The Sociology Game: Individual Reflective Text, Essay Example

Life gives individuals a chance that later makes up their future. To others, the choices made affect their future by making them suffer through their own destiny. It is, therefore, the struggle that an individual puts that defines their strategy to make it in life. However, sociologists have ascertained that, despite individual effort leading to success, each person requires the society to enhance their success. According to Furze et al. (2015), social inequality is paramount to the extent that people believe that wealthy people are more powerful and deserve more respect. Such communities have developed the notion that being in power and having wealth makes them the most successful personalities. For instance, Agrarian societies developed a religious belief that made kings and queens be respected all over and be considered as the superpowers. In this society, the mode of belief was based on ascription, which meant that when an individual is born from a peasant family, their status will remain to be the same until they die. However, other communities use the achievement method to classify their people (Furze et al. 2015). The current essay will highlight the status of life that the snakes and ladders game present in a real-life situation.

The game is composed of snakes, ladders, and pathway from zero to one hundred. The board is marked using digits that represent the barriers and different classes that society has. Each game consists of three stones. A user has to pick one to decide their fate (Velema, 2018). The process of selecting the stone can be equalled to the act of being born. Despite individuals having less choice about the respective family that will bring them to the world, it is always by chance that a person lands to the family that brings them up (Ibam et al., 2018). On the game, while selecting the stones, each user does not have any clue about the expected stone that they will pick. Therefore, the choices made determine the fate of an individual in the game. Through the selection process, each person has the same opportunities, but the choice made decides the resulting fate. According to Furze et al. (2015), the system used by the game is based on ascription. As much as achievement is evident to make the individual progress in life, the model used in the game ensures that the individuals from well off backgrounds have a perfect life as compared to those who come from a poor background.

During the beginning of the game, players are required to select one of the three stones. Each player will get the opportunity of a lifetime to decide their fate. A player who selects the green stone will automatically be considered a peasant and poor individual. Thus, such a player will have barriers and restrictions that will hinder their success and progression from the beginning of the game to the finish line (Naharuddin and Megawati, 2018). During the game, the player will be subjected to more life-threatening situations that derail their progress. These stepovers will be mandated to act as the life barriers that most individuals withstand during their road to success (Alford, 2020). In the long run, some of these individuals might be successful, while some might fail to make it.

The blue stone represents people from middle-status families. Individuals who ascend on this stone will have a moderately complicated, tough life. Despite being subjected to moderate situations, such individuals could also enjoy the fruits of life. Social inequality will not affect such individuals throughout their entire life. As much as their lives are filled with trials, they will still have the opportunity to use effort to improve their status. Although there are obstacles that can lead them to zero status of life, the effort they put enables them to be better than the individuals who have the green stone. However, Furze et al. (2015) described the Marx theory to best fit the situation of the individuals who pick the blue stones. According to the theory, the person’s class is determined by the amount of wealth that they possess. Thus, the theory places these individuals in the proletariat class who were described by the amount of labor they performed.

All individuals who pick the red stone have a fruitful life with zero barriers. These individuals have the best game time, and they are not subjected to any obstacle. The red stone makes it evident that the person is free from all obstacles and will have to enjoy the ride as they make moves in the game. All individuals who use the red stone have a similar lifestyle as individuals who go to private schools, which are ever charging more. The red stone ensures an individual enjoys the life from all aspects. These individuals end up having a life full of sweet moments. Therefore, all individuals who use this pathway will have a smooth life that will be filled with zero obstacles.

Social stratification has been identified as a pillar of social inequality by sociologists. Stratification is a system where people are classified with regard to wealth and classes. Social inequalities are determined by society, while individual prowess has very little significance on a persons’ success (Green & Johns, 2014). The system is efficient as it allows people to focus on the wellbeing of the society than having all efforts done for individual success. For example, in a real employment scenario, each employee will have to put their all productivity to the course of a single task in order to achieve a combined success. Therefore, in the game, it is the society that decides the fate of a player. Thus, all individuals who come from a rich background will have a very good experience in the game as compared to the ones from a humble background.

