Comments on: Lessons from Monopoly http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/ Random samplings from a universe of ideas. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:14:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Tammy & Matthias » Lessons from Monopoly http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/comment-page-1/#comment-19302 Tammy & Matthias » Lessons from Monopoly Mon, 30 Oct 2006 04:11:22 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/#comment-19302 [...] I thought this analysis was so cool, that I just had to share. Sean Carroll, a physicist from the University of Chicago, writes for a blog called “Cosmic Variance.” I will just quote part of his most recent post Called “Lessons on Monopoly” (the board game). [...] [...] I thought this analysis was so cool, that I just had to share. Sean Carroll, a physicist from the University of Chicago, writes for a blog called “Cosmic Variance.” I will just quote part of his most recent post Called “Lessons on Monopoly” (the board game). [...]

]]> By: Urijah http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/comment-page-1/#comment-19297 Urijah Wed, 09 Aug 2006 04:28:11 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/#comment-19297 Well, perhaps by the end of the game the other aspiring monopolists have gone bust, but the end result is that society has become vastly richer! Little pieces of paper have been transformed into houses and hotels. Before, people were sleeping on the cold, hard, streets of Atlantic City--now they have warm and cozy beds to sleep in! Sounds like a good deal to me. Well, perhaps by the end of the game the other aspiring monopolists have gone bust, but the end result is that society has become vastly richer! Little pieces of paper have been transformed into houses and hotels. Before, people were sleeping on the cold, hard, streets of Atlantic City–now they have warm and cozy beds to sleep in! Sounds like a good deal to me.

]]> By: Bob http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/comment-page-1/#comment-19299 Bob Tue, 08 Aug 2006 20:33:43 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/#comment-19299 Actually, we used to rev the game up years ago this way: Use two sets of monopoly and double the money volume. Everyone starts in the first board and all the money of the second board is put at "Free Parking" of the second board...That is the lotto. If you hit "Free Parking" in the first board you get to enter the second board. For those who are propertyless, it is a good place to hide. But if you land in jail you go back to the first board at "Free Parking" and must remain in that board for at least another trip around. You only go to jail if a picked up card from "opportunity knocks" sends you there or if you get CAUGHT cheating. If you are not caught cheating, you are still free. Bribing is allowed as long as no one gets caught. Jailed? You get to use the four extra pieces from the other set as "fall guys" to send one to the slammer in your place and the other 3 to do your dirty work in the second board. While they are in there your piece is removed from the board, leaving you untouchable until you roll doubles. Like a drug dealer, you get to keep collecting rent money that partially goes to your 3 other "fall guys", moving through the second board. When they land with another piece in the second board they mug that piece. Also, the rolls of dice are more chaotic. You do not wait for someone to move their piece just after they have rolled. You grab and throw and move and grab the deed without asking. Deeds are spread out around the board. Actually, we used to rev the game up years ago this way:

Use two sets of monopoly and double the money volume. Everyone starts in the first board and all the money of the second board is put at “Free Parking” of the second board…That is the lotto. If you hit “Free Parking” in the first board you get to enter the second board. For those who are propertyless, it is a good place to hide. But if you land in jail you go back to the first board at “Free Parking” and must remain in that board for at least another trip around.

You only go to jail if a picked up card from “opportunity knocks” sends you there or if you get CAUGHT cheating. If you are not caught cheating, you are still free. Bribing is allowed as long as no one gets caught.

Jailed? You get to use the four extra pieces from the other set as “fall guys” to send one to the slammer in your place and the other 3 to do your dirty work in the second board. While they are in there your piece is removed from the board, leaving you untouchable until you roll doubles. Like a drug dealer, you get to keep collecting rent money that partially goes to your 3 other “fall guys”, moving through the second board. When they land with another piece in the second board they mug that piece.

Also, the rolls of dice are more chaotic. You do not wait for someone to move their piece just after they have rolled. You grab and throw and move and grab the deed without asking. Deeds are spread out around the board.

]]> By: Glow in the Dark · links for 2006-08-07 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/comment-page-1/#comment-19298 Glow in the Dark · links for 2006-08-07 Mon, 07 Aug 2006 23:23:44 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/#comment-19298 [...] Lessons from Monopoly | Cosmic Variance # The game perfectly demonstrates the instability of the free market (which it should, if someone is going to "win"). That is, the rich get richer, as they can leverage their wealth to increase their earnings. Makes for a better board game than a soci (tags: business economics) [...] [...] Lessons from Monopoly | Cosmic Variance # The game perfectly demonstrates the instability of the free market (which it should, if someone is going to “win”). That is, the rich get richer, as they can leverage their wealth to increase their earnings. Makes for a better board game than a soci (tags: business economics) [...]

