THBT: On balance, the competitions in Squid Game (2021) are not an accurate representation of capitalism in South Korea
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BoP is shared. PRO argues that SG is not an accurate representation of capitalism in SK. CON argues that it is.
Definitions to be used in this debate:
Squid Game - A South Korean survival drama television series created by Hwang Dong-hyuk for Netflix.
accurate - Free from error, conforming exactly to truth.
capitalism - A system in which the voluntary exchange of goods and services is legal.
South Korea - An East Asian nation on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula.
- P1: Illegal activities are categorically different from legal activities.
- P2: The competitions in SG are illegal.
- P3: The capitalist components of SK’s economic system are legal.
- C1: Therefore, the competitions in SG do not accurately represent capitalism in SK.
- P1: Unsafe activities are categorically different from safe activities.
- P2: Competitions in SG result in a much higher chance of death than capitalism in SK.
- C1: Therefore, the competitions in SG do not accurately represent capitalism in SK.
- P1: A system that does not produce essential goods and services is not an accurate representation of a system that does.
- P2: Competitions in SG do not result in the creation of essential goods and services.
- P3: Capitalism in SK results in the creation of essential goods and services.
- C1: Therefore, the competitions in SG do not accurately represent capitalism in SK.
- Bread
- Clothing
- A significant portion of healthcare
- BTS
- P1: A system that offers few opportunities for social mobility is not an accurate representation of a system that offers many opportunities for social mobility.
- P2: The competitions in SG offer few opportunities for social mobility.
- P3: Capitalism in SK offers many opportunities for social mobility.
- C1: Therefore, the competitions in SG do not accurately represent capitalism in SK.
- A computer scientist in SK makes an an average annual salary of ₩96,403,336, or $73,101.
- A petroleum engineer in SK makes an average annual salary of ₩109,630,551, or $83,131.
- A biomedical engineer in SK makes an average annual salary of ₩72,468,962, or $54,915.
- P1: A system with generally unclear risks and rewards in mutual agreements is not an accurate representation of a system that is generally transparent about both of those things.
- P2: SG is generally unclear about the risks and rewards of its competitions.
- P3: Capitalism in SK is generally transparent about the risks and rewards of transactions.
- C1: Therefore, the competitions in SG do not accurately represent capitalism in SK.
Accurate - Free from error, conforming exactly to truth.
To avoid the fallacy of composition, a valid representation of capitalism must accurately represent it in all aspects, not just in some.
capitalism - A system in which the voluntary exchange of goods and services is legal.
All but the youngest Koreans will recognize this lightly fictionalized reference to a labor confrontation seared in the country’s memory. In 2009, the carmaker Ssangyong (“Twin Dragon”) Motors pleaded poverty and laid off 2,646 employees at its headquarters plant in Pyeongtaek, a city south of Seoul. In response, nearly a thousand employees went on strike, some for as long as 77 days, occupying the factory site and facing a violent assault by Pinkerton-style security forces and Korean police. For years afterward, the surviving workers sought reinstatement and compensation in the courts, and 30 employees and several of their spouses died, mostly by suicide.
- CON doesn’t provide a source for this, so there’s no measure of scale here.
- These do not result in death, let alone a 96% death rate.
- Might be a net gain; funding for startups leaves entrepreneurs with more experience.
- My criticism of their Kritik and alternative definitions
- CON committed the fallacy of composition and did not challenge the dog/leg analogy, even when I pointed out in Round 2 that they had missed it.
- Per the above, an analogy for capitalism that ignores the benefits (their new framework certainly does) or gets a major component wrong is not an accurate representation of capitalism.
- The defamation standard holds that serious discrepancies are effectively misrepresentations.
- I’ve been spelling these points out for the entire debate. CON has either failed to challenge these points or is withholding their response until the final round; in either case, we should consider these points dropped.
- Even if we count black markets per my opponent’s alternate definition of capitalism (which would exist under socialism as well), the risk of death under capitalism in SK, generally speaking, is much less than in SG. As I rhetorically pointed out, “How prevalent are orchestrated deathmatches in SK?” CON did not respond to this point, because the answer does not make their argument look good. Obviously, the vast majority of capitalism in SK fits into my initial points (legal, low risk, transparency)
- The other two (opportunities and value) don’t depend on the majority of capitalism providing them, just that there are a lot of opportunities and value generated by capitalism as a whole. So adding black markets to the definition of capitalism doesn’t negate those points either.
