Literacy Through Games

While writing the title for this post, I paused to think whether I should write “Education” or “Literacy”. I believe that the latter is more accurate, since my experience in playing the games I chose was enlightening rather than educational. Let me elaborate more as I go through the games.

Firstly, “Depression Quest“:

This game was very well constructed. Living in depression without realizing, unable to understand and see clearly the real problems in the life of a depressed person, only symptoms appear. I thought I understood depression, but seeing the options I would do or advise someone who is depressed crossed off (best thing about this game in my opinion), illustrates that the person who is depressed does not see these options, but is always filled with these destructive negative emotions.

Secondly, “Fake It To Make It“:

I entered this game to just have fun! But I found myself amidst playing exclaiming how devious it would be for someone to master the techniques to show believability, dramatic and play with people’s biases to spread rumors and earn money or worse. I wrote a fake article that got 16K shares! This is a serious issue and we are always suffering from it on Facebook, Twitter and/or other social media platforms.

Thirdly, “Literacy Awareness“:

I really enjoyed this game and wished it was longer. I felt really pressured, as I have no support whatsoever to aid me even education was stripped away. I felt it to late to start learning to read and write and the more pressing matter is to earn enough money to be able to afford a small apartment. Yet its shameful to not be able to understand jokes or read memes and comics among friends.

The thing that really clicked with me in this game was at the end where some statics are shown (would have been better to have sources linked) about illiteracy in Egypt and how you as a player can be empathetic by contributing effort or money rather than just sympathizing with this case.

Finally, “Animal Rights“:

I picked this game because I do not really think much about this topic. Defiantly, I am aware that animals have feelings and do experience love, happiness, fear and pain and that is why they should be treated in a good way without any form of abuse. However sensitive topics such experimentation on animals is something I am neutral in and I wanted to see how this game would affect me. Unfortunately, the game delivered something else, although it was the story of animal suffering, it was far off my expectations and did not go as deep as I thought.

Conclusion:

The reason why this is not mere education is that for me the experience was real for me, I felt the issues, I made my thoughts be driven as if I was really in the situation. Education would be about collecting the knowledge not living it. If it were a novel, Education would be a third person narrative, while Literacy would be a first person.