]]> By: Theo http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/comment-page-1/#comment-19304 Theo Mon, 07 Aug 2006 18:24:18 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/#comment-19304 See, I always play, and have understood the rules as requiring, that folks sitting in jail are unable to collect rent. See, I always play, and have understood the rules as requiring, that folks sitting in jail are unable to collect rent.

]]> By: Zhasper http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/comment-page-1/#comment-19303 Zhasper Mon, 07 Aug 2006 06:01:59 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/#comment-19303 Check out the game Anti-Monopoly - http://www.antimonopoly.com/ It's recognisably similar to Monopoly, but with two groups of players who have different rules applied to them... Check out the game Anti-Monopoly – http://www.antimonopoly.com/

It’s recognisably similar to Monopoly, but with two groups of players who have different rules applied to them…

]]> By: Sourav http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/comment-page-1/#comment-19282 Sourav Sun, 06 Aug 2006 20:59:49 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/#comment-19282 What Arun said. If anything, the fact that it takes forever to win at Monopoly illustrates that even zero-sum economies with perfectly inelastic demand take forever to equilibrate -- self-interest is powerful. What Arun said.

If anything, the fact that it takes forever to win at Monopoly illustrates that even zero-sum economies with perfectly inelastic demand take forever to equilibrate — self-interest is powerful.

]]> By: PK http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/comment-page-1/#comment-19281 PK Sun, 06 Aug 2006 20:31:52 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/#comment-19281 That's a fun post! However, I think that the rule of choosing a number for one of the dice and rolling the other will have two unwanted effects: (1) It will shorten the time all the (good) properties get sold because you can aim with your number of choice, and (2) it will lengthen the time for the inevitable to happen: the player with the best property wins. We should try and find a rule that achieves the opposite. That’s a fun post! However, I think that the rule of choosing a number for one of the dice and rolling the other will have two unwanted effects: (1) It will shorten the time all the (good) properties get sold because you can aim with your number of choice, and (2) it will lengthen the time for the inevitable to happen: the player with the best property wins. We should try and find a rule that achieves the opposite.

]]> By: donna http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/comment-page-1/#comment-19296 donna Sun, 06 Aug 2006 04:10:13 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/#comment-19296 There was a game called "Careers" that I enjoyed far more than Monopoly, and that actually taught you something about planning a career path. Monopoly only taught me that I didn't want to end up as a renter. ;^) There was a game called “Careers” that I enjoyed far more than Monopoly, and that actually taught you something about planning a career path. Monopoly only taught me that I didn’t want to end up as a renter. ;^)

]]> By: Pete http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/comment-page-1/#comment-19279 Pete Sat, 05 Aug 2006 19:12:08 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/#comment-19279 We used to play the variant of monopoly where all fines go to the poorest player instead of the Bank - the effect being that players get to stay in for longer (the usual reason a four-person monopoly game ends is boredom on the part of the losers) - and this variant also results in frequent wealth reversals if you get the building repairs card at the right time. This also shows that the Bank is always coming out in good shape - just like the house at a casino. I don't recall any of those games ever being won by anyone. (As far as the real world comparison, I could use my $200 for passing GO - does that represent wages?) We used to play the variant of monopoly where all fines go to the poorest player instead of the Bank – the effect being that players get to stay in for longer (the usual reason a four-person monopoly game ends is boredom on the part of the losers) – and this variant also results in frequent wealth reversals if you get the building repairs card at the right time. This also shows that the Bank is always coming out in good shape – just like the house at a casino. I don’t recall any of those games ever being won by anyone. (As far as the real world comparison, I could use my $200 for passing GO – does that represent wages?)

]]> By: Amara http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/comment-page-1/#comment-19280 Amara Sat, 05 Aug 2006 18:32:11 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/#comment-19280 Similar to Arun's counterpoint, here is another, but lighter <a href="http://www.financialsense.com/fsu/editorials/2006/0118.html" rel="nofollow"> discussion of the Monopoly Game</a> from a father's observations while playing with his daughter. And a more <a href="http://ideas.repec.org/p/wiw/wiwrsa/ersa05p430.html" rel="nofollow"> theoretical discussion</a> using Game Theory / <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-_Ul1rgl7g" rel="nofollow">Nash Equilibrium</a> (youtube). Similar to Arun’s counterpoint, here is another, but lighter discussion of the Monopoly Game from a father’s observations while playing with his daughter. And a more theoretical discussion using Game Theory / Nash Equilibrium (youtube).

