Civic Mirror Applies to the Real World

Civic Mirror is such a great teacher because it imitates real life and in doing so gives students the ability to make choices imitating those in real life.

I am but a humble student so fair warning: this is just some of my take away. I learned how to play the game, and now I am trying to process how to translate that to my life outside the classroom. In my eyes, this is how the game represents the intricate web of choices people can make and why.

People have needs to live.
The game represents those needs with units that players need to keep their family members alive.
For example: school is represented with Education units you can buy and "consume", Food with food units that look like apples. Insurance, Healthcare, Medicine, Police and Security, Electricity, and Art and unnecessary fun stuff are all represented by units. Consuming those units give you points. Home and Shelter are represented by hexes. You can own it and live there, or rent a place from someone else.

There is a Government to protect the group of citizens in the country
Students vote on representatives in Congress and a President, who chooses one National Judge. Their powers and the operation of the government all follow a simplified version of the US Constitution.

People are invested in their success in life.
In the classroom grades are given for (hopefully) participation (but possibly success with Hidden Agenda goals- read on)

People have a perspective; people want the world to be better and they normally have their own idea of how to get there, which motivates them.
Students are assigned a Hidden Agenda, a secret set of goals to reach by influencing fellow citizens and the game.

Stuff is owned by people, and sold to other people. 
Units can be sent to other players through the game's trading system.

There is a system to keep order; the government creates laws and enforces them. There are punishments for people who don't follow rules.
The "Summer Season" allows people to accuse fellow students of wrongdoing. In "Fall Season" the National Judge presides over a case and three student jurors decide if the accused is guilty. Lawyers can be hired and arguments are made. The judge decides the punishment if the crime was committed.