The Games Are Afoot

Young men are converting to Orthodoxy, Squid Game returns, and the Beast Games are… beastly. But first:

Slang of the Week – “Crash Out”

Have you ever had one of those weeks where it feels like nothing is going right, and then something minor happens, like someone in front of you drives slow or you spill your coffee, and it pushes you over the edge? If so, you know exactly what it means to “crash out.” And if you’ve ever experienced the rapid swings of teen emotions, the existence of this slang term probably isn’t entirely surprising. The term “crash out” may give language to teens about how internal pressure can build before bubbling over, and a way to call out those same feelings in their peers.

Three Conversations

1. The Harder Road

What it is: Young men in the US appear to be increasingly attracted to Orthodox Christianity, with many male converts saying they discovered the church through content they came across online.

Why it’s happening: An article in The Telegraph interviews several Orthodox converts who say they resent the “feminisation” of Protestant denominations. They are drawn, instead, to the structure, historical consistency, and physically demanding worship services of Orthodox Christianity. The Orthodox church emphasizes self-denial, often requiring extended periods of fasting. Father Truebenbach, an Orthodox priest and YouTube influencer, says that Orthodoxy is “tougher” and that is part of its appeal, telling The Telegraph, “I think a lot of men have embraced that and realised this is a form of self-denial with real results that actually brings peace and joy to the heart like nothing else.” (For more nuance on this and the rest of today’s topics, listen to our Roundtable episode on The Culture Translator podcast, available today wherever podcasts are found!)
Continue the conversation: Do you believe Christianity should require physical endurance? Why or why not?

2. Squid Game Season 2

What it is: The hit Korean drama Squid Game is back for a second season.

Why it’s still popular: The first season felt almost predestined to be a hit with its unique concept, larger-than-life characters, and brutal, R-rated violence. The second season, which is already incredibly popular, follows Seong Gi-hun, who is looking to get revenge on the makers of the games. Like season one, the show features an array of different characters—some lovable, some despicable. There’s Thanos, a psychopathic rapper who loves violence; there’s Geum-ja, a sweet old woman who invites fellow players to dinner. But maybe most notable is Hyun-ju, a new transgender character who serves as a core part of season 2’s narrative. The show once again wrestles with themes of exploitation, debt, class divides, and the darker side of what we find entertaining.
Continue the conversation: When you think of Squid Game, what’s the first thing you think of?

3. Feed the Beast

What it is: Beast Games, a game show where 1,000 people compete to win $5 million, is now streaming on Amazon Prime.

What it’s like: Beast Games takes the central concept of Squid Game—that is, contestants angling to win money through a series of playground games, games of chance, and tests of loyalty—and brings it into the real world. The show debuted the week of Christmas and quickly became the most-watched series on Amazon in the US and a slew of other countries. MrBeast (YouTube personality Jimmy Donaldson) appears to believe that everyone, no matter who they are, has a price at which they can be convinced to betray other people—and he delights in finding it. Many moments on the show attempt to leverage players against one another through bribes, sabotage, and psychological manipulation. Reviews have been mixed, with many viewers finding the show’s premise “exploitative.”

Let’s translate this one further…

Episode four of Beast Games ends with a moment of high drama. A helicopter drops low over the ocean and the camera pans to several Navy SEALs looking out from under its propellers. Cut to a smirking MrBeast as he announces that these SEALs will be using their particular skills in a high-stakes game of hide-and-seek, hunting ten humans who are competing to win the island they are all standing on.

The contestants hardly have time to process this information before they are advised, in no uncertain terms, to run.

The contestants in Beast Games have traded their time, their agency, and in some cases, their dignity for odds that aren’t at all in their favor. They are constantly telling the cameras, as well as other contestants, why they need to be the winner who ends up standing on the pile of cash amassed in the middle of the set. Everyone has what they believe is the best reason for wanting the money. And yet, there can only be one winner.

1 Timothy 6:10 is often misquoted as saying that “money is the root of all evil.” It isn’t. What the verse actually says is, “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” Watching Beast Games may be entertaining for some—but the show seems to feed into the widespread fallacy that having wealth is the same as having security, which in turn means we are entitled to pursue it at any cost. Where we ultimately look for our sense of security determines the direction our lives will go—which is why, in Hebrews 13:5, we are encouraged to keep our lives “free from the love of money” as a matter of faith.

For more context and nuance, check out our Roundtable podcast on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts. In the meantime, here are three questions to spark conversation with your teens:

Parenting together,
The Axis Team
P.S. Know someone who could use our conversation starters with their teens? Share the CT with a friend!