Catan and Life

Christmas '06, I received a very fun gift, The Settlers of Catan. (Thanks, Ari!) This exercise in building and trading gets my vote for best board game ever. We have enjoyed it with friends and family for over a year and we are still not tired of it. One of the secrets to its longevity lies in its variable game board - Catan utilizes a series of hexagonal tiles which can be placed in a new layout for each round. Another key to our continued enjoyment of Catan lies in the expansion packs, especially Cities and Knights. There's nothing quite like the thrill of having a lock on a metropolis standing proud in a field of amber grain (Click on the picture to get the full effect - doesn't it just give you goose bumps?)

If you have kids who are 10 or older, why not introduce them to Catan? Fun family time together is a rare commodity, but the prospect of a round of Catan will make it a more common occurrence. One word of caution: Especially with the Cities and Knights Expansion Pack, it is difficult to keep things in perspective. This variation is emotionally captivating; There is great joy in the good times when settlements are productive, robbers and barbarians little seen, and trade relationships favorable. But when things are not going well for my group of settlers, I struggle to remember "it's only a game."  Others have recounted a similar challenge of maintaining a positive attitude in hard times. This game will open the door to moments of depression. Sounds bad but this can actually do some good! Let me explain.

Our children need to understand, "Life is not fair - get over it." One of the things I like about Catan is how it helps us do just that. In Catan, things may not be going your way. But winning the game is often achieved, not by having everything go your way (although that helps), but by making the most of what you are given. Pining for a big break and wishing for a windfall could be nothing but a pathway to depression. The path of hope lies in bucking up, getting in the game, and finding a way to chip away at progress. I have watched someone with many disadvantages prevail by persevering. That kind of dogged determination is a valuable commodity, worthy of export from Catan to real life.

Comments

[ms]

Sometimes the expression "Life is not fair - get over it" is used to excuse injustice. We might want to differentiate between controllable and uncontrollable aspects of life. Weather, our genetic history, and world economy are indeed "unfair," and they are out of our sphere of influence. However, unequal pay for equal work CAN be fair and we should not just "get over it" - we should work toward justice.

[Jim Fleming]

MC,
As always, you are the harbinger of balance. By the way, did you mean to say "CAN be fair" in your last sentence. It makes more sense to me if it reads "CAN be unfair."

[ms]

You are right. I was thinking "CAN" be MADE fair. This unequal-pay type of unfairness was on the lips of a lot of employees at the university where I worked. Those who held the advantage, for whatever reason, would give the "Life isn't fair" speech ad nauseum.