]]> By: Arun http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/comment-page-1/#comment-19284 Arun Sat, 05 Aug 2006 15:05:28 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/#comment-19284 Counterpoint: What's Wrong with Monopoly (the game)? http://www.mises.org/story/1451 <I>The problem is that the game seriously misrepresents how an actual market economy operates. </I> Counterpoint:

What’s Wrong with Monopoly (the game)?
http://www.mises.org/story/1451

The problem is that the game seriously misrepresents how an actual market economy operates.

]]> By: Say Lee http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/comment-page-1/#comment-19286 Say Lee Sat, 05 Aug 2006 12:37:22 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/#comment-19286 If the aim is to make the game more "equitable", why don't we start with the name itself? If the aim is to make the game more “equitable”, why don’t we start with the name itself?

]]> By: Thomas Palm http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/comment-page-1/#comment-19285 Thomas Palm Sat, 05 Aug 2006 12:20:36 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/#comment-19285 Sean misses the real lesson from the game Monopoly. The original version was created by a Quaker, Lizzie Magie, just in order to teach the unfairness of the capitalistic system. To prove the point, some years later the design was stolen, patented and became the game we now know as monopoly. ( Alonger and slightly more fair description can be found at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monopoly_%28game%29) Sean misses the real lesson from the game Monopoly. The original version was created by a Quaker, Lizzie Magie, just in order to teach the unfairness of the capitalistic system. To prove the point, some years later the design was stolen, patented and became the game we now know as monopoly. ( Alonger and slightly more fair description can be found at Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monopoly_%28game%29)

]]> By: Frank http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/comment-page-1/#comment-19283 Frank Sat, 05 Aug 2006 03:39:53 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/#comment-19283 Damn pinko commies! Damn pinko commies!

]]> By: Vacuum Energy http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/comment-page-1/#comment-19288 Vacuum Energy Sat, 05 Aug 2006 02:26:43 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/#comment-19288 <strong>The proper lessons of Monopoly</strong> The blog Cosmic Variance discusses the long-time favorite board game Monopoly and draws some negative implications for capitalism from the game. What I find interesting is that some of the positive implications for capitalism have been overlooked. The proper lessons of Monopoly

The blog Cosmic Variance discusses the long-time favorite board game Monopoly and draws some negative implications for capitalism from the game. What I find interesting is that some of the positive implications for capitalism have been overlooked.

]]> By: Jack http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/comment-page-1/#comment-19287 Jack Sat, 05 Aug 2006 01:16:26 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/#comment-19287 I've just invented a board game called "Academic Life". In order to win, you have to be as politically correct as possible. But I couldn't resist putting in a special penalty for players who make smug remarks about the capitalistic system on which they are parasitic. I’ve just invented a board game called “Academic Life”. In order to win, you have to be as politically correct as possible. But I couldn’t resist putting in a special penalty for players who make smug remarks about the capitalistic system on which they are parasitic.

]]> By: Chad Orzel http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/comment-page-1/#comment-19291 Chad Orzel Fri, 04 Aug 2006 19:56:34 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/#comment-19291 We played once using a set that had a lot of miscellaneous extra pieces in it, and after one player was eliminated, he took a giant red Parcheesi piece out of the box, and declared himself to be the Red Revolution-- players who were about to be eliminated due to inability to pay rent would cede their property to the Revolution. (Which, weirdly, would pay rents when it landed on the properties owned by other players, and ended up losing as a result...) I lobbied unsuccessfuly for having the Revolution move around the board like a normal piece, only when it landed on the same square as another player, that person's property would be nationalized, and distributed equally among the other players. I still think that would be an amusing addition to the game. We played once using a set that had a lot of miscellaneous extra pieces in it, and after one player was eliminated, he took a giant red Parcheesi piece out of the box, and declared himself to be the Red Revolution– players who were about to be eliminated due to inability to pay rent would cede their property to the Revolution. (Which, weirdly, would pay rents when it landed on the properties owned by other players, and ended up losing as a result…)

I lobbied unsuccessfuly for having the Revolution move around the board like a normal piece, only when it landed on the same square as another player, that person’s property would be nationalized, and distributed equally among the other players. I still think that would be an amusing addition to the game.

]]> By: Jim E-H http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/comment-page-1/#comment-19290 Jim E-H Fri, 04 Aug 2006 19:52:29 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/#comment-19290 Well, the game <em>was</em> designed during the Depression by a guy who couldn't afford to take his family on vacation to the real Atlantic City, so perhaps the result isn't so suprising. Well, the game was designed during the Depression by a guy who couldn’t afford to take his family on vacation to the real Atlantic City, so perhaps the result isn’t so suprising.

]]> By: cynic http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/comment-page-1/#comment-19289 cynic Fri, 04 Aug 2006 19:43:04 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/08/04/lessons-from-monopoly/#comment-19289 Oh dear. Oh dear.

]]>