conglomerate or TV network adapts a popular story or idea in a way that completely misses the point of the original because that original point was anti-capitalism?

  • @joshua-we9xr
    @joshua-we9xr 6 місяців тому +4

    This video was great! You sure are a lucky duck to be able to make such quality work! 😜

  • @successobasi2673
    @successobasi2673 5 місяців тому

    The most insightful yet humorous video I've watched on this platform.

  • @Fr00ter
    @Fr00ter 6 місяців тому +2

    Yo dude, your face and beard + that charming mouth movement when you're smiling cheekily - good stuff 🔥

  • @alexeyman7301
    @alexeyman7301 6 місяців тому +2

    Also, if you start selling those aquarium drunkard hats youd better make an ad about it cause i need one

  • @michaelpineiro533
    @michaelpineiro533 6 місяців тому +4

    I didn't learn all this from Maurizio Lazzarato, I learned it from working in debt collection. I'll work hospice again before I do debt collection, less psychic damage to my soul.

  • @MegaKootz
    @MegaKootz 6 місяців тому +5

    Humanity has never been afraid to humiliate itself.

    • @Keasarr
      @Keasarr 6 місяців тому

      No, the upper class has never been afraid to humiliate the lower classes for their entertainment on top of the exploitation of that lower class for their enrichment. The lower classes of humanity doesn't really have much of a choice but humiliation in the face of starvation and homelessness when living in a capitalist society. The very first person exhibited in the video is a woman talking about absolving herself from the shackle of debt, that's wanting to get out of those shackles and into freedom.
      There are billions of her out there. And the anger in all of them is going to get harder to placate for the upper class every day that passes.

  • @Tera_B_Twilight
    @Tera_B_Twilight 6 місяців тому +9

    I'm really not wired for competition. I accidentally caused a 33% layoff in my place of employment. At the time I was just looking for ways to make our lives better at the office, creating and refining systems we worked with to prevent errors and speed up our production to match (and exceed, I guess) demand. When the layoff occurred it really baked my noodle. I got really depressed, especially as the office culture afterward was totally changed. It was like we went from being a team to being individuals, each hyper-focused on our own survival. I think only one other person in our office kept their integrity through the change.
    I'm glad I left when I did.

    • @phoenix5054
      @phoenix5054 6 місяців тому

      Respect. I would give you a raise and find ways to utilize excess labor if I were the boss, but I guess your company would rather cut costs.

  • @watertribelife1280
    @watertribelife1280 6 місяців тому +5

    As someone who got laid off from his dream art job before christmas after being given tons and TONS of overtime work that I had to make magic happen by working nights and weekends. I needa know for real, if my manager felt bad at all about that. Cause man I could never do it to someone else.

    • @Shay416
      @Shay416 6 місяців тому +1

      In a capitalistic society. They view it as either you or them. They may "feel" bad but they wouldn't change anything...

  • @bensnow421
    @bensnow421 6 місяців тому +4

    As someone who has had to fire someone, it always sucks. Even if you actually dislike the person it sucks to know that you are putting them out of a job. Had someone who just didn’t work when clocked in, had to term them because it was affecting everyone else. Still sucked.

  • @cedarmay4245
    @cedarmay4245 6 місяців тому +14

    There’s literally no reason why this should exist, it goes against the creators vision and the series’ message . Knowing that the behind the scenes were worse than the torture on screen and as someone who hasn’t watched because i genuinely can’t stomach it I don’t understand why someone would.

  • @SparkpadArt
    @SparkpadArt 6 місяців тому +11

    The fact that Squid Game inspired a reality show only proves the point of the original series.

  • @benjaminblue4187
    @benjaminblue4187 6 місяців тому

    I found this episode very informative, interesting, and engaging. Really good video. Thank you.