When the game begins, individuals with the red stones will move directly to the fourth and eighth square. Through their simplified life and easy choices, they will have a direct pass to the last row. Also, since they are not scheduled to undergo any downfall, these individuals will be given the free chance of making it to the finish line without facing distractors. Although the red stone has fewer steps to make, their impact can only be felt by other players who will attempt to follow their steps. For instance, when individuals with green stones try using the red ladder, they will be blocked and be subjected to more tribulations. Through this, it is evident that the poor are discriminated against because of their status (Alexander et al. 2016, 253).

Sociologists have, for a long time, believed that societies play a vital role in human life’s success. According to Presti (2009), the people who are wealthy are also viable to have success in their lifetime. These people face little challenges that are easy to deal with. For example, while playing the game, the biggest challenge that these individuals face is the time used to reach the final line. Since their path is already predetermined, they will have less time when navigating through the steps. Besides, people from a wealthy background will have enough time to relax and enjoy their moments (Presti, 2009). Despite the inequalities in wealth, sociologists believe that it is the best way that balances nature.

Another instance of social inequality in the game can be seen through the downfalls and trials that users having green stones are subjected to. Since these people are perceived to be coming from a low background, they will face downfalls from ladders and snakes. The ladders are placed strategically to limit the extent to which the user makes it to the finish line. In real life, the path of the poor represents people from poor backgrounds that have to survive by hand to mouth system. Also, their children are taken to poor schools that have very few infrastructures that can make them make it in life. Due to their upbringing, these individuals face every trial and can’t complain. Therefore, despite the effort that these individuals put, their journey to success will be so tough.

Players who have the red button will also be subjected to favors that increase their chances of being richer. For example, being born in a rich family will increase the chances of a person to be a future leader. As much as individual record counts when electing leaders, it is the social background that could easily determine the fate of a person. For instance, George Bush, the former US president, managed to be elected as president because of his family background. The social status of his family managed to impact on his presidency despite having less qualification as compared to the other candidates at that time (Thompson, 2016, 300). Moreover, while in the game, users with the red stone will have the same path and system as they climb from the start to the finish line.

The people using the blue stone are also having a hard time decoding the requirements of the game. As much as they have various choices to make, it is hard to determine if they can make it to the finish line successfully. In real life, the middle class could have a successful life if only they focus on more inputs (Browne, 1998). These individuals will be subjected to a hard life, although they will have chances that could make them prosper. Changing class still remains a dream as these people face a lot of trials that bring them down. In the game, the users with blue stones have the opportunity of using ladders to go up but could also be brought down using the same as well as the snakes. Through the challenges that these individuals have to face, when they reach the ultimate end, they become so grateful because the ones who make it are few and would never dare to come back again.

References

Alexander, J.C., Thompson, K., and Edles, L.D., 2016. Contemporary Introduction to Sociology: culture and society in transition. Routledge.

Alford, S., 2020. GDPR: A Game of Snakes and Ladders: How Small Businesses Can Win at the Compliance Game.

Browne, K. (1998). An introduction to sociology. Cambridge, U.K., Polity Press. Retrieved from: https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=GW3goIZPMzQC&printsec=frontcover&dq=INTRODUCTION+TO+SOCIOLOGY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwixxqiyi9fpAhURohQKHV-nDkAQ6AEIVzAF#v=onepage&q=social%20stratification%20aspects%20&f=false

Furze, B., Savy, P., Brym, R.J., and Lie, J. eds., (2015). Sociology in today’s world. Cengage Learning.

Green, B. S. R., & Johns, E. A. (2014). An Introduction to Sociology. Kent, Elsevier Science. http://qut.eblib.com.au/patron/FullRecord.aspx?p=1874446.

Ibam, E., Adekunle, T., and Agbonifo, O., 2018. A Moral Education Learning System based on the Snakes and Ladders Game. EAI Endorsed Transactions on e-Learning, 5(17).

Naharuddin, A., and Megawati, F., 2018. Snakes And Ladders Game For Enhancing Young Learners’ Vocabulary. International Journal on Integrated Education, 1(1), pp.30-34.

Presti, A.L., 2009. Snakes and ladders: Stressing the role of meta-competencies for post-modern careers. International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, 9(2), pp.125-134.

Thompson, W.E., Hickey, J.V., and Thompson, M.L., 2016. Society in focus: An introduction to sociology. Rowman & Littlefield.

Velema, T.A., 2018. A game of snakes and ladders: Player migratory trajectories in the global football labor market. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 53(6), pp.706-725.