The Red Sponge: Spongebobs Role in Enforcing an

Oppressive, Capitalistic Society

Every millennial who grew up watching Spongebob SquarePants has come to the
same horrifying conclusion: you have turned into Squidward. No matter how
buoyant, how cheerful, how optimistic you were as a child, there comes a point
where you begin to identify with Squidward more than any other character in the
show.
You could explain this phenomenon with the disillusionment and cynicism of growing
up, or the burdens of being a teenager in a post-John Hughes society. There is,
however, an even simpler answer. Spongebob is an allegory for Karl Marxs The
Communist Manifesto. The show revolves around Spongebob, the hardworking
proletariat, accepting a low-level fry cook job and enduring Mr. Krabs exploitation
with a grin on his face.

The face of compliance

Its not hard to draw the parallels between Mr. Krabs and the bourgeoisie. Hes a
cheapskate who underpays and overworks his employees for his own personal gain.
Mr. Krabs famously ripped off his own arms (claws?) to retrieve a dime that fell
down the drain. He has zero regard for his employees safety and almost routinely
puts them in danger for his own benefit. Mr. Krabs daughter, Pearl is an extension

of the bourgeoisie archetype. Shes vain, self-centered, and largely unaware of

others misfortune. She lives in a bubble, obsessed with clothes, makeup, and
celebrities because she has the leisure for such frivolities.

Remember when Pearl gentrified The Krusty Krab

Speaking of living in a bubble, Sandy is not exempt from analysis. Sandy represents
the intellectually elite, and is shielded away from the rest of the world. On top of her
scientific record, Sandy is independent and self-sufficient, exemplifying capitalistic
ideals of individualism.
If Sandy is the elite, then Patrick Star is just the opposite. Patrick represents the
bourgeois caricature of the working class, and is presented as ignorant, uneducated,
and lazy. He literally lives under a rock- likely because he cant afford anything else.
Patrick appears to deserve his poverty because he does nothing but sleep, yet he
also seems at peace with his lot. This idea of the happy, unproductive bum
simultaneously vilifies and justifies the proletariat. See, theyre poor because they
just dont work hard enough! In fact, they like being poor!

Blatant vilification of blue-collar workers

Spongebob, on the other hand, represents the ideal proletariat. Spongebob is
hardworking, humble, and endlessly optimistic. Day in and day out, he gleefully
works a minimum-wage job flipping burgers with no hope of promotion. Hes a cog
in Mr. Krabs greasy machine, but he doesnt even realize it. He just continues to
skip to work every day, chanting Im ready!. Ready for what, Spongebob? Ready
for the bourgeoisie Kool-aid hes been absorbing through his poriferous sponge
body.
Spongebob is the ideal worker, and as children, we aspired to be just like him. The
very first episode of Spongebob showed him getting his first job as fry cook.
According to the show, the very best achievement you could receive is being
gainfully employed, tirelessly productive, and efficient to maximize your managers
profits. Spongebob famously served busloads of anchovies at a never-before-seen
pace. It wasnt enough that Spongebob could perform his job well; he had to go
above and beyond his duty in order to seem valuable.
Back, finally, to Squidward. Squidward isnt like Spongebob or Patrick. He isnt
satisfied in his low-level employment. What Squidward seeks is artistic satisfaction
and world renown. He covets the success of his employer without achieving the
work ethic necessary for someone of his class to ascend. Squidward has realized
that the cards have been stacked against him at every turn. If Squidward were less

jaded, he could be the catalyst to prompt full-scale class revolution. Unfortunately,

Squidwards defeatist personality and egoism prevents him from implementing
social change.

Mfw I realized I will never dismantle oppressive power structures that infiltrate our
economic landscape
That is why we are all Squidward. Weve uncovered the limits of capitalism and
realized that hard work may not always pay off. Weve begun to notice the
oppressive exploitation of others that our current economic and societal structure is
utterly dependent on to function. We yearn for something better, yet feel that
change is out of our reach. We become bitter, combative, self-depreciative, and
cynical. Theres a reason Squidward is the unhappiest character on Spongebob.
The show punishes Squidward for his views, hoping to prod viewers back towards
Spongebobs blithe, unfounded optimism.
Their efforts were to no avail. Millions of millennials are finding themselves
disillusioned, realizing all along that Squidward was the reasonable one. He had a
right to protest Mr. Krabs vile working conditions, and his sarcasm was merely a
coping mechanism for the injustices placed against him. Squidward is the
dissatisfied proletariat, and we identify with him more than ever. The difference is,
we have the energy and collective power to succeed where he could not. Together,
we can rise up against the bourgeoisie, establishing an egalitarian society that does
not prey on the lower classes. In the words of Spongebob, Im ready. Are you?