September 30, 2021

The Squid Game and Life 1.0

Life Is Like Marble, It Keeps On Rolling Until It Rolled Into A Hole (SGaL 2.0)

Four games are done, and here come the most anticipated final two games. Will this be the end of the game? Or just a new beginning?

Game 5: Glass Bridge

The goal of this game is to cross the glass bridge within 16 minutes by carefully identifying the tempered glass to step on. The player who fails to identify the tempered glass and step on the ordinary glass will fall and die.

If your time is limited and pressured by the people behind you, will you be able to think well and survive to cross the bridge of life?

Lessons:

Crossing a glass bridge is like crossing a bridge of life. You have to take your steps carefully until you reach the end. And while crossing the glass bridge, you could see your reflection that would make you look back on the past, or contemplate the present if you are taking the right path. Because a wrong step could make your game of life over, thus, making your long bridge shorter.

On your journey, you'll meet beautiful people that are willing to lend a helping hand when you need it the most. They would show you the right path when you seem so lost. And through your journey and the people you've met, you could collect beautiful memories and learn lessons from them that you can carry along with you towards the end of the bridge.

While some people are willing to help, some will stab your back, push you, or step on you, so they could get ahead of you. They would take advantage of your potential when they need it and push you off the bridge when they are done with you, so they could solely claim the credit and effort you have made.

Those selfish, greedy individuals would do anything so they could be on top, attain the things they wanted, or win the game.

The most important lesson I got from this game is, "being the last doesn't mean being the weak. Sometimes, you're just being wise."

Some people would think that people at the front are advantageous and smart and people at the back are dumb, slow, and weak. However, it's just being wise. Being the first might be advantageous as it would make you finish the game ahead of the rest. But if shocking things emerge, it would definitely end your game shortly.

Being the last is being wise as you could learn the possible risk that may arise. There's nothing wrong with moving slowly. That only shows that you are taking precautions and minding the possible risks so you could learn the possible actions you need to take when unexpected circumstances happen. You might be the last in line, but not the loser.

Final Game: Squid Game

The goal of this game is to pass through the defense by any means and touch the squid's head with the attacker's foot to win. The defender on the other hand should push the attacker outside the squid drawing to win. If circumstances happen that any of the players could not continue to play, the last one standing wins.

What would you do if the last enemy that you need to take down is your friend? Would you choose to win the game over friendships? Would you let your guard down?

Lessons:

There are times in life that we have to deal with unexpected circumstances, face unexpected faces, and win unexpected games. Our kindness will be put to the test and some will take advantage of our weaknesses. However, we should not let our guard down, instead, be mentally strong.

We should not let other people with bad intentions break the shield and the wall we strongly built that protects ourselves and our loved ones against any havoc. And in a battle that you need to survive, putting your guard down will only lead you to lose the game.

Sometimes, the wall we built is the reason why we can't move forward because it's blocking our way. However, the time will come that we have to pull some courage to voluntarily put our guard down for us to move forward in life and achieve genuine happiness. We may have experienced negative things in the past that compel us to build strong grounds, and it takes strength to maintain it.

But for the sake of achieving genuine happiness and moving on from the dark past, we have to let go of those negative things, take down the pride, break the huge ego, forget the prize, and learn to forgive. So that the next time we build our guard again, it would be stronger and indestructible. Besides, it's better to live inside a wall that is full of harmony and love.

The Squid Game Principle (Equality)

If there are lessons in this drama, there are contradicting scenes as well that will lead the viewers to think and disagree with the principle stated in the game.

The principle quoted by the Spectator (the man in the black mask) says:

"Everyone is equal while they play the game. The players get to play a fair game under the same conditions. Those people suffered from discrimination and inequality out in the world, and we're giving them the last chance to fight fair and win."

However, this is in contrast to what happened in the course of the games, and if there is a game where this principle has been implemented, that is only the last game. Certainly, the players are all equal as they are all indebted out in the world and their lives are on the verge of death inside the playing arena. But no equality in the game.

• In the 1st game (green light, red light), players weren't told about the consequences once they disobey the rules.

• In the second game (sugar honeycomb), player 212 (the woman with curly hair) used a lighter to heat the needle and easily carve out the shape in the honeycomb. The place was surrounded by CCTV and each player was guarded by an executor (red soldiers in masks), so it's impossible that she wasn't caught cheating in the game. She even passed the lighter to another player (the thug).

• In the distribution of foods after the second game, the group of thugs cheated and queued again to get another food. The thug even accidentally killed the player who complained, but the soldiers just watched them. Was it fair?

