The Art of Game Theory

Description

If Life is a game, what are the rules? And more importantly . . . Where are they written?

A well-known quote posits: “Life is a game. All you need to do is learn the rules and then play better than everybody else.”

But can life, in all its complexity, be reduced to a mere game? A game that you can win over and over again?

The games you play for entertainment happen within a defined space. They come with a rulebook you can consult. And in the end, somebody wins and somebody loses.

If you think real life isn’t as tidy, you’d be right to some extent. But you’d also be wrong.

Sure, reality is chaotic and people are unpredictable. Rules can be circumvented and even broken without consequence. But beneath all of this, the truth is we are all playing games with each other . . . all of the time.

Think of the argument you’ve been having for years with your spouse about who washes the dishes after dinner.

As with any game you play for sport, these also have stakes, as well as winners and losers. What if your spouse could do the dishes more often? How about avoiding the argument altogether?

Those are just some of the outcomes you could achieve by adjusting your perspective. Even better, you’ll finally be able to join that secret club of people who seem to know what all of Life’s unwritten rules are.