Clash of Clans — A Metaphor for Life
How one of the top grossing mobile games reflects the nature of human life and development — and teaches us fundamental lessons to live by
You might remember playing this game when it came out in 2012 — or you might still be playing it today! There’s a reason why certain games like Clash of Clans are so appealing that they can stick around for a decade. And I don’t mean the dopaminergic effect of gaming itself, though that certainly is a key contributor; I mean the way it reflects the nature of human development — the way it speaks to our souls.
A Quick Summary of the Game
In case you didn’t know already, Clash of Clans is a grossing game where you are in control of two villages, amidst a world that consists of other players’ villagers.
You upgrade your own defenses and troops, so that you can defend off other people’s attacks (your defenses never really prevail though) and attack other people’s bases for loot. Elixir is the energy you use to train and upgrade troops, and gold is (mostly) used for other upgrades.
Repeat until you ‘Max out’ your base and upgrade your Town Hall to continue upgrading the rest of it.
Join up with other people in groups called Clans.
Troops — the Development of Traits and Skillsets
Early in our lives, we can’t do much. Maybe we can walk and talk before the age of 5. But we cannot articulate complex ideas. We are closest to our innate, primitive human nature.
The Barbarian
Limited to close combat. A raging, half naked human. Screams in battle. Sound familiar? Oh yeah, that’s right. Sounds like when you and I were babies.
As we grow older, we might mature a bit and learn that to overcome the adversities that life throws at us, ‘fighting from a distance’ becomes a good tool in our toolbox.
Archers
Beat life — and other people — through developed thoughts that transform into words ‘fired’ out of our mouths. Takes a bit more energy — elixir — to train than a barbarian, because mental acuity is not as easily picked up as a sword to be swung around! But the end result is certainly worth it — more accomplished with less harm to the self than fighting our battles with pure rage and violence alone.
Goblins
Oh, but our process of development is not all positive as time passes. We develop vices that do us, and many others, harm. Greed. The Clash of Clans equivalent? Those greedy Goblins!
“Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself
And falls on the other.” — Macbeth 1.7.28–9
Just like Macbeth, we extend ourselves and try so far to fulfil our insatiable, hedonistic desires; and that makes us weak and vulnerable. Often, our greed for money, fame, and other fleeting human desires can come to stab us in this back. Which is why the Goblin has such comparatively low Health Points (HP) than other troops.
Upgrades Take More and more, and more… Time!
Remember the instant gratification of upgrading your cannon from level 1 to 3 in a matter of minutes?
Well, I’m sure you also remember that you had to say goodbye to those days of rapid progress very quickly. Once you get to about Town Hall 7, things start to really slow down, as upgrades begin taking several days. And when you get further into the game, upgrades start taking several weeks!
Parallels to our lives? The reality of ever-slower growth and development pertains to any skill or adaptation that requires time, practice, and more practice, to truly hone and master. Rapid ‘Newbie Gains’ in the gym that invariably slow down as more experience and knowledge is needed to progress. Or when you are at the peak of your musical potential, it seems like you have mastered everything. But it takes even more focus and intent to eek out that last drip of perfection so your errors go down from 5%…1%…0.05%… but never quite getting there.
Don’t get discouraged by slower progress. As it is in Clash of Clans, Time is your friend, not your enemy.
The Game, and your life, Always Updates
Just when you think the game is about to die out, Supercell comes at you with a new update; an update that breathes new life and energy into the game.
By the same token, know that when you feel like you’re about to implode on yourself due to your stress, worries, challenges and responsibilities in life, a new update is always around the corner. That new update can be to your physical environment, social life, or your induced by your own change in perspective and mindset.
‘This World is not Conclusion’ — Emily Dickinson
I love this quote, because it reminds us that things are not so definitively set in stone in our lives, even though we might think they are.
So keep it up. You don’t have to wait for the new update to come around in your own life. Go forth and induce it yourself!
I hope you enjoyed this fun exploration. If you would like to see a Part 2, or a deeper dive, comment and clap below!
