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Can a Video Game Solve Hunger, Disease and Poverty?
destinyland writes "Dr. Jane McGonigal of the RAND Corporation's Institute for the Future has created a game described as 'a crash course in changing the world.' Developed for the World Bank's 'capacity development' branch, EVOKE has already gathered more than 10,000 potential solutions from participants, including executives from Procter & Gamble and Kraft. '[Dr. McGonigal] takes threats to human existence — global food shortage, fuel wars, pandemic, refugee crisis, and upended democracy — and asks the gaming public to collaborate on how to avoid these all too possible futures.' And by completing its 10 missions, you too can become a World Bank Institute certified EVOKE social innovator. (The game designer's web site lays out her ambitious philosophy. 'Reality is broken,' but 'game designers can fix it.')"
So it's an FPS that trains you to kill politicians, socialists, and dictators? Score!
Nnnnnnno.
A video game can't. People can.
Um... I don't even need a game. Let's take a look at... Oh, Africa.
Problem: Little economy, disease, etc. (Ignoring the issue of "poverty"--just because they don't live like us doesn't mean it's a problem. Also education: exactly why do you need Western education to farm? But I digress.)
Cause: Little to no infrastructure, due to recurring military coups, dictatorships, despotism, leaders running a country like it's their personal posession.
Solution: Kick 'em out, set up a basic infrastructure, let the people build. Keep a sharp lookout for corruption.
So... What does the game do that we can't already do just fine?