  • @nicolebogda1482
    @nicolebogda1482 6 місяців тому +3

    I always listen to this show at work😂 Keeps me sane😊

  • @tyvuong4314
    @tyvuong4314 6 місяців тому +1

    Excellent show an excellent perspective.
    I consistently take this approach every time I have to interact with somebody who is at work. They are a person they have a job they are doing things that are expected of them; and maybe just maybe they are prioritizing their work over the interaction they are having with me. So I must be patient, be understanding, be respectful, and continue to show them love as a person and not as an employee.

  • @T_Dot94
    @T_Dot94 6 місяців тому

    This was a great video. I needed this.

  • @danielsantiagourtado3430
    @danielsantiagourtado3430 6 місяців тому +3

    Love You Wisecrack ❤❤❤❤

  • @Geblawi
    @Geblawi 6 місяців тому +3

    *Debt* is a U.S. thing-not something common in other parts of the world (e.g., Europe, the Maghreb).

    • @XsweetstarliteX
      @XsweetstarliteX 6 місяців тому +1

      We have debt in Europe 😂 But with the ability to pay off the debt, and regulations to make lending a bit less predatory. So if a person can’t pay off their debt…it isn’t the end of the world…they’ll create payment plans, affordable paths or just write it off (depending on the size of the debt). Also, in some european countries you can get government assistance to pay off some of your debt if you are unable. Social democracy and what not.

    • @michellearzu1265
      @michellearzu1265 6 місяців тому +3

      Also, the original show was in Korea, where they sure have a huge debt problem, judging by other Korean dramas 😮

  • @ericad8412
    @ericad8412 6 місяців тому +3

    To be fair this was the most social commentary ive seen and i realize how unfair the circumstances are the debt ceiling climbs higher by the day even the government overspend and the rich continue to get richer

  • @TruCentrinoTech
    @TruCentrinoTech 6 місяців тому +1

    7:01 Did he just encourage me to get fired? 😂
    Also, that first interview is a built-in advertisement for future auditions, desperation is an effective marketing strategy.

  • @Roshiyu
    @Roshiyu 6 місяців тому

    Watching this at work right now. :D

  • @WhenIsItUs
    @WhenIsItUs 6 місяців тому +1

    Thank you for doing this. Now I am not the only official buzzkill for spouting this to the people around me who started watching this show. Still a buzz kill, but I'm not alone anymore!!!!😂😂

  • @JediMcPimp
    @JediMcPimp 6 місяців тому

    Yeah, totally watching this while working from home!! Getting paid to watch Wisecrack.

  • @Josh123benja
    @Josh123benja 6 місяців тому

    I'm watching this at work! The water heater broke and so we cannot sell coffee or food, but my boss at the coffee shop where I make minimum wage said that we have to stay. There are no customers but I don't want to leave early because I can't afford to miss the hours, so I'll sit here and watch as many wisecrack videos as I can

  • @reeandtee
    @reeandtee 6 місяців тому

    It was great to hear you say we should watch your videos at work, as I'm currently watching from my work desktop. Very meta. Very freeing.

  • @toranslyther1658
    @toranslyther1658 6 місяців тому

    Almost an hour into my shift and continuing the tradition of watching on the clock! (Sometimes I can’t wait till I get to work though)

  • @danielsantiagourtado3430
    @danielsantiagourtado3430 6 місяців тому +2

    "All of you are very smart"
    Thanks guys! You too😊😊😊❤❤❤❤

  • @gavinokeeffe598
    @gavinokeeffe598 6 місяців тому +2

    Love the content very wholesome 10/10

  • @tuckervb
    @tuckervb 6 місяців тому +4

    I almost exclusively watch this channel at work. I love getting laid to watch you guys.

    • @WisecrackEDU
      @WisecrackEDU  6 місяців тому +2

      getting laid rules.

    • @tattltal
      @tattltal 6 місяців тому

      Here’s to getting laid! 🎉

  • @toxicfox4111
    @toxicfox4111 6 місяців тому

    I am at work watching your videos. 😂

  • @nathanbrady8529
    @nathanbrady8529 6 місяців тому +1

    I've come to the realization that the people at the top, who are sitting on piles of money they don't know what to do with, genuinely believe the rest of us are sitting on piles of money we don't know what to do with.

