Uploaded November 2021 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
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In this video, I talk about Squid Game and explain the philosophy behind it.
In my opinion, Squid Game imagines life as a game and explores the clash between two different play styles: zero-sum versus positive-sum. Zero-sum players go through life dividing the world into winners and losers, the strong and the weak. They see the entirety of life as a competition. The winners win at the loser’s expense. A scammer is an example of a zero-sum player. You give me money, and in return, I give you nothing. There’s one winner and one loser. And by scamming a bunch of people, I can get rich. On the other hand, positive sum players believe that life is not a competition. They believe there’s a scenario where both parties can win. An honest merchant is an example of a positive-sum player. I give you a product that you want, and in exchange, you give me the amount of money I want. We both win. So what does Squid Game show us about each play style?
RELATED VIDEOS
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Practical Philosophy Playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5faAYlGYYoF7rgKH4oo_B81n4wE1n2xP
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Get Daily Thoughts on Twitter: twitter.com/freedomintht
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FURTHER READING
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No recommendations today. Check out my sponsor Shortform (link at the top of the description) instead!
NOTES
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(1) Videos are just my opinion, for entertainment and informational purposes. Just some things to think about—not advice.
(2) Some of the links in the description are affiliate links which I get a kickback from—at no extra cost to you. Eg - any Amazon links.
The next 1,000 visitors to bit.ly/3bmSXwy will receive unlimited access for 5 days and a discounted annual subscription to Shortform.
ABOUT
_
In this video, I talk about Squid Game and explain the philosophy behind it.
In my opinion, Squid Game imagines life as a game and explores the clash between two different play styles: zero-sum versus positive-sum. Zero-sum players go through life dividing the world into winners and losers, the strong and the weak. They see the entirety of life as a competition. The winners win at the loser’s expense. A scammer is an example of a zero-sum player. You give me money, and in return, I give you nothing. There’s one winner and one loser. And by scamming a bunch of people, I can get rich. On the other hand, positive sum players believe that life is not a competition. They believe there’s a scenario where both parties can win. An honest merchant is an example of a positive-sum player. I give you a product that you want, and in exchange, you give me the amount of money I want. We both win. So what does Squid Game show us about each play style?
RELATED VIDEOS
_
Practical Philosophy Playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5faAYlGYYoF7rgKH4oo_B81n4wE1n2xP
GET MORE FREE CONTENT
—
Get Daily Thoughts on Twitter: twitter.com/freedomintht
Get Daily Insights on Instagram: instagram.com/freedomintht
Get Exclusive Essays in my Newsletter: freedominthought.com/exclusives
FURTHER READING
—
No recommendations today. Check out my sponsor Shortform (link at the top of the description) instead!
NOTES
—
(1) Videos are just my opinion, for entertainment and informational purposes. Just some things to think about—not advice.
(2) Some of the links in the description are affiliate links which I get a kickback from—at no extra cost to you. Eg - any Amazon links.
