Beef Part 1: The Birds Don’t Sing, They Screech in Pain

"Beef" by Netflix is an outstanding production that narrates the account of a road rage episode that happens between two individuals from radically different social spheres in Los Angeles. Danny Zhou (Steven Yeun) is a contractor who suffered misfortune, and his resentment leads him to confront Amy Liu; on the other hand, Amy Liu (Ali Wong) is a successful self-made businesswoman with an unconventional way of life. This profound and emotive dark comedy delves into their growing animosity, which ultimately causes their existence and connections to crumble.

In the series, each episode's title is a famous quote, either from classic literature or cinema, that reflects the characters' sufferings and their state of mind. Now let’s delve into the quotes and try to understand each episode's psychological and philosophical theme.

Episode 1: “The Birds Don’t Sing, They Screech in Pain”

The trees are in misery, and the birds are in misery. I don’t think they sing. They just screech in pain… Taking a close look at what’s around us, there is some sort of harmony: It’s the harmony of overwhelming and collective murder. — Werner Herzog

The quote drew its inspiration from Werner Herzog's documentary "Burden of Dreams." In this quote, Werner Herzog is expressing his bleak view of the natural world. He believes that nature is not a harmonious, idyllic setting where birds sing and trees flourish. Instead, he sees a world where all living beings are engaged in a constant struggle for survival, where every creature must kill to eat and stay alive. To Herzog, this cycle of violence and destruction is not beautiful or inspiring, but rather a source of deep pain and misery for all involved. The birds may appear to be singing, but in reality, they are simply screeching in agony. The trees may seem peaceful, but they too suffer as they are slowly strangled by vines and suffocated by choking pollutants.

The director uses this quote as a metaphor for the two leading characters. Amy and Danny are just like the birds. Amy and Danny initially come across as unremarkable individuals - Amy is a prosperous corporate executive, and Danny an unexceptional contractor grappling to make a living. Their yelling at each other is not because of anger but because of the agony they have in life.

Episode 2: “The Rapture of Being Alive”

I don’t think the meaning of life is what we’re seeking. I think it’s the experience of being alive… so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances with our own innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive. — Joseph Campbell

"What is the rapture of being alive?" This was the answer given by American author Joseph Campbell when asked about his views on the meaning of life during a 1988 interview. Joseph Campbell is suggesting that rather than searching for the meaning of life, we should focus on the experience of being alive. He believes that this experience should resonate with our innermost being and reality, so that we can feel the joy and excitement of simply existing. Campbell is emphasizing the importance of living in the present moment and fully embracing the experiences that life has to offer. He suggests that the physical plane of existence should be intertwined with our innermost being, allowing us to experience life to the fullest.

Despite living in the present moment and enjoying life, both Daniel and Amy have been tirelessly working towards finding meaning in their lives, which is providing a better future for their family. Overwhelmed by the combination of familial and work pressures, they are both close to breaking point, with Daniel even attempting suicide several times. Eventually, they feel truly alive and present when Amy chases after Danny for peeing in her bathroom. Their retaliation towards each other brings them excitement and gives Danny a reason to keep going. As they become increasingly obsessed with getting revenge, their struggles tap into their most primal instincts, unleashing their deepest impulses and emotions. They begin to feel the rapture of being alive.

Episode 3: “I Am Inhabited by a Cry”

I am inhabited by a cry. Nightly it flaps out. Looking, with its hooks, for something to love. — Sylvia Plath

This quote is from the American poet Sylvia Plath's poem "Elm." Plath describes her personal pain and anguish as an elm tree outside her window being destroyed by a storm. The line "I am inhabited by a cry" refers to the deep emotional pain that Plath feels inside. The word "inhabited" suggests that this pain is something that lives within her and has taken over her being. The phrase "Nightly it flaps out" suggests that this pain is not just a passing emotion but a persistent cry that repeatedly emerges, causing her distress. "Looking, with its hooks, for something to love" refers to how Plath's pain and suffering have made her desperate for love and affection.

This quote expresses the deep emotional pain that individual experiences throughout life, It also highlights the human need for connection and the lengths people will go to find it, even in their darkest moments.

In this episode, everyone’s desperately longing for connection or attachment, to alleviate their inner emotional pain and suffering.

