NEW CIVILIZATION AS AN INFINITE GAME
These are some concepts from the book "Finite and Infinite Games" by James
Carse, and my ideas about how they apply to a New Civilization.
There are at least two kinds of games: finite and infinite.
A finite game is a game that has fixed rules and boundaries, that is played
for the purpose of winning and thereby ending the game.
An infinite game has no fixed rules or boundaries. In an infinite game you
play with the boundaries and the purpose is to continue the game.
Finite players are serious; infinite games are playful.
Finite players try to control the game, predict everything that will
happen, and set the outcome in advance. They are serious and determined
about getting that outcome. They try to fix the future based on the past.
Infinite players enjoy being surprised. Continuously running into something
one didn't know will ensure that the game will go on. The meaning of the
past changes depending on what happens in the future.
All games are inherently voluntary. There might be consequences of not
playing or not following the rules, but there is always a choice required.
Driving in the right side of the road, shaking people's hands, and paying
taxes are games one has a choice about playing. There are certain rules and
boundaries that appear to be externally defined, and you choose to follow
them or not. If you stop following them you aren't playing the game any
longer.
There is no rule that says you have to follow the rules.
All finite games have rules. If you follow the rules you are playing the
game. If you don't follow the rules you aren't playing. If you move the
pieces in different ways in chess, you are no longer playing chess.
Infinite players play with rules and boundaries. They include them as part
of their playing. They aren't taking them serious, and they can never be
trapped by them, because they use rules and boundaries to play with.
In a theatrical play the actor knows that she really isn't Ophelia. The
audience knows that she really isn't Ophelia. But if she does a good job,
Ophelia can express herself through the actor. The playing is most
enjoyable when it is both clear that it is chosen play, that it is the
actor doing it voluntarily, and at the same time it is so convincing,
following the rules well enough, that it seems real.
You can play finite games within an infinite game. You can not play
infinite games within a finite game.
You can do what you do seriously, because you must do it, because you must
survive to the end, and you are afraid of dying and other consequences. Or,
you can do everything you do playfully, always knowing you have a choice,
having no need to survive unchanged the way you are, allowing every element
of the play to transform you, taking pleasure in every surprise you meet.
Those are the differences between finite and infinite players.
Creating a new civilization is an infinite game. We can not set the rules
for how to do it based on a study of the past. It is something new that we
are discovering as we go along. It is not a game to win and then it is
done. There are no losers. It is not something we HAVE to do, but something
we choose to do. We will not be stopped by whatever rules and boundaries we
find, but we will include them in the game and play with them.
- Flemming
"Finite and Infinite Games" by James P. Carse ISBN 0-345-34184-8, Ballantine.
o o
/ \------------------ Flemming A. Funch ------------------/ \
/ * \ World Transformation/New Civilization/Whole Systems / * \
/ * * \ ffunch@newciv.org / * * \
o-------o -------http://www.newciv.org/worldtrans/--------o-------o
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Thu Dec 07 2000 - 23:22:10 PST