Lectures on Tap- "Squid Game: When Anti-Capitalism Becomes a Brand"

Squid Game presented itself as a critique of capitalism, particularly of debt, inequality, insecurity and the way economic pressure can reduce people to competitors. It then became one of Netflix’s most successful global brands, spawning merchandise, immersive experiences and eventually a reality competition in which 456 people volunteered to take part in a version of the game themselves. 

In a talk as part of the Lectures on Tap series in Brooklyn, Dr. Jason Abbott (Political Science), will examine how a work built around a critique of the market was absorbed so easily by it, and what that tells us about the limits of cultural critique when the platform distributing it is itself a large commercial corporation.

This is the second talk in a four-talk residency with Lectures on Tap in Brooklyn. Dr. Abbott's residency began in August with Studio Ghibli vs. the World. It continues in October with Seven Samurai: The First Avengers, and there will be a fourth talk in November, with the topic still to be determined.

Lectures on Tap is a public-facing lecture series designed to bring academic research and ideas to a broader audience in an informal setting. 

For more information and to purchase a ticket, please visit Lectures on Tap.