Homo Ludens: The Changing Meaning and Function of Game from Traditional Life to Culture Industry ‘Squid Game’ Example

Game is a fundamental part of human life and a universal phenomenon. Throughout history, games have played an important role in every age from childhood to adulthood, contributing to personal and social development. However, over time, with the development of industrial processes, games have become...

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Main Author: Ferhat Kaçar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sakarya University 2024-12-01
Series:Sakarya İletişim
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Online Access:https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/4172888
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author Ferhat Kaçar
author_facet Ferhat Kaçar
author_sort Ferhat Kaçar
collection DOAJ
description Game is a fundamental part of human life and a universal phenomenon. Throughout history, games have played an important role in every age from childhood to adulthood, contributing to personal and social development. However, over time, with the development of industrial processes, games have become a part of the culture industry and this has led to a change in the meaning and function of games. This study emphasises the relationship of the series Squid Game with the game and its changing function. In the theoretical part of the study, the definition of the concept of game and its relationship with culture are evaluated by focusing on Johan Huizinga’s ‘Game Theory’. Then, the traditional children's games in the series Squid Game are analysed in the context of Huizinga's game theory and the function and meaning of the game that has been lost with capitalist life are revealed. In the study, four of the six children's games in the series were analysed using semiotic and discourse analysis methods. These analyses show how the elements of fun, sincerity and enjoyment change under difficult conditions. The findings reveal that economic pressures and social inequalities have transformed the function of games and that children's games have become deadly and cruel in the struggle for survival and the ambition to make money in modern society. As a result, it is understood that children's games in the series have lost their innocence by breaking away from their real ties with the capitalist system.
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spelling doaj-art-42af651c799f4ee3832620a992abbcbf2025-02-11T08:25:50ZengSakarya UniversitySakarya İletişim2791-64642024-12-014210712810.70684/silet.153947828Homo Ludens: The Changing Meaning and Function of Game from Traditional Life to Culture Industry ‘Squid Game’ ExampleFerhat Kaçar0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4053-7163Harran ÜniversitesiGame is a fundamental part of human life and a universal phenomenon. Throughout history, games have played an important role in every age from childhood to adulthood, contributing to personal and social development. However, over time, with the development of industrial processes, games have become a part of the culture industry and this has led to a change in the meaning and function of games. This study emphasises the relationship of the series Squid Game with the game and its changing function. In the theoretical part of the study, the definition of the concept of game and its relationship with culture are evaluated by focusing on Johan Huizinga’s ‘Game Theory’. Then, the traditional children's games in the series Squid Game are analysed in the context of Huizinga's game theory and the function and meaning of the game that has been lost with capitalist life are revealed. In the study, four of the six children's games in the series were analysed using semiotic and discourse analysis methods. These analyses show how the elements of fun, sincerity and enjoyment change under difficult conditions. The findings reveal that economic pressures and social inequalities have transformed the function of games and that children's games have become deadly and cruel in the struggle for survival and the ambition to make money in modern society. As a result, it is understood that children's games in the series have lost their innocence by breaking away from their real ties with the capitalist system.https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/4172888gameculture industryjohan huizingsquid gamediscourse analysiskültür endüstrisijohan huizingsquid gamesöylem analizioyun
spellingShingle Ferhat Kaçar
Homo Ludens: The Changing Meaning and Function of Game from Traditional Life to Culture Industry ‘Squid Game’ Example
Sakarya İletişim
game
culture industry
johan huizing
squid game
discourse analysis
kültür endüstrisi
johan huizing
squid game
söylem analizi
oyun
title Homo Ludens: The Changing Meaning and Function of Game from Traditional Life to Culture Industry ‘Squid Game’ Example
title_full Homo Ludens: The Changing Meaning and Function of Game from Traditional Life to Culture Industry ‘Squid Game’ Example
title_fullStr Homo Ludens: The Changing Meaning and Function of Game from Traditional Life to Culture Industry ‘Squid Game’ Example
title_full_unstemmed Homo Ludens: The Changing Meaning and Function of Game from Traditional Life to Culture Industry ‘Squid Game’ Example
title_short Homo Ludens: The Changing Meaning and Function of Game from Traditional Life to Culture Industry ‘Squid Game’ Example
title_sort homo ludens the changing meaning and function of game from traditional life to culture industry squid game example
topic game
culture industry
johan huizing
squid game
discourse analysis
kültür endüstrisi
johan huizing
squid game
söylem analizi
oyun
url https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/4172888
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