[i][url=http://i.imgur.com/vYSDLU3.png]It was a bright and hopeful time,[/url] [url=http://i.imgur.com/9HumLl6.png] but it didn't last.[/url] [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_crisis_of_2007%E2%80%9308]Something hit us, knocked us down, and tried to stamp us out...[/url] [url=http://www.npr.org/news/graphics/2012/03/gr-national-unemployment-rate-300.gif]The years following the collapse of the Golden Age were hard,[/url] and... and uh[/i] Well that's about where the similarities end. Because Destiny's Guardians came together to take on the shared challenge; ours... [url=http://today.duke.edu/2013/05/us-political-polarization-charted-new-study#video]not so much.[/url] Now, it's true that the humans of Destiny had a Traveler to protect them and we didn't. But they're also being slaughtered by zombies and time-traveling robots and [url=http://halo4nation.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_40/med_gallery_266_40_66940.jpg]space triangles[/url], so we'll call it even. I think playing Destiny would be a great learning opportunity for Congress. They might think I'm being stupid, but [url=http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2013/10/congress-losing-out-to-zombies-wall-street-andhipsters.html]I'm not the one with an approval rating lower than toe fungus, hipsters, and dog shit,[/url] so there. Here are some problems Destiny would fix. 1. Party politics. American politics is divided into two parties, which are currently in an unprecedented state of polarization. Destiny features three races [i]and[/i] three different classes, each with unique characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses. And yet this smorgasbord of beings are able to work in unison to achieve a common goal, even while participating in faction wars. Furthermore, players are given the freedom to choose which race and class best suit them, without a lobbyist or SuperPAC watching over their shoulders. In Destiny, Congressmen would be forced to encounter and work with a variety of beings, both in the missions they choose to pursue and the ones that arise unexpectedly. 2. Ambition and individuality. Many Congressmen are too easily swayed by the power of their positions, ambition to gain more power, or a me-first ideology. Destiny would force them to either balance these feelings or put them aside altogether. Destiny shows players that, even in pursuit of a common goal, there are a number of paths that can be taken and a number of things they can become. Players can form their own groups and find their own missions. They can earn awesome loot and create a unique avatar. They can strive to be the very best, even as they work together. Finding a common cause doesn't mean giving up your personal goals, it means getting closer to achieving them. 3. Rhetoric and ideology. Unlike the grey areas of politics, there is little room for doubt or interpretation in Destiny. You either succeeded or failed; you either took damage or you didn't; you've either earned the rewards of playing or you haven't. We all know how prevalent trash-talk is in video games, but we also know that it's the score at the end of a multiplayer match that really matters. Politicians, on the other hand, will walk away from any debate saying they won. They're also free to think what they want, no matter what the reality is. Destiny gives them no such leeway, with merciless aliens slaughtering those who believe themselves to be better than they are. There is little parallel in the real world to being smashed into tiny bits. So I think it's clear that Congress could benefit from a good dose of Destiny, taken after every meal of Doritos and Mountain Dew. Considering that they seem determined to put themselves out of work every couple months (the current debt ceiling deal is valid until... February), they'll have plenty of time. Now, all Bungie needs to do is push this thing out before the world ends.