Here are two of my favorite scenes from the Netflix hit Squid Game, when trying to analyze the show from a Marxist perspective.
Spoilers for episode 2
spoiler
The ending of the episode, when everyone returned to the island. I think this was a great scene to highlight the sham of bourgeois democracy. At the start of the episode, the contestants democratically voted to leave the horrible murder game. But when they come back home they realize that they are actually not any better off since all of them are poor and destitute, in massive debt. So it's actually preferable to them to return the game since they have a chance to win the billion Won price and make their life better.
They all had to "freedom" to leave the game but it turns out if your material conditions are so bad, it's not actually "freedom" at all. You are forced to participate in the system, just like capitalism. Any chance to vote democratically is just an illusion, no matter what you vote for, the underlying system won't bring any actual benefit to you.
Spoilers for episode 3
spoiler
The scene when they are doing the honeycomb game and one of the contestants snaps and holds the guard at gunpoint. Then he yells "What kind of sick game is this? Why do some get an easy shape when others are stuck with difficult ones?"
I thought this was a great line because it sums up how unfair the competition in a capitalist system actually is. Some people are more privileged than others. Your social class, nationality, gender, etc. determinates how easy it's for you to advance in society.
Born in a family of bankers? You'll probably get a cushy job in your dad's company and don't have to work a day in your life. Born in a working-class family? You'll probably have to work grueling hours in a demanding job just to get by.
Just like the contestants had to select the shape without knowing in advance what their task is, the privileges you get in life are determined entirely by chance.
Anyway, I'm not very well versed in Marxist theory so it's possible I misunderstood some of this stuff.
If you haven't watched Squid Game yet, I can highly recommend it. It's cool to see so clear anti-capitalist rhetoric in a major TV show. In addition to having a deep meaning (which many libs will no doubt miss), the show is also really entertaining with impressive and tense action scenes.
Yep. The guards imo represent police/military/management who are not capitalists, but enforce capitalism.