Lisa Sakai Quinley

Project Summary

The purpose of this design project is to teach people in a fun and approachable way about our current food system and how capitalism is the root cause of the issues and difficulties it faces through an educational board game. Areas of concentration are many, and it is important to bring them to the forefront of discussion and debate in order to further emphasize their importance. Games are an effective method with which to educate and entertain the public because they are based on the inherent need to succeed.

There are a number of themes surrounding food which are important to discuss, yet it is difficult for most people to come into contact with them except through academic texts. This means that discourse is often confined to higher education, leading to un-informed people as they have little access to this area of expertise. Various topics this design project would cover are the food system and its relation to ethics, politics, sustainability, and activism, in a way that can reach large audiences without feeling overwhelmed or confused. Since capitalism drives people’s decisions, combining the inherent human desire to win with introducing issues with the food system and its many themes can open a discussion for players of the game about these important issues. The desire to win and succeed in humans often brings about compromises about doing the right thing. This affects policy making, the environment, and social change.

Board games are an enduring technique for teaching, a constant form of entertainment in the household, an exhilarating method for competition, and an accessible solution for a wide variety of people. A significant change to how the food system is currently viewed can occur through education. Learning is more effective through enjoyable approaches. People are driven by human nature’s desire to succeed and win. Audiences of varying age groups and demographics can be reached through games. This design broadens the scope of knowledge to a larger population through amusement and human greed.