writers choice

Board Of Board Games?
Ever played the board game Life or Monopoly with family or a group of friends? In each game the player collect money and other prizes that add to his or her final score. Both games were invented in the early 1900’s and were originally designed to be played with paper money. Today with the worlds ever growing pop culture, entertainment such as board games are trying to keep up with modern times. Life and Monopoly have both upgraded to a credit card machine and have completely ditched the use of paper money. Board games are an ongoing tradition that pop culture has twisted and pushed to the limit. Pop culture has affected the traditional board game and manipulated its characteristics to fit in today’s world. Games are no longer as simple as they used to be, now they require batteries and players no longer have to count money. The new edition of the games are designed to reflect the way transactions between consumers and merchants now take place.

When I go on vacations or want to waist time with friend’s board games are occasionally played. I am 20 years old and in my life time there has already been an evolution of board games. In the book “Remix: Reading and Composing Culture” the chapter about tradition states that “Traditions are practices that have been handed down to us by past generations” (176). My generation will always remember Monopoly and Life as a game with paper money. Generations to come will see board games as a computer with credit cards. Children will be trained that they can buy what ever they desire on a credit card and that paper money is no longer necessary. The new versions of the games are now teaching children to be reckless with their money. Having a credit card in the game with no boundaries is training kids about the “buy-now-pay-later” aspect of pop culture.

A definition of a board game is “games that help develop practical skills for everyday life”. Practical skills today are being able to understand the technological world like credit cards and computers. If board games prepare children for life in their community, then updating the resources that teach kids about pop culture is essential for keeping the trend going. Pop culture is morphing what we used to see as a simple board game. Now society has created a new tool in promoting their culture. Starting with something as simple as board games and targeting it at young children pop culture is trying to embed their mark now so they survive the future. Also from the book “Remix: Reading and Composing Culture” the chapter states “for many people, the term tradition has a some what old fashioned connotation” (176). It seems that pop culture is trying to please the groups of the community that don’t believe in ‘old fashioned’ traditions. But at the same time thinking about the other half of people who don’t except change as easily and need some familiarity.

Although pop culture has challenged the traditional board game they still have kept the same basic idea. In Life the player is given the chance to have a car, children, house etc. But now the player can upgrade his or her car to a sports car or mini-van. Also the player can decide weather he or she wants kids or if they want an education or even upgrade their house. Each decision the player makes ultimately effects their final out come. The way to win the game is by having the most money and or life experiences. Pop culture is attempting to make a game similar to “life” its self and it is kind of a preview for young children into the “real world”. With the content of the game changing, adding the “life pod” to the game Life has been a new addition. Before games haven’t had any technologies to represent the present world. The “life pod” now helps children understand a little bit about the “real world” and how to spend money. The down side is kids aren’t learning how to count money like in previous games.

The next time a board game is played just remember how pop culture is trying to form the world as we know it. Remember past traditions and how they once represented a time where things stayed simple. Also don’t forget that the culture will always be changing everything in the community. Pop culture is what shapes new traditions by building off of old ones. Sometimes the past has to be destroyed to start something new. Pop culture thinks mainly about its own survival and what it has to do to stay alive. The ever changing culture has made its impact on the traditional board game and has transformed it to survive in the modern world. It may just be a game but its also one of pop cultures “training” games for life.