In Amy's relationship with her husband, Amy has always taken on the role of a giver. However, her husband often acts like a child and is unable to understand or empathize with her. Even when trying to comfort Amy, he says things that only show his lack of understanding, such as "I often wonder if we weren't together, if I'd be different." Amy learned to suppress her emotions early on, influenced by her parents, resulting in her silently enduring everything. Even in therapy, she remains self-deprecating and takes care of her husband's emotions instead of expressing her own dissatisfaction.

Despite struggling with deep inner pain, Amy chooses to suffer in silence for the sake of maintaining her family and relationship. However, discovering her husband's secret screenshot of Mia's bikini photo causes their relationship to deteriorate. Meanwhile, Amy finds enjoyment in her interactions with Danny's brother, Paul. Amy’s husband Jorge also seeks a deeper connection with Mia. The pain and emptiness inside both of them are pushing them towards infidelity.

Danny's relationship with his brother worsens due to disagreements. He also becomes consumed with self-blame after almost lighting a child on fire as an act of revenge on Amy. With no one to confide in, he turns to the Korean Church for comfort, despite not believing in God. Danny's crying in the church demonstrates the extreme suffering he is going through.

Episode 4: “Just Not All at the Same Time”

You can have it all, just not all at the same time. — Betty Friedan

"When asked at a conference if women could have it all, feminist and writer Betty Friedan gave this blunt response: 'You can have it all, just not all at the same time.'

During a Q&A in Las Vegas, Amy's fans believe she has it all – a beautiful family, picturesque home, and successful career – and she assures them they can follow in her footsteps. But what we see in the series is that balancing marriage, parenting, career, and personal fulfillment is not easy for Amy. Despite her family falling apart, she refuses to admit it. Amy conceals her true emotions behind a facade of a happy family and successful career for the public but is constantly on the verge of a breakdown. Fear lies beneath her disguises - the fear that revealing her true self would cause people to dislike her. This fear is evident in her relationship with her husband, as she continually deceives herself to maintain the relationship by pretending to be the person he wants her to be and avoiding real issues.

Danny manages to acquire a loan under the guise of the church and steal supplies for construction. Meanwhile, his brother Paul steals Danny's vehicle, which contains the stolen goods. Danny wants to indulge in an unlimited buffet, but he has to abandon his food to pursue his brother when he appears unexpectedly. Although later Danny has the keys to drive the car back home, he opts to take revenge on Amy instead, causing him to be pursued by security guards. Eventually, Danny and Issac are caught by the authorities, leading to the loss of everything they had attained, including the stolen goods. Danny’s insatiable greed brought about their downfall, despite receiving the loan, Danny still went across the line and resorted to stealing, which can only lead to destruction.

Episode 5: “Such Inward Secret Creatures”

We are such inward secret creatures, that inwardness the most amazing thing about us, even more amazing than our reason. But we cannot just walk into the cavern and look around. Most of what we think we know about our minds is pseudo-knowledge. We are all such shocking poseurs, so good at inflating the importance of what we think we value. — Iris Murdoch

Iris Murdoch is pointing out how fascinating and complex human inwardness is. She emphasizes that our inner world, including our thoughts, emotions, and desires, is an incredibly rich and deep aspect of our being. However, despite this richness, we often have very limited understanding of our own minds.

Murdoch argues that many of the things we believe about ourselves are not truly based in deep self-awareness, but instead are superficial and constructed to bolster our own self-importance. We may overemphasize certain qualities or values we possess, or downplay aspects of ourselves that we feel are less desirable. We are often unaware of our inner world, and we tend to mask and exaggerate the qualities that we perceive as valuable, deceiving ourselves in the process. Positive affirmation of our self-worth results in confidence and happiness, whereas neglect or denial of our self-worth leads to insecurity, sadness, and anger.

George, Amy's husband, was engrossed in his artistic creations despite lacking talent. He constantly struggled with self-deception and inner turmoil. However, when Danny praised his work, George was deeply moved and became even more convinced of the value of his creations. Danny, who had intended to rob George's home, was immediately inspired by George's compliment and began to believe that he was a caring and good person who genuinely cared about George. He completely forgot his intention to deceive George and canceled his plan. However, this cancellation was not due to Danny's conscience, but because George's praise had convinced him that he was a good person.

On the other hand, when Paul said that he could also achieve success like Amy, she laughed and emphasized her own efforts, thus strengthening the value of her success. However, at the same time, she also devalued Paul's worth, which ultimately led to their separation.

Check Part 2 here: https://www.peliplat.com/en/article/10004157