Press Play with Madeleine Brand
‘Squid Game’ shows dehumanizing aspect of capitalism and twisted nostalgia for kids’ games
Netflix says “Squid Game” is the number one show in 90 countries. The series features 456 contestants who endure violence and risk their lives to win $38 million. “It seems to suggest that chasing money at any cost is dehumanizing.
By Madeleine Brand • • 50m ListenNetflix says “Squid Game” is the number one show in 90 countries. The series features 456 contestants who endure violence and risk their lives to win $38 million. “It seems to suggest that chasing money at any cost is dehumanizing. And when your humanity goes into violence, where is your moral compass? It all disappears,” says William Lee Adams, BBC World Service cultural critic.
Also, strong winds from Monday night helped fan the Alisal Fire north of Santa Barbara, which has burned thousands of acres and is uncontained as of noon today. The state as a whole is unprepared to deal with extreme heat, according to a Los Angeles Times investigation.
Holiday travel season is coming up, but Southwest Airlines has canceled nearly 2500 flights since Friday. And the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders is out after the New York Times revealed that he made homophobic, misogynist, and racist remarks.
In this episode
5 storiesAfter all this extreme wind in SoCal, expect temps to rise 10-20 degrees, says former JPL climatologist
Strong winds from Monday night helped fan the Alisal Fire north of Santa Barbara, which has burned thousands of acres and is uncontained as of noon today. It even jumped the 101 freeway to the Pacific Ocean, shutting down that freeway.
Read the story8 minHuman death toll from heat was 6 times higher than what the state reported, LA Times investigation finds
Californians suffering most from extreme heat live in Southern California and the Central Valley, like Riverside and Bakersfield, says LA Times environmental reporter Anna Phillips.
Read the story10 minSouthwest cancels mass flights, fights with union over vax mandate. What does this mean for holiday travelers?
Southwest Airlines has canceled nearly 2500 flights since Friday. The company pointed to bad weather in Florida, where they have a giant operation, and the slowing down of traffic by the FAA, according to Leslie Josephs, airline industry reporter for CNBC.
Read the story10 minRaiders coach Jon Gruden loses his job over offensive email exchanges
Jon Gruden has resigned as the Las Vegas Raiders’ head coach — after the New York Times detailed homophobic and misogynist remarks he used for years to mock people tied to the game, and racist comments he made in 2011 about the head of the NFL’s…
Read the story10 minWhy is ‘Squid Game’ so popular? More people can relate to financial desperation of pandemic, says culture critic
“It seems to suggest that chasing money at any cost is dehumanizing. And when your humanity goes into violence, where is your moral compass? It all disappears,” says William Lee Adams, BBC World Service cultural critic.
Read the story13 min
