Essay

Why Do The Games in Squid Game S2 Show Real-Life Struggles
Many people have been anxiously awaiting the second season of Squid Game, the most-watched show on Netflix. To win prizes in the first season, players had to compete in several lethal kid-friendly games. The upcoming season, which is also expected to break yet another Netflix record, delves deeper into the limitations and economic background of the surrealistic games. Green light, red light. When the song starts, move forward; when it ends, freeze. It's a fairly easy game. Or is it that moving after the music has stopped carries a death sentence? It was clear from the first season that Squid Game allegorizes the horrors of capitalism through kid-friendly games. Three years later, the second season of arguably the most significant television program of our time advances its adamantly anti-capitalist theme. It accomplishes this by exposing the illusion of "choice" in a system threatening to starve the great majority. In this article, I dive deeper into the dystopian nuances of capitalism and the illusion of choice that stir up scenarios very similar to reality.
By Hridya Sharmaabout a year ago in Critique
Liberty and Justice for SOME
Well, the moment has finally come, a moment we knew would come since November 5th, 2024 a date that will assuredly live in infamy. A date that if studied by historians centuries in the future will surely be sighted as the date that irrevocably changed the course of the country once known as the United States of America. A country that to be honest never fully stood for liberty and justice for all, a more accurate description would be "Liberty and Justice for SOME." This distinction is important as even at the country's founding many of the leaders owned slaves and felt there was nothing wrong with owning slaves while also ascribing to the mantra of so-called "liberty and justice for all." Furthermore, this distinction is important to points that I shall be making in the rest of this piece about how we got here. Some who are more idealistic than me may feel that Trump becoming president a second time is some major failure and a sign of how far we as a country have fallen, but I think that if we step back and take a look at the past we shall see how in another way, perhaps we've simply gone back to the beginning. I will endeavor to explain why to the best of my poor ability.
By ChampionElCidabout a year ago in Critique
JOKER A Neurodiverse Analysis. Content Warning.
Introduction Directed by Tod Philips, who earned three Academy Award nominations thanks to this film, Joker has gained much fame, criticism, and honors. Joaquin Phoenix, received several Oscars and accreditations based on this particular movie, and it is one of the top-rated movies on IMDb. This essay takes insights as to the ways cinematic framing and content are absorbed by society and individuals and its impact on culture (Marsena and Angjaya, 2022, p. 37) (Nelson et al., 1997) (Brader, 2005). The aim of this essay is not to assume the intentions of the directors and cast, nor is it to criticize the movie, as it is impossible without the knowledge of Phillips’ intentions, but to offer a nuanced neurodiversity perspective on a highly rewarded and well-viewed film. Nonetheless, there have been huge discussions online about how accurate the depictions of negative mental health were in the film.
By Marion Aubryabout a year ago in Critique
TikTok, The Future of Global Tech, and The New Era of Business: A Personal Journey and Global Conversation
In recent years, technology has become more than just a tool—it has become a lifeline. This was particularly evident during the global pandemic, where technology kept us connected, entertained, and even grounded. Amid the chaos and uncertainty, one platform emerged as a beacon of light—TikTok. For many of us, TikTok wasn’t just an app; it was a source of joy and creativity when the world around us felt dark. I vividly remember spending hours with my daughter and pets, creating fun and light-hearted videos to break the monotony of lockdown. But TikTok has turned into so much more than just an escape—it has opened doors, bridged gaps, and connected people and businesses across the globe.
By Adejoke Adediwuraabout a year ago in Critique
Unlocking the Art of Vegan Baking
Hi, lovely readers! I’m Keira Fisher, a 35-year-old wellness enthusiast and passionate foodie, always on the lookout for ways to make life healthier yet still delicious. Recently, I dove into The Veganize Baking Cookbook, a resource designed to help transform traditional baking recipes into fully plant-based delights. This journey has been more than just a culinary experiment; it has been a reflection on how small changes in our daily lives can lead to big transformations. From learning new baking techniques to embracing plant-based living, this book opened doors to new possibilities I hadn’t imagined. Here’s my honest review based on my experience with the book, a few real-life moments that inspired my vegan baking journey, and insights from fellow bakers.
By Keira Fisherabout a year ago in Critique
The Rise of Magicks
Nora Roberts has written book three of 'The One' series. In my opinion I believe that this could be a stand-alone book too. It started in the new town of New Hope with Arlys and her keeping her journalistic tendencies to keep all safe from the Dark entities that have arisen from the time of 'The Doom' and finishes there too where things are happening. This is mainly the story of her children and the teams that are formed to try to make a new country magical and to be safe.
