Monopoly®, Legos® and American world dominance (Part 1)
I was probably 9 years old the first time I was exposed to half the secret of ensuring the economic future of many Americans. In a hotel room in Germany, a friend pulled out the box. Supposely a game, Monopoly made no sense to me. Quickly labeled boring, the board was quickly abandoned by the younger ones for more entertaining diversions, like hide and seek, and legos.
American bedrooms are filled with the overabundance of American extravagance. Toys litter the floor in most homes and pack storage closets, garages, and attics from sea to shining sea. In all this diversity, you would be hard pressed though to find a single home lacking the presence of Monopoly and Legos.
What do these 2 games have to do with ongoing American prosperity and influence?
Simple. While worldwide, kids are grown on soccer, chasing cans, throwing rocks, and TV, many American kids also grow up playing a game at least occasionally that teaches the foundations of economics. How to grow a business. How to buy and sell and trade. And when you lose, you reshuffle the cards, and play again.
Perhaps one of the most important lessons of monopoly is that economic failure is not permanent, neither is it fatal. Today you lose, tomorrow you use what you learned from your adversary’s tactics to play better the next time. It’s a game, a challenge, and fun.
America doesn’t have the best education system. Finland does (So says the BBC). It doesn’t have the best system of government. No one does. It’s a tough market to break into. One a day to day basis though, Americans grow up with an understanding of how their economy works from this simple game called monopoly. More so than many cultures I’ve seen worldwide.
Is this the secret of American success? No. There are no secrets. Real economists will tell you opportunity, timing, placement, economic policies, and a host of other factors. But could one simple game be a way of educating and informing a future generation? Trick them into learning while having fun.
Did you grow up playing Monopoly? Give your background also.
(Tomorrow, part 2: Why legos form the foundation of a problem solving society. )
What do you think?
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