I love the readings for this week because each article was so different and unique. And it is not because of how different their topics were, these articles describe games or a game and explain how it is important to that country. Additionally, how play expresses the changes of societies, history, and human nature.

The “Playing the American Dream” piece is fascinating because it honestly shows America for what is… It is the hypocritical, ever-changing clusterfuck. America has evolved from this religious led society to a society where money and greed are facts of survival. And I I think religious fanaticism and uncontrollable greed are what our society is. Additionally, trying to instill fear, intimidation, and competition into children, under the guise that they are learning about the real world. I thought that idea was a product of 1950’s America, actually started centuries before that, which is really terrifying. It shows, to me at least, we have not changed/evolved. On a brighter note, I really want to play Class Struggle because I love the directions and meaning of the game. Plus, Karl Marx arm wrestling Nelson Rockefeller is just simply amazing and beautiful. I hope Karl wins.

I love the articles about Pachisi and the Persian Playing Cards for many reasons. One it proves that both Europe and North America did not invent every game on the planet. Another, is that every game we play now, whether video games, sports, or imaginary, they all stem from these games. Plus, the Pachisi board and cloth, and the Persian Playing Cards are so beautiful. These cards and boards are just too beautiful to play with, I would place them on my wall as art.

The article that surprised me was Pikachu’s Global Adventure who knew that yellow whatever the fuck it is has a cultural and societal importance to not only Asia but also the US. I had no idea the political and social power that Pokémon has or at least had.