Online game helps people see through the eyes of the working poor

[image credit: Liberal America]

People have trouble empathizing with the working poor

There are many common stereotypes of the working poor that show a lack of empathy, and while it's easy to judge the poor for isolated decisions (driving without insurance, for example) we often fail to understand why they make the choices they do.

Solution: Give them a brief glimpse of poverty through gaming

A new online text game called Playspent walks the player through a month in the life of a working poor family. Every day brings difficult dilemmas – go into debt to pay the insurance bill, or risk driving uninsured? Attend your child's play recital or earn a sorely-needed $50 working an extra shift? These difficult choices help not only the general public to better emphasize with the working poor, but they could serve as a valuable dose of perspective for employers and lawmakers.

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