Parasite: Who’s Leaching Off of Who?

Parasite (2019), image provided by Esquire

“It all gets ironed out. Money is an iron. Those creases all get smoothed out.”

- Chung-Sook, Parasite

Parasite is one of the most talked about films of 2019, and rightfully so. I have never seen another movie like it. I might be biased because it explores one of my favorite topics, classicism. I find it fascinating how something as trivial as social-economic status has the ability to decide something so vital as life and death. For example, take the coronavirus pandemic. Tests for the virus are limited, but often people with a higher social-economic status (i.e. P!nk, Idris Elba, and Kevin Durant) are able to be tested with or without showing any symptoms. As a result, many people who die from the virus are people that belong to lower economic classes.

Bong Joon-ho introduces a new element to classicism, arguing that money makes people naïve. For example, rapper Cardi B recently released a video expressing her thoughts about the coronavirus. She was outraged by actor, Idris Elba’s reaction to being diagnosed with the virus. After being diagnosed, he took to social media to explain that he is asymptomatic. Cardi B questioned whether Elba actually has the virus, then blamed him and other celebrities for misleading the public. She explained that because of their social-economic class many people are not able to successfully isolate themselves, if they do have the virus, due to the need to work (for money) or lack of physical space shared with other people. Cardi B, who is newer to financial success, blamed her celebrity peers for their lack of empathy towards the rest of the world. She argues that money has made them naïve about the current state of the world. I usually don’t agree with most things that Cardi B says but I agree with her this time, especially as a member of the working class. Money acts as a heated blanket during the winter, for people that have it. As for the rest of us, it’s pure body heat and warm thoughts.

Classicism is the breeding ground for parasitic behavior. Drake said it best, “there are way more people that want it than people that have it.” Parasite is the film of the century, easily. It forces the viewer to confront his or her role in classicism, in today's society. It leaves the viewer with two conclusions: 'I am a parasite seeking opportunities,' or 'I am a parasite exploiting them.'