  • @WilliamCarterII
    @WilliamCarterII 6 місяців тому

    I'm watching this at my IT job. This is more important than my security audit and patch testing.

  • @jamesvanniekerk6061
    @jamesvanniekerk6061 28 днів тому

    Me watching Wisecrack videos at work: "It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it"

  • @awedfzsdvgdxfgh
    @awedfzsdvgdxfgh 6 місяців тому

    I love getting paid to watch wisecrack. It's like my 5th favorite thing to do xD

  • @JohnSmith-ty4yt
    @JohnSmith-ty4yt 6 місяців тому +1

    I often watch at work, even though we aren't on the same page most of the time, I appreciate the videos. Been waiting on an Atlanta Compromise video since the Get Out release, might disagree but I'd still appreciate it.

  • @jagermanjensen1
    @jagermanjensen1 6 місяців тому +2

    I would’ve been the only player yelling “fuck you” to 278

  • @dani3po
    @dani3po 6 місяців тому +2

    Winning a lot of money won't solve your gambling addiction problem. It will simply buy you some more time.

  • @PalmelaHanderson
    @PalmelaHanderson 6 місяців тому +1

    "we might throw our coworker under the bus to have a better chance at getting a raise." - HA! As if people ever actually get raises.

  • @VanessaChats
    @VanessaChats 6 місяців тому

    The Challenge is the reason why I gave Squid Game the series a watch. I had pre judged it prior to The Challenge. The Challenge had me curious about the series and once I watched the series it actually made The Challenge a lot more interesting IMO.

  • @MstrCorrin
    @MstrCorrin 6 місяців тому +4

    In the gameshow there are other forces influencing and constraining behavior that there wouldn't have been in the abstract. If the next person who she demanded overtake her instead pushed her onto the next panel, and the next if she survived etc, that would establish a form of justice system for those who break the agreements in the future. But that would also be assault captured on half a dozen cameras in front of a bunch of witnesses - not worth winning a gameshow competition, so they don't do it. People in an isolated situation left to form even the most bare bones 'government' for themselves would make different decisions.

  • @R3TR0J4N
    @R3TR0J4N 6 місяців тому +3

    The thought of a Korean entertainment dystopia being able to produce great melodramas.

  • @TPNYC
    @TPNYC 6 місяців тому +1

    Maybe nothing serious, but certainly adjacent, Ursula K. LeGuin's "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas" is a story about people who cannot endure the horror underlying their perfect society.

  • @anchorsawiegh669
    @anchorsawiegh669 6 місяців тому

    thanks for the shout out! I miss her sometimes

  • @edwinurbina7843
    @edwinurbina7843 6 місяців тому

    Thanks for being awesome Michael!

  • @specterowl1440
    @specterowl1440 6 місяців тому +2

    In dantes inferno. The greed circle of hell is filled with people pushing heavy burdens of their own wealth in the shape of ball's around a hellscape. While competitively pushing and slamming it into others and shouting 'why do you hoard?'. Projections of jeolousy over and over for eternity

  • @AbqDez
    @AbqDez 6 місяців тому

    @ 17:10. I wonder about how we collectively forgot the Hell of "Spanish Flu" until COVID came along and we needed to remember how to survive.

  • @TheWorld-MyOyster
    @TheWorld-MyOyster 6 місяців тому +3

    Watching during work 🙋‍♀️ man, it feels great getting paid to do what you want! 😂

    • @WisecrackEDU
      @WisecrackEDU  6 місяців тому +1

      Wish you could get a bonus.

    • @TheWorld-MyOyster
      @TheWorld-MyOyster 5 місяців тому

      @@WisecrackEDU From your mouth to my manager’s ears man 🙏😂