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Running head: SOCIAL STRATIFICATION MONOPOLY
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SOCIAL STRATIFICATION MONOPOLY
Social Stratification Monopoly
Bronson Schullo
Ferris State University
Social Stratification Monopoly
I was super excited to play Monopoly in class until I realized I was to be the second poorest in the social stratification triangle. This meant that I started with the second least amount of money and with no assets or property. When starting the game, if seemed unfair that some of us started with more money but I was still determined to make something happen with nothing. Although, my motivation to win the game was quickly diminished when I realized all the assets that the richest player got to start with. Still at this point, I kept hope. It was definitely discouraging and irritating that the game started with such large wealth gaps, along with the fact that I had one of the largest disadvantages to start.
As we started the game, I had $647.00 and was trying to buy properties in the hope of collecting rent from the other players as soon as possible. I figured this was my best bet at catching up to the richer players. For me, it all started to fall apart when I began landing on the properties that the richest player got to start the game with. Now I was the one paying taxes. Soon after this I got lucky, and didn’t land on any other properties, but I began having to pay electric taxes and finally ended up in jail. With not enough money to pay for both of these, I was forced to mortgage the properties that I did own to the bank for extra cash. At this point, I still had a sliver of hope until I landed on the rich individual’s property again (whic...