In my never-ending list of “What were they thinking?” we have the new Nintendo DS game “The Clique: Diss and Make Up.”
The video game is based off of Lisi Harrison’s series titled “The Clique.” The series follows Claire, a new girl to the ultra-rich, elite community of Westchester, New York. Claire attempts to ingratiate herself with The Clique, the elite of the elite, the alphas. The series follows her trials and the issues of the clique as a whole.
I’m the first to admit that I read these books intensely in my early high school years. Over the past few years, I’ve lost track of them. Unlike The Princess Diaries Series (which I plan on re-reading from start to end), I have no interest in finishing this series. I hadn’t even realized how big the books still were until I read about the video game coming out.
To win the game, the player must literally climb the social ladder. She begins as a “Freak” and wins by becoming a member of the “Pretty Committee.” Players climb the ladder by spreading rumors and doing favors for the other girls.
It’s power-brokering 101.
But is power-brokering a skill we really want to instill in 11-year-old girls? The whole thing just feels a little icky to me.
I don’t understand the thinking behind it.
I’ll probably be writing more about the Clique books later in the week. The New Yorker just published an article on Alloy Books, the company that “packages” the Clique books and other YA novels like them.
Captivated by public access
On another topic, my dad and I are currently watching public access’ broadcast of the Schenectady City Council meeting. This is something we do regularly when I’m home. I actually begged him to turn off the Knicks' preseason game, so we could watch it.
I have a love affair with public access, but that’s a post for a different time.
We just watched the part of the meeting where the public is allowed to speak. My dad and I found ourselves caught up in the commentators.
He remarked that they are the “vox populi.” In a lot of ways, these speakers do represent the voice of the people. They offer a counter opinion to the official government opinion.
I think I’m just a town meeting romantic. I love the idea of everyone gathering together and discussing issues facing the populace.
Video games? Public access? Town meetings? Leave a comment.