• In the 4th game (marbles), the guards were watching the players but they just allowed them to cheat their partners, and that alone breaks the principle.

• In the 5th game (glass bridge), when one of the players finds out the difference between tempered glass and ordinary glass through the light's reflection, they turn off the light. Moreover, player 218 (Sang-woo) pushed that player when he couldn't identify the difference between the glasses anymore. These two acts broke the principle of equality.

• Before the final game started, Sang-Woo ended the life of Sae-byoek who was weak and in pain due to a broken glass stabbed on her body. It was unfair and breaking the principle of equality.

To sum up, the facilitators of the game, as well the VIPs are hypocrites. They can make the game fair, but they can also break the rules they have imposed. Which is relatable to real-life situations among the rich and the poor, powerful and weak. The poor become poorer, and the weak become weaker. The greedy and hypocrites become richer and powerful.

The ending is just the beginning

The ending revealed the real identity of player 001 (the old man) as well as the reasons why he created the Squid Game. But what caught my attention are his lines and the lessons behind every word he said.

• "You know what money is like? Is that something easy?"

This drama shows us that money is not easy to earn. We have to undergo too many obstacles, render sleepless nights and stressful days, or sacrifice our happiness just to get the money that we need. And living in this new world, getting money is way harder. So some would figuratively clutch on the blade of a knife when things seem impossible to execute fairly, or if money is impossible to find around the corner to the point that they would break the rules.

• "Do you know what someone with no money has in common with someone with too much money? If you have too much money, no matter what you buy, eat, drink, everything gets boring in the end. They had no joy in life anymore."

So this was the main reason why he created the game, "to have fun," as his life and his clients' lives were getting boring already, and had no joy anymore. Many people thought that "money can buy happiness," but, not in all cases. Behind those huge walls and luxurious houses are empty rooms, shattered emotions, unhappy and inharmonious life.

• "Do you still trust people after the things they have done?"

Some may have inflicted bad things in the past that put out lives at stake and break the trust, and it's truly hard to move on and trust them again. Their sins remain indelible in our memories and break our harmonies. However, to move forward in life, we have to leave the negative things in the past so we could channel our life smoothly and attain a peaceful life. If people can't do good things to us, we can do good things to them. So they could realize the positivity and see the true meaning of humanity.

• "Life is short. When we get old, we want to feel the same feeling of fun again as when we were a kid before we die."

The drama teaches us that money is not all we need to enjoy life. Being grateful for small things we have and contentment are keys to real happiness. Life is short and so we have to savor every moment we have and cherish every person around us. Because when we get old, we can't turn back the hands of time and regrets would only fill our minds if we don't feel that genuine happiness before we cross the bridge of life.

• "Money, the reward for luck and hard work, you have the right to use it."

Sometimes, due to difficulties in life and inflation, we deprive ourselves of getting what we want and prioritize the needs of our loved ones more than ourselves. However, there is nothing wrong with spoiling ourselves with our hard-earned money. We also have to take a break when we are feeling exhausted. We also have to take care of ourselves, not just the people we love. Because once our equilibrium breaks, vital aspects would be compromised and we might end up lying on a death bed.

The Squid Game is not just about survival games, but it teaches us a lot of lessons that we can apply in real life. It teaches us that "gambling is not a shortcut for success."People should prioritize their needs over their wants to avoid falling into the deep hole of debts.

Some people would gamble the little money they have in the hope of getting instant fortune. Because they thought that once they win, they can achieve the life they wanted to have.

However, success doesn't grow overnight. To achieve a stable and successful life, we have to grind and strive harder. We have to surpass every obstacle in our way. We have to continue our journey until we reach our ideal destination. Above all, we have to win the battle of life without losing our track, breaking our spirit, or stepping into other people, or sacrificing other people's life.

It teaches us to appreciate small things and money is not the only key to happiness. And when uncertainties hit us and the world turns dark and upside down, we have to constantly remind ourselves that there is always a way out from all the struggles of life without breaking the rules, or sacrificing our own happiness, or stepping into other people's lives.

We just have to grind and strive harder without breaking the equilibrium and the law of life. We just have to notice the green and red lights, carve difficult things out, pull the right rope and stand in the right position, collect the precious marbles, cross the glass bridge of life without breaking it, and play fairly and finish the game to step on the head of the success and get the real prize we are aiming for - the GENUINE HAPPINESS and HARMONIOUS LIFE.

I hope you have enjoyed this Squid Game and Life series I have made and learn lessons from them.

So what were your favorite game in the drama and the lessons you have learned?

Don't hesitate to share below.

Thanks for reading.