I just played the simulation game spent about 10 times. http://playspent.org/ The game represents a living situation many Americans (14 million unemployed currently) experience now - especially given our current economic situation. The game makes the player think of what they would do having only $1000 to live on for the month and only having low income jobs as options for employment. As much as I tried, I could not get the higher paying temp job typing (I wonder if anyone in the class was able to?). So I took jobs as a warehouse worker or a waitress. Only two times out of 10 could I get through the game with enough money to pay my next months rent. However, it was quite obvious that the choices I made to get through the month (no health insurance, car registration, or enough food) could sustain me long term - perhaps not even more than a month. Overall this game brought me back to the vulnerabilities I faced as a kid and still face today. In a clever and consise way, the game Spent demonstrates that pervasive financial vulnerabilites and insecurities in America are a symptom our government, capitalist society, and culture.
The game's format for presenting knowledge greatly impacted comprehension of the information. However, it wasn't necessary for the game to make me realize that it is hard to make it financially in America. I consider myself blessed to have a high paying job and a partner who also has a high paying job and even we are challenged financially with just the basics - (a mortgage, 2 car payments, health insurance, utilities, student loan payments). It can be easy for me to see that people would easily go without what I (and the game) consider basic costs and there was a time when I was also in that situation and with our current economy I can imagine most Americans are stressed that they will face similar tough times - if they aren't already.
I liked how the game required a choice and then would give a bubble of information surrounding American experience about that choice. I felt guilty that I opted to not to register my vehicle in the game - but after reading the bubble that said many Americans don't, it hit home how challenging it is for many people. I particularly found interesting the bubble of information that indicated that many primary school children choose not to eat to avoid being labeled as poor. I was that kid. My family qualified for reduced lunch and I was mortified to have to stand in line for reduced lunch tickets - I'm probably still scarred to this day about that experience because of the way that other kids judged me on the basis of what my parents had. I probably would have gone hungry myself had I not needed to pick them up for my brothers as well. It is interesting that a large part of American culture is obsessed with material things and yet so many of us do not have many material things. In some ways the social stigma for being poor is worse than the physical consequences. I have to say that the game highly impacted me because it made me feel that vulnerability and rejection I felt as a kid again...Ouch. However, feeling that feeling makes me a better person because it also drives me to helps me to be very empathetic - and a much better public servant.
I don't think the game is necessarily biased for Americans, although it gives a narrow situation with narrow choices. In actuality we would have more choice, but it gets its point across. I think it would be very interesting to see a simulation with facts about a different country. For instance, it could represent Europe, India, and China for instance with relative job opportunities, rent, insurance costs, as well as represent legal and social consequences for decision making. We may see in Europe that it is easier for those who are less fortunate to make it through the month while those in poverty in certain areas of India may have it much worse than those with even slim job opportunities in the United States.
My entry in the 10,000 Solutions competition sponsored by ASU was influenced by the Spent game. I wrote:
"Many primary age students would rather go hungry than face the social stigma affiliated with taking reduced or free lunches. As one of the kids who was stigmatized by the way my school handled these lunches, I realize the solution should fix the discrimination of the poor overall - but that problem has deep roots in our culture and will take a broad shift in thinking.
A practical approach is for schools to receive funding to put computerized systems in place that would take e-lunch cards if they don't already have a system. The cards should carry "points" instead of dollars. Each "hot lunch" or ala carte item would be a number of points instead of a dollar amount. Parents with reduced lunch eligibility would purchase a number of points for a reduced dollar amount. Kids who qualify for free lunches would have a set amount of points. The point system removes the differences children face at the lunch register. The transactions are only visible between the parent and the school."
These three entries caught my attention:
1) Rape Defense - Africa
This was an interesting entry because it is such a profound problem in Africa. I don't think the solution - to teach women self defense, or give women a whistle will help much with the problem because Africa does not have the same public safety backing like we have in the US. If a girl whistles - who is going to come to her defense? However, I do think it is a good start and would be interested in additional solutions to the problem.
2)Reverse Groupon was selected as the solution of the week by 10000 solutions. It suggests that people request bargains instead of companies offering them and highlights that this would be highly popular with college students. I would be in on this idea!
3)Another solution of the week is the "Adopt Don't Shop" concept. I am an animal lover with three adorable dogs myself. The "Adopt Don't Shop" concept encourages pet adoption by displaying pictures donated from a professional photographer in Memorial Union. I think this makes adopting a pet just as or more exciting as purchasing one. Although I would be afraid that a small fraction of college students would not be responsible pet owners.
I was involved with the project as an ASU employee during it's inception phases when it was called ASU Challenges and it is interesting to see how the ASU Challenges concept has evolved. It originally started with the idea that the number of challenges would be fixed and ASU would take on the top 10 or top 100 to demonstrate ASU’s vision of a New American University to the community - that it was an all inclusive research university with the capabilities of solving world problems. I really like how since then the concept has been extended to the greater community, how it allows people to be easily involved, and easily expand on eachothers work. I think it will continue to grow - like it says on the site - it's an evolving project. One of the ways that I think it could grow is by introducing some elements we see from Youtube - such as most views and/or ratings and visitors could filter results on that basis in addition to current ways.
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