When the United States looked westward to the new territories it acquired, many saw a chance for a new life. Even more saw opportunities for wealth. Acquiring ownership of this new land meant speculating its worth. For those who could manipulate the railroad, land became better than gold.
Characters Jack Sparrow and Mr. Gibbs from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl were fond of saying "Take what you can; give nothing back." That is exactly the goal in this game. A clever pirate captain knows that luck is as fickle as the sea, but only fools wouldn't risk it all for wealth.
American businessman, music publisher, writer's representative, filmmaker, and record label executive, Allen Klein, said "You may not be able to change a situation, but with humor you can change your attitude about it." One person's good luck could be a source of envy or the butt-end of a joke. In this game, the better the news, the funnier the ironic outcome.
If the stories are true, Santa has a lot of elves at his beck and call. With so many happy workers, you just know there are problems underneath the festive surface. The elves have their own rivalries and compete to be Santa's "Top Elf". Even the smallest task becomes an aggressive competition. In this game, the Holiday Spirit hits hard and plays for keeps.
French author and a soldier in World War I, Georges Bernanos, said "The first sign of corruption in a society that is still alive is that the end justifies the means." But what if the end is believed to be righteous even though the means may seem unjust? History is written by those who survive to write it, trumping opposing opinions in the process. In this game, corrupting others is essential to victory.
American actor, screenwriter and film director, Sylvester Stallone, said "There's a natural law of karma that vindictive people, who go out of their way to hurt others, will end up broke and alone." Clearly Mr. Stallone has never played a cutthroat game of Monopoly. Regardless, there is truth in his statement. In this series of games, what you do to others might comeback to haunt you or lead to victory. Karma is funny that way.