Unveiling “3 Body Problem”: A Thoughtful Exploration of Modern Politics and Historical Parallels

TFD – Discover the intricate connections between modern politics, the Chinese Cultural Revolution, and the Netflix series “3 Body Problem” in this insightful article.

It’s not actually about the US culture wars or China’s Cultural Revolution in the new Netflix series “3 Body Problem.” The Hugo-winning novel by Liu Cixin served as the inspiration for the science fiction epic, which focuses more on major theoretical issues like how humanity would react to an eventual alien invasion.

However, that hasn’t stopped viewers from making comparisons between modern American politics and the horrific era of Chinese history that is portrayed in the show’s introduction.

“3 Body Problem,” written by David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, and Alexander Woo, the creators of “Game of Thrones,” opens with a terrifying sequence that takes place in Mao Zedong’s China in 1966. A furious crowd drags a physics professor onto the stage, where he is fatally battered after it is alleged that he is teaching counter-revolutionary ideas.

During the ten-year Cultural Revolution—which aimed to quell Mao’s perceived opposition—such episodes of “class enemies” being publicly humiliated and tortured were not uncommon. The Cultural Revolution came to an end with Mao’s death in 1976.

The first season of the show, which aired on Netflix on March 21 and consists of eight episodes, began at number two among the top 10 shows on the platform before rising to the top. Although the showrunners have not yet announced any more seasons, they have stated that they intend for the plot to be told over four seasons.

Even with the show’s grand, interstellar ambitions, the most powerful reactions seem to have come from that opening sequence. Some US viewers were quick to express what they perceived to be the subtext as they took in the intense beginning, which has also stirred controversy and debate in China.

One user commented on X, “I just watched the opening scene of Netflix’s 3 Body Problem, which depicts a Chinese cultural revolution lynching. It is frighteningly reminiscent of where Woke is taking us: no freedom of speech or thought, toe the party line or be eliminated, don’t even think of counter-revolution.”

Another user on X said, “I suggest watching the opening of the Netflix series 3 Body Problem to understand what the left is doing.” “The Cultural Revolution setting serves as an example of what is happening. Either study history or perish.

However, other liberals and progressives came to a completely different conclusion, while some conservatives hailed the event as a metaphor for the alleged authoritarianism of the left.

One person commented on a conservative post on X, saying, “To understand what the right is doing, I suggest watching the opening of the Netflix series 3 Body Problem.” “The Cultural Revolution setting serves as an example of what is happening. prohibiting books that don’t align with their beliefs from being kept in libraries and classrooms. Then exclaim, “Freedom.”

“Just saw the opening scenes from ‘3 Body Problem,’ set in the Cultural Revolution, and the anti-science set in America is a lot like that,” another X user commented.

It is maybe not surprising that viewers on different political extremes would take away such disparate interpretations. In 2017, CNN’s Brian Lowry discussed the debate around “Game of Thrones,” pointing out that politics and popular culture have become so entwined that people often interpret art according to their own preferences, regardless of the original meaning.

Even though the novel is based on a historically accurate period in Chinese history, one character’s loss of confidence in humanity is mostly caused by the Cultural Revolution. She makes a choice that endangers the entire planet after becoming disenchanted and disgusted.

“3 Body Problem” asks important, thought-provoking topics as it swiftly shifts from the Cultural Revolution to the fallout from that dangerous choice: How do we react when faced with an existential threat? What part will technology play? And how strong is our want to live?

However, other critics saw the entire narrative as an allegory for the climate problem, which many on the right continue to minimize as a significant threat.

It is beyond the artists’ control how others view their work. Take it from the showrunners, though: they claim that there is no hidden message regarding what defines censorship or accountability in the first scene.

Benioff told The Hollywood Reporter, “This isn’t a commentary on cancel culture.”

But in terms of human history, we do tend to go in cycles, and we’re currently experiencing one of those cycles. There are a lot of important distinctions between the Cultural Revolution and the present. However, certain parallels also exist, according to Benioff.

“We never felt that we ought to perform this show because we wanted to offer a remark on that. However, the fact that the similarities exist and are difficult to overlook is intriguing.