The game of life: struggles of the modern man

Artifacts from both games and movies can act as euphemistic lenses, subtly implying the values of the time, sometimes inadvertently. Other artifacts reveal paradoxical values of the time explicitly, elucidating the struggle of the modern era. The Game of Life board game, a family game made popular in the 1960s, glorifies a life of financial success, promising great rewards to anyone who will spin the game wheel. It is a game no one can lose. Similarly, Ron Howard's film, Parenthood, speaks to the struggle of the modern man, a constant battle between the want of a family life and a successful career full of financial awards. This paper attempts to break down these values and elucidate the power of these seemingly benign artifacts.