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(E) Re: how about anarchist alternatives in games?
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 20:35:40 -0500 (EST)
>From: Jesse Cohn <br00282-AT-binghamton.edu>
On Wed, 22 Jan 1997, Ronald Creagh, Moderator, Research on Anarchism List wrote:
> Date: Tue, 21 Jan 1997 22:03:46 -0600 (CST)
> >From: "stiobhard" <stiobhard-AT-mail.utexas.edu>
>
>
> hello:
>
> i would be interested in hearing about any research that people have seen or
> just personal feelings people have on more libertarian methods to be used
> in games. i have found more than a few books on cooperative games... but
> these are nearly entirely based on physical action type games... ie, sports.
> what i am most interested in are card games, board games and strategy
> games, etc. which usually involve point systems or ranking systems or
> encourage accumulating "things" in ways that are not very anarchist. any
> pointers at how to undo some of these structures without removing the entire
> momentum of the game? i would be interested in people's comments in this
> area.
this is interesting. actually, your questions raise more questions for
me. for instance: do the games we play (of the type you are asking about)
form a part of our culture that, if changed, would help influence changes
in other areas? or do our games tend to *reflect* the rest of our
sexist/capitalist/hierarchical culture, in which case we should rather
expect them to change when the rest of the culture changes?
another question: would competitive games really run counter to the
culture of an anarchist society? or could competition be safely preserved
in the realm of play? there are also those who would argue that
competitive games are a good way to sublimate aggressive feelings within a
framework of community/cooperation-- but this is usually said of the
'physical action type games' that are outside the scope of your question.
my own instinct is to say that competitive card games, board games,
etc. are really fairly harmless. they *can* be occasions for the
acting-out of real grudges & vendettas, but one has to import those
motives to the game for them to be there. i think a real world that was
all about unity-within-diversity and cooperation-without-uniformity would
be exciting and fun enough for everyone, but a world where all forms of
play had to be cooperative might be a bit dull.
--jesse.
ps-- one good book that might spark your thoughts on this subject further
(relevant besides to all anarchist theory) is johan huizinga's *homo
ludens*, a theory of history which argues that most of the features of
'serious' culture-- art, law, poetry, philosophy, war-- have their origins
in 'play' (the latin in the title means 'man the player').
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Paul Valery, B.P. 5043, 34032, Montpellier-Cedex, France.
fax : (33) 67 64 77 23
>From: Jesse Cohn <br00282-AT-binghamton.edu>
On Wed, 22 Jan 1997, Ronald Creagh, Moderator, Research on Anarchism List wrote:
> Date: Tue, 21 Jan 1997 22:03:46 -0600 (CST)
> >From: "stiobhard" <stiobhard-AT-mail.utexas.edu>
>
>
> hello:
>
> i would be interested in hearing about any research that people have seen or
> just personal feelings people have on more libertarian methods to be used
> in games. i have found more than a few books on cooperative games... but
> these are nearly entirely based on physical action type games... ie, sports.
> what i am most interested in are card games, board games and strategy
> games, etc. which usually involve point systems or ranking systems or
> encourage accumulating "things" in ways that are not very anarchist. any
> pointers at how to undo some of these structures without removing the entire
> momentum of the game? i would be interested in people's comments in this
> area.
this is interesting. actually, your questions raise more questions for
me. for instance: do the games we play (of the type you are asking about)
form a part of our culture that, if changed, would help influence changes
in other areas? or do our games tend to *reflect* the rest of our
sexist/capitalist/hierarchical culture, in which case we should rather
expect them to change when the rest of the culture changes?
another question: would competitive games really run counter to the
culture of an anarchist society? or could competition be safely preserved
in the realm of play? there are also those who would argue that
competitive games are a good way to sublimate aggressive feelings within a
framework of community/cooperation-- but this is usually said of the
'physical action type games' that are outside the scope of your question.
my own instinct is to say that competitive card games, board games,
etc. are really fairly harmless. they *can* be occasions for the
acting-out of real grudges & vendettas, but one has to import those
motives to the game for them to be there. i think a real world that was
all about unity-within-diversity and cooperation-without-uniformity would
be exciting and fun enough for everyone, but a world where all forms of
play had to be cooperative might be a bit dull.
--jesse.
ps-- one good book that might spark your thoughts on this subject further
(relevant besides to all anarchist theory) is johan huizinga's *homo
ludens*, a theory of history which argues that most of the features of
'serious' culture-- art, law, poetry, philosophy, war-- have their origins
in 'play' (the latin in the title means 'man the player').
TO SEND A MESSAGE TO EVERYONE write to RA-L-AT-bred.univ-montp3.fr.
TO UNSUBSCRIBE, WRITE TO : listserv-AT-bred.univ-montp3.fr
with the text SIGnoff RA-L (no subject nor signature).
Moderator/Moderador/Moderateur : Ronald Creagh
Co-Moderator : John P. Clark
e-mail : rcreagh-AT-alor.univ-montp3.fr
snail mail/correo ordinario/courrier ordinaire : Ronald Creagh, Universite
Paul Valery, B.P. 5043, 34032, Montpellier-Cedex, France.
fax : (33) 67 64 77 23
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