Is games giant Milton Bradley's child exploitation really the only way to live life? Traditional nuclear family with a car and a house to call their own. The option of marriage not really an option, but a law; as is getting a job, and buying a house. If you decide to go to university you MUST take out a $40K loan whether you like it or not. There is no divorce, and no real goal or influence in life bar money. The sole aim of the Milton Bradley child is to become a millionaire, is that the only thing we should strive for? Money.The Game of Life. It is no more a game than it is a way of life. In Australia alone 18% of children will see their parents divorced before they reach 18 years of age. With 66.5% of all divorces involving children, and 57.5% involving minors. The average duration of marriage in years is 10.3, with the current divorce rate being over 40% of all marriages (this figure was subjected to my own memory, and not a direct source). In The Game of Life there are no fights, no ex-nuptial pregnancy, no single parent families... How could this possibly be the depiction of real life?
There also isn't the option of multiple partners, or partners outside of marriage. Monogamous marriage is only one alternative. This stereotypical nuclear board family does not include polygyny, or polyandry marriage, let alone polygamy in general. I would dearly love to hear what people in Ninbin, Israel, Europe, and some Asian countries think of the whole matter. No representation of extended families, communal families, plural marriage, or blended families (which most Westerners are used to). If these alternatives aren't represented how could they possibly be portrayed as viable, let alone 'right,' depending on different cultures?
For be it from me to say what one should aspire to in life, but just because a multinational company says something, it doesn't make it correct. Blue for boys, pink for girls... isn't that what they and the media are constantly reinforcing? I recently walked into a baby clothing shop, just this past week, and they frowned (literally) when I asked if the sold black jumpsuits. All they had was pink, yellow, blue, and a few purple items, apart from white. But not black. Show me where a black jumpsuit for a newborn can be bought and I will show you how to become a millionaire.
If I had my way, forgive me for being self-centred, I'd play this game with my peg blue, as many partners as I wanted, with the option of purchasing a house or not, getting a job or not, an I'd aspire to be the poorest player on the board. Let's see how people respond to that!
I think it is time to put a stop to this stereotypical garbage. If has gone far too fat, and only a few dared to put a cardboard barrier between it and lifestyle, during the 1970s. Media stereotypes haven't changed at all, writers have just found better ways of hiding them.
If you would like to subscribe to my free on-line mail outs, please post: midnight_fire@hello.net.au
with "subscribe" (without the inverts) in the message body.
None.
