The Game of LIFE

I played LIFE, the boardgame, this Saturday. Hadn't done that in a long time, so I had kinda forgotten the rules. It was "The Simsons" edition, which as you can imagine, was so much like...life. I can't tell you how many times in my own life I have been invited to Itchy and Scratchy Land or my car is ruined by a runaway pig mascot or stolen by a snake or someone gets $20,000 for inventing the 'The Flaming Moe' or raising tomacco.

I decided I have a few problems with the game of Life. Apparently it is a rule that everyone has to get married early on in the game before you can proceed any further. It is unavoidable. I can understand the occasional 'accidental child' space, because I know that could actually happen to someone, but I do think there is a bias against single/unmarried people that every player has to add the spouse peg to the car and so early in the game. And the monetary compensation for jobs is outrageous. I was a cop and I was making $30,000 every payday and charging $10,000 for every speeding ticket (whenever another player spins a 10). And mine was the lowest salary of all the players. Now, I don't know about you, but in my real life I get paid every other Wednesday and if this were the kinda dough I was bringing in, I think I'd work for one month and then call it a year. Either that, Or I'd work a whole two years or so and then retire to academia or travel and write books.

In any case, I think this game will be misleading children for generations to come. Something should be done. Therapy and support groups may be necessary, except perhaps in Springfield.