By Mark Grahamabout a year ago in Critique
Texas!
It has been a while since I wrote a critique essay on a Dana Fuller Ross novel. The last one was 'Oregon' and now this one is for 'Texas' the fifth in the series. This is the story of how the state of Texas became part of the Union. It does continue the story of Cathy and Lee Blake and Chet and Danny who are best friends ever since the first wagon train to Oregon. 'Texas' is a novel that to me covers the history of Texas and the Mexican War with Santa Ana, the president of Mexico in a creative and interesting way but does not go into too much detail of the war for it is started and ends at the end of the book. This is a novel on how this history affected the various characters in their personal and professional lives in helping to grow the United States.
By Mark Grahamabout a year ago in Critique
Grimm's Fairy Tale#5
In reading 'Little Snow White' in Grimm's Fairy Tales one will get a sense that it is two stories in one for I got a sense of The Three Bears story as well when Snow White entered the dwarf's cottage she performs some activities as if she were Goldilocks and for the dwarfs they speak a few lines that to me seem reminiscent of the Three Bears story. This version as it seems to be is quite different from the Disney version that we all seem to like to watch at times.
By Mark Grahamabout a year ago in Critique
Grimm's Fairy Tales #4
Here is a Grimm Fairy Tale that I did not know about or even heard of entitled 'The Straw, The Coal and the Bean'. This is a very short one but is really quite descriptive. It is a tale of three odd friends working together to achieve a goal of some kind. Even though the straw still burns and the coal fizzles out and the bean splits. At least they tried for a little while to survive living. It is also a tale on how we see beans now-a-days with a black seam. To me this is an unusual tale on how to get children to eat their vegetables maybe.
By Mark Grahamabout a year ago in Critique
Bryan Johnson wants to be imortal
Hello hello, I'm an avid documentary watcher and that lead me to watch a new Netflix documentary with the name "Don't die: the men that wants to live forever". I know, the title makes curious off the bat, but let me present the premise of the documentary.
By Joana Piresabout a year ago in Critique
Grimm's Fairy Tales #3
Here is another famous fairy tale from this edition entitled 'Little Red Cap' and just by the title you may have guessed that it is the real 'Little Red Riding Hood' where there still is a mother who sends her daughter to visit her sick grandmother with cake and wine and warns her not to dawdle in the forest too long for you never know what may happen. This Little Red Cap wonders along further and further into the woods to pick flowers for grandma too, and you guessed it thinks she better get moving for it is getting late. She arrives but to find out through a conversation she and 'Grandma' have for we all know is the big bad wolf in disguise after he eats grandma and then her for in this story the wolf after eating them decides to take a nap. Along comes a hunter and hearing Red Cap in the wolf's stomach decides to cut open the wolf's stomach and let's Red Cap and Grandma out and replaces them with stones and sews the wolf up again and when the wolf awakes doesn't really feel too well and falls down and dies. In the nicer version of Little Red Riding Hood there is no cutting the wolf and replacing them with stones for Grandma and Red just escapes the wolf by running away for Little Red Riding Hood learns her lesson about being safe for herself and others. The story continues in 'Little Red Cap' for the next time another day another wolf comes along, and did she learn her lesson and proved it in a trick on this wolf? Yes, she did and went home. Why did the Grimm Brothers feel the need cut open the wolf and place stones in his stomach? It is also kind of freaky to hear a person talking after being eaten. This is like a horror story and maybe kind of gory for kids to have nightmares about being eaten by something. If I remember though there was an old cartoon that portrayed the Grimm's version of this story and made not so mean. Little Red Cap is definitely a youth and adult read while Little Red Riding Hood is fine for young children.
By Mark Grahamabout a year ago in Critique
Grimm's Fairy Tales #2
Another story in Grimm's Fairy Tales is the well-known 'Cinderella' and this version is nowhere near the Disney version. There are comparisons, but not like you know from the fun Disney one. There are two stepsisters and mother and a prince. There is no ball as in the Disney story, but a festival that everyone wants to go. There is no fairy godmother or mice or a pumpkin coach, but there are a few birds that do help Cinderella in a nice way. This Grimm version is slightly bloody towards the end when the prince goes in search of the one who loses the golden slipper. Also, at the end this story it kind of reminds me of the Hitchcock movie 'The Birds' and if you read or reread this classic you will see. Now I am so glad that I have read and watched the Disney version for this version is and should be clearly for adults only, but still glad to have read the Grimm version for it is a classic that must be understood for its' lesson(s) that it teaches. In so many ways as in how the stepsisters are punished for what they claimed as well as Cinderella learns that good will overcome evil.
By Mark Grahamabout a year ago in Critique