Ebay Auctions a Pig with Wings

You've heard of strange auctions on Ebay. College educations, celebrities tainted kleenex, virginity... there's even been an auction for nothing. As in... "You are bidding on nothing. If you win this auction, I will send you nothing. You will owe me money, and I will owe you nothing." Allegedly the winning bid wasa up in the millions. Apparently the auction wasn't taken too seriously... or else some really rich people really wanted to blow their money.

The most recent odd item on Ebay is a flying pig. Or it would be able to fly if it's wings weren't made of pewter. This Ebay auctioneer is selling a pewter pigasus. It's a supposedly famous and rare monopoly piece. You can now add one more player to your weekly Monopoly game. (Does anybody even have a weekly game night anymore?) Or perhaps your kids will just have one more playing piece to argue over. This 'famous' piece is selling for $4.50 each plus $1.50 shipping and handling.

Perhaps what makes this Monopoly piece so interesting is that it makes a very clear statement about the game and the values taught by the game. The game Monopoly is all about winning at all costs. It's about getting as much money as you possibly can and putting everyone else out of business. It teaches ruthless business tactics and even to some extent... usury. Ultimately it teaches the lesson of it's name... how to run a monopoly.

Now, think about the phrase "When pigs can fly." The idea is that pigs will never fly. In essence a Monopoly piece that says... this will never happen. While the game thrives on a strategic and ruthless version of capitalism, it also makes the point that this kind of world could never successfuly operate without some lawful limits.

Ebays' auction of the Monopoly piece is interesting for several reasons. First, it's an interesting piece to be selling. Second, the comment on how economics works and doesn't work. A simple pewter figure becomes social commentary wrapped up in a children's game piece. This Ebay auction is not the only place this same symbolism is used. It's also used in the Harry Potter books. There is a statue of flying pigs in front of Hogwarts (as described in the books). It's J.K. Rowling's simple way of saying that her stories are pure fiction and in not representative of real life.

So the next time you see a representation of a pig with wings, thing beyond the metaphor to what it represents.