One of the most interesting culture in South korea is that under treated low class people (dirt-spoon class) don't really try disrupt current society model. To elaborate, people put poverty on their own responsibility rather than complaining about structural inequality. The rage towards class inequality is emitted at competition for higher ranked university and the reward of being in a prestigious college.
For Seoul’s poor, class strife in ‘Parasite’ is daily reality
41–50 of 150 posts
Re: For Seoul’s poor, class strife in ‘Parasite’ is daily reality
#42Earlier quoted context omitted.
They lied and cheated constantly because they were forced to due their poverty. It is absolutely a movie about class inequality and resentment.
They were absolutely terrible people. They weren't so poor that they had to trigger an old lady's dangerous allergy just to get the mother a job.
This is not surprising, because people in poverty need to be opportunistic to survive. Cutthroat behavior in poverty is not an example of bad moral character, it's a valid strategy to make it day to day. Being generous is something one has to be able to afford.
This is one of the perversions of poverty and our culture that make the movie so great. it showcases how poverty itself forces people to engage in behaviour that makes others look down on them as undeserving, rather than painting an idealized image of the poor.
It's quite hilarious how much Protestant folk morality was on display in response to the movie in particular among American audiences.
Re: For Seoul’s poor, class strife in ‘Parasite’ is daily reality
#43One of the most interesting culture in South korea is that under treated low class people (dirt-spoon class) don't really try disrupt current society model. To elaborate, people put poverty on their own responsibility rather than complaining about structural inequality. The rage towards class inequality is emitted at competition for higher ranked university and the reward of being in a prestigious college.
For 500+ years before Japan occupied Korean peninsula in 1910, Korea had a strict social class system. Class inequality was very firmly in place. But most accepted it as a natural order, as any society with kings in ruling.
All those social classes were broken down with the Japanese colonialism and the Korean War. Especially the Korean War. The Korean war basically wiped out overnight a large chunk of the landed rich. The society was turned upside down. It was a true leveling of the playing field. I'd say from end of the Korean War (or maybe even starting in 1910), those who rose above others in wealth largely did so on their own. The old money/wealth lost wealth and had none for the children to inherit.
Obviously some cheated (or hacked their way in techie term) to get above. Others worked honestly and did well on test and in job to get above.
So there's less decades/centuries old wealthy class passing down their wealth to their kids.
Re: For Seoul’s poor, class strife in ‘Parasite’ is daily reality
#44Earlier quoted context omitted.
They were absolutely terrible people. They weren't so poor that they had to trigger an old lady's dangerous allergy just to get the mother a job.
The point of the film was that poverty forces the poor into ruthless conflict with each other as they battle for the scraps of the rich. It’s pretty blatant. As was the indifference of the rich to the struggles of the poor and their own inhumanity toward them.
As an empirical matter this isn’t true. If it was civilization would be impossible. Most people are decent human beings working hard to get by. If poverty forced the poor into ruthless competition India or China would have higher rates of violent crime than the US, not lower.
Re: For Seoul’s poor, class strife in ‘Parasite’ is daily reality
#45For those who watched the movie, I found the ending interesting. I won't spoil it for everyone else, but Bong Joon-ho made his perspective unambiguous: he's not a believer in social mobility in Korea. 6 of the top 10 Forbes list in Korea are self-made; the other 4 inherited their wealth. In contrast, 10 out of top 10 are self-made in the US. There are better metrics to compare social mobility (this one was convenient…
Re: For Seoul’s poor, class strife in ‘Parasite’ is daily reality
#46I didn’t get the sense it was class strife. The main family was a bunch of scumbags. They lied and cheated constantly. I didn’t get the sense that they represented the lower class because the others around them weren’t like that. It makes it harder to argue this represents class struggle when the main family is so deceitful and undeserving of benefits.
There's a scene where the Dad wonders if the old driver they slandered out of a job had found a new one and the daughter responds by telling him to focus on them.
I am personally not quick to say I wouldn't do what they did when my whole family is starving.
Re: For Seoul’s poor, class strife in ‘Parasite’ is daily reality
#47For those who watched the movie, I found the ending interesting. I won't spoil it for everyone else, but Bong Joon-ho made his perspective unambiguous: he's not a believer in social mobility in Korea. 6 of the top 10 Forbes list in Korea are self-made; the other 4 inherited their wealth. In contrast, 10 out of top 10 are self-made in the US. There are better metrics to compare social mobility (this one was convenient…
Re: For Seoul’s poor, class strife in ‘Parasite’ is daily reality
#48Earlier quoted context omitted.
How did you determine the $39k after taxes. Are you considering 2 parents and 2 dependents? They could probably get covered under Covered California also.
You can claim an adult that has a job and income as a dependent???
So at that point, maybe its 2 parents and 2 single adults so you cannot combine their income for tax purposes. Maybe each makes $15k which is a very low amount for paying any taxes.
Re: For Seoul’s poor, class strife in ‘Parasite’ is daily reality
#49Earlier quoted context omitted.
The point of the film was that poverty forces the poor into ruthless conflict with each other as they battle for the scraps of the rich. It’s pretty blatant. As was the indifference of the rich to the struggles of the poor and their own inhumanity toward them.
> The point of the film was that poverty forces the poor into ruthless conflict with each other as they battle for the scraps of the rich. As an empirical matter this isn’t true. If it was civilization would be impossible. Most people are decent human beings working hard to get by. If poverty forced the poor into ruthless competition India or China would have higher rates of violent crime than the US, not lower.