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Inequality-opoly: The Board Game of Structural Racism and Sexism in America

Cow Mengde

Cow Mengde

Member
Oct 26, 2017
12,713
I was at NYC Play today and got to play this game. I just had to in this day and age. It's basically Monopoly with a twist. Before you start, you select from a few face down cards that'll assign you your race and gender. That card you select will tell you what kind of dice rolls you'll need in order to succeed. For example, there are certain tiles where if you land on it and you're female, you get a certain amount of tax you have to pay. There are also mechanics like getting paid more during payday depending on your race/gender. I... ended up with white male. Being white male will give you a huge advantage such as more money from jobs, and more generous dice rolls to succeed. According to the makers of the game, the statistics are researched and you can look it up. I think this game is a fun and uncomfortable way to really learn about the struggles of others. I wonder if they can update the game if there ever was a big social change in America? I can see people arguing about how it's inaccurate. Otherwise, I really think this board game is a great idea.

For the record, just because you're a minority doesn't mean you can't win. I was a white male and was beaten by someone playing asian female. An actual asian female watching the game cheered happily seeing the asian female win saying "wow, asian female won again!?" I think the point of the game flew over her head.
 
captive

captive

Member
Oct 25, 2017
16,996
Houston
Cow Mengde said:
I think this game is a fun and uncomfortable way to really learn about the struggles of others. I wonder if they can update the game if there ever was a big social change in America? I can see people arguing about how it's inaccurate. Otherwise, I really think this board game is a great idea.
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Unfortunately all I see is this getting played by white people for a laugh while drunk.
Source: me. I'm white and I've been around white people my whole life.
 

Deleted member 8861

User requested account closure
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Oct 26, 2017
10,564
Cow Mengde said:
I think this game is a fun and uncomfortable way to really learn about the struggles of others.
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This sentence sounds paradoxical at first.

On topic, it both sounds uncharacteristically humorous and also sad as hell.

I suppose that means it works.

edit: I don't see how it'd be use to actually make a point to anybody though. For anyone skeptic about gendered wage gaps and such, you'd need better resources than a board game.
 
OP
OP
Cow Mengde

Cow Mengde

Member
Oct 26, 2017
12,713
Funyarinpa said:
edit: I don't see how it'd be use to actually make a point to anybody though. For anyone skeptic about gendered wage gaps and such, you'd need better resources than a board game.
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This is more for people to sort of experience what others are experiencing through a board game. Obviously it's only a game, but really gives you a better sense of the inequality.

Edit - Obviously you're not going to use this if convince ignorant people. I was thinking about it as a way to educate the younger crowd. In our game, we had 2 younger kids play the game with us.
 
Man-is-Obsolete

Man-is-Obsolete

Member
Oct 26, 2017
3,946
But is it better than this?

millennial_monopoly.0.jpeg


I hate everything about that cover. In all seriousness Inequality-opoly sounds interesting but I can definitely see many people missing the point like the example in the OP. Which makes it even more like monopoly, who's original designer made it to show how unchecked capitalism is bad for everyone except one (the winner in its case).
 
OP
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Cow Mengde

Cow Mengde

Member
Oct 26, 2017
12,713
Man-is-Obsolete said:
But is it better than this?

I hate everything about that cover. In all seriousness Inequality-opoly sounds interesting but I can definitely see many people missing the point like the example in the OP. Which makes it even more like monopoly, who's original designer made it to show how unchecked capitalism is bad for everyone except one (the winner in its case).
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If you think about it, Inequality-opoly is probably the real Monopoly for Millennials.
 
Rover

Rover

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,417
Monopoly itself was originally created as a way to protest/educate on the idea of capitalist land ownership. It was in fact stolen from its inventor and marketed ironically by Parker Brothers as a celebration of capitalism.

This is obviously a creative take on the board game but people don't really take stuff like this seriously , or spread it the way the author intended.
 
Plum

Plum

Member
May 31, 2018
17,290
An inequality version of 'The Game of Life' would be more effective than this. Less potential for missing the point and there isn't the inherent irony in a tale about inequality being played out via a game where you are automatically given enough funds to buy real estate. Would also add more opportunity to show specific times throughout people's lives in which the 'big three' elements of inequality (Race, Gender, Class) can fuck you over.

...or maybe I'm overthinking it.
 
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