- Essentially, the five points I made in my opening remain uncontested and show serious discrepancies that prove SG is not an accurate representation of capitalism.
- Consumers decide which businesses succeed and which ones fail based on the usefulness of services provided, not based on arbitrary rules set by more powerful businesses—if everyone buys from a smaller business, there’s nothing the chaebol can do.
- Consumers benefit from competition, because the businesses that win are the ones providing products people want. If SG is an accurate representation of capitalism, we should see the winner offering services or some benefit to the other players.
- If a business fails in SK, the owner can start a new business.
- If capitalism in SK is a dog, SG isn’t even a picture of a leg. It’s a picture of a tentacle.
- CON committed the fallacy of composition and did not challenge the dog/leg analogy, even when I pointed out in Round 2 that they had missed it.
- Per the above, an analogy for capitalism that ignores the benefits (their new framework certainly does) or gets a major component wrong is not an accurate representation of capitalism.
- The defamation standard holds that serious discrepancies are effectively misrepresentations.
- Consumers decide which businesses succeed and which ones fail based on the usefulness of services provided, not based on arbitrary rules set by more powerful businesses—if everyone buys from a smaller business, there’s nothing the chaebol can do.
- Consumers benefit from competition, because the businesses that win are the ones providing products people want. If SG is an accurate representation of capitalism, we should see the winner offering services or some benefit to the other players.
"On balance, the competitions in Squid Game (2021) are not an accurate representation of capitalism in South Korea".
Pro, takes a very literal approach, which I found surprising. The resolution says "On balance". Con rightfully contested the strictness of the definition, and I think appropriately referenced that SG can be considered an allegory. The problem with Con, is they never reference the On balance part of the resolution. I think the Kritiks would have been more effective if the On balance component was included. I also do take Pro's point that Con saw the definition and could have addressed it ahead of time.
Con rightfully pushed back on Pro's composition fallacy. Whilst the drawing of a leg, does not constitute a dog, when we take into consideration that there is an assumed allegory here, I take Con's point. However, I do not accept Con's attempt to reframe the definition of capitalism. The definition was clear, and purposefully written.
I do take Pro's point that Con set a definition for accurate, and then tried to soften the interpretation of that definition later on. It should be noted that Pro opened the door to some great counterpoints with the statement "It’s one that is not false or misleading, that doesn’t leave out major components or “misrepresent” the comparison." Con did not walk through that door.
So then this comes down to a few things: Do the Kritiks have persuasive weight? Did either side meet their BOP, and if so did one do it better than the other?
I think the Kritiks had some merit, but not convincing, in part because Con had plenty of opportunity to resolve the definition issue predebate. Con could have leveraged the "On balance" part to free themselves from the shackles of the strict definitions but did not do so.
In terms of content, I preferred Con's approach. I thought it was more representative of the spirit of the topic. Unfortunately, that is not enough to overcome the BOP. I accept the definitions, and whilst I think it was a semantical resolution trap set by Pro, Con had some wiggle room. Sources were great for both. Conduct was fine, as the Kritiks were very clear.
You as well!
I think Judicial Decision is a fun voting system that I wish they allowed for Rated debates.
Good debate! Shame it only got one vote.
Weaver is gonna hate me after he reads through this debate and sees my Kritik. 😂😂😂
Thanks for voting!
I can get your voting privileges back once I finish one of my other debates.
I cant Vote for some reason
BrotherD.Thomas and Stephen will vote if you ask them.
Plz vote if you can
I know you’d like reading this one.
Please vote if you have time!
You guys are welcome to vote if you decide.
Nah, we're cool. I enjoy a good debate that goes off the rails.
lol, thx
my bad
You're a real thorn in my side, but take it as a compliment.
Quality K in the opening round.
Thank you : D
Good luck to you, sir.
Of course, If which corporation actually make people fight to their death for money directly and not just figuratively, fastly and not slowly, they would be cancelled to death, lol.
Anyone who argues that Gi-Hun deserved to win out of the final 16 at the glass game is quite a normie simpleminded romanticist.