Part 1 - Civic Mirror Reflection 2013: Tyler Frenette
Civic mirror was a fun, and educational experience. We were given hidden agenda's and mine was a liberal. I felt I implemented the hidden agenda through my actions. I tried to obtain a spot within the government to where I could place liberal ideals upon Zugzwang. But instead I just became a judge. Anyways we were asked to make a video reflection but I'm not doing it because it doesn't matter if you make a video or type it.
Some of my strengths are that I don't just believe everything I hear, I question things and think for myself. Also, when I know I need to do something in order to not lose something, I will do it. This is a strength in society because it makes me a working citizen. I will do what I have to do. I won't just sit down all day and do nothing, not get a job, and lose everything just because I am lazy. I will get up every morning and do what I have to do, contribute to society. Some of my weaknesses are that I'm quiet. If I disagree with something the leaders of the country is doing I most likely won't do anything to get my voice heard unless it is serious.
This simulation changed my attitude and outlook in that the actions we take towards society, although I am one person, make a significant difference on the country. In civic mirror, you could see how just one person could change the entire country. For example, Jacob, being one person, became prime minister and over 40 people died under his rule. The people that just sat around and did nothing acted as anchors on the country, slowing it down from progress. If everybody had have been active in trying to contribute to Zugzwang, the simulation would have been much different. It showed that if you want to see a change in the country, then you have take action to make it better. Be the change.
Something that shocked me during this simulation was how cruel some people can be. The people in the class knew that we were assigned hidden agenda's and to receive a good mark in the class we had to implement the hidden agenda. Yet people took other peoples actions in the game to heart, as if it were real life. Some people were assigned a fascist, and felt a good way to achieve their hidden agenda was to become government and form a dictatorship, and people in the class hated them for that. Called them a bad person for it. It helped me learn that although others may have different views on what the country needs to thrive, they are still human and we should still respect each other and our views. If you only stick to your views and don't bother listening to others' ideas, the country will never get anywhere. It would just be a bunch of people arguing their beliefs.
Through this simulation I came to understand that nothing is perfect. The law has major flaws in that the final sentencing isn't always fair. In this simulation there were a lot of court cases that were unfair. For example, somebody was sued for supposedly ripping up a contract written in a sharpie on a piece of scrap paper. Once they were found guilty the sentencing was that they had to give $1000 (Which is a lot of money in civic mirror) to the person suing them. This was completely unfair, and can be related to other court cases in Canadian society. I never really realized how much power is given to just one individual, such as judges, or prime ministers. The fate of so many peoples lives lie in just one person. This creates order, and corruption. I don't think one person should have so much control over other people. But at the same time if we ruled ourselves and had no order it would be madness. Governments are ultimately just people forcefully ruling over other people and the amount of flaws in this system is very problematic. In civic mirror, under one government, there were caps on things such as how much you could sell food for. While another government took away all caps and the people who owned farms made the price so high nobody could buy food. This shows that we do need an extent of order and authority in society, just like a kid needs authority.
This experience has prepared me for reality because it showed that I need to work to survive. The people who just sat around in the game and did nothing died. This may just be a simulation, but that is reality. Those who think they can do nothing and make it by will die. At the beginning of the game I was lazy and didn't participate much and 2 of my family members died. Although in reality there are people that work harder than some of the richest people could ever imagine, and receive barely enough to survive. But, if they didn't work at all then death would be almost certain for them. Even if there were no government, no authority, no law etc this still applies. In life you have to work to survive. You can't expect to do nothing and make it.
Something about this experience I found frustrating was the other people. I could deal with other people have different views than me, but the fact that people took the game to heart really bothered me. There's no need to start crying, or getting all riled up over a simulation. I know that sounds harsh but it was really annoying. But that is reality, there will always be people that bother you. The simulation showed me that you just have to deal with it because complaining will get you nowhere. That was pretty much the only think about the simulation I found frustrating.
Some of my strengths are that I don't just believe everything I hear, I question things and think for myself. Also, when I know I need to do something in order to not lose something, I will do it. This is a strength in society because it makes me a working citizen. I will do what I have to do. I won't just sit down all day and do nothing, not get a job, and lose everything just because I am lazy. I will get up every morning and do what I have to do, contribute to society. Some of my weaknesses are that I'm quiet. If I disagree with something the leaders of the country is doing I most likely won't do anything to get my voice heard unless it is serious.
This simulation changed my attitude and outlook in that the actions we take towards society, although I am one person, make a significant difference on the country. In civic mirror, you could see how just one person could change the entire country. For example, Jacob, being one person, became prime minister and over 40 people died under his rule. The people that just sat around and did nothing acted as anchors on the country, slowing it down from progress. If everybody had have been active in trying to contribute to Zugzwang, the simulation would have been much different. It showed that if you want to see a change in the country, then you have take action to make it better. Be the change.
Something that shocked me during this simulation was how cruel some people can be. The people in the class knew that we were assigned hidden agenda's and to receive a good mark in the class we had to implement the hidden agenda. Yet people took other peoples actions in the game to heart, as if it were real life. Some people were assigned a fascist, and felt a good way to achieve their hidden agenda was to become government and form a dictatorship, and people in the class hated them for that. Called them a bad person for it. It helped me learn that although others may have different views on what the country needs to thrive, they are still human and we should still respect each other and our views. If you only stick to your views and don't bother listening to others' ideas, the country will never get anywhere. It would just be a bunch of people arguing their beliefs.
Through this simulation I came to understand that nothing is perfect. The law has major flaws in that the final sentencing isn't always fair. In this simulation there were a lot of court cases that were unfair. For example, somebody was sued for supposedly ripping up a contract written in a sharpie on a piece of scrap paper. Once they were found guilty the sentencing was that they had to give $1000 (Which is a lot of money in civic mirror) to the person suing them. This was completely unfair, and can be related to other court cases in Canadian society. I never really realized how much power is given to just one individual, such as judges, or prime ministers. The fate of so many peoples lives lie in just one person. This creates order, and corruption. I don't think one person should have so much control over other people. But at the same time if we ruled ourselves and had no order it would be madness. Governments are ultimately just people forcefully ruling over other people and the amount of flaws in this system is very problematic. In civic mirror, under one government, there were caps on things such as how much you could sell food for. While another government took away all caps and the people who owned farms made the price so high nobody could buy food. This shows that we do need an extent of order and authority in society, just like a kid needs authority.
This experience has prepared me for reality because it showed that I need to work to survive. The people who just sat around in the game and did nothing died. This may just be a simulation, but that is reality. Those who think they can do nothing and make it by will die. At the beginning of the game I was lazy and didn't participate much and 2 of my family members died. Although in reality there are people that work harder than some of the richest people could ever imagine, and receive barely enough to survive. But, if they didn't work at all then death would be almost certain for them. Even if there were no government, no authority, no law etc this still applies. In life you have to work to survive. You can't expect to do nothing and make it.
Something about this experience I found frustrating was the other people. I could deal with other people have different views than me, but the fact that people took the game to heart really bothered me. There's no need to start crying, or getting all riled up over a simulation. I know that sounds harsh but it was really annoying. But that is reality, there will always be people that bother you. The simulation showed me that you just have to deal with it because complaining will get you nowhere. That was pretty much the only think about the simulation I found frustrating.