Life, Game playing, Cheating, and Corruption.

We have a new kind of game here that encourages the user to take action in their real lives. You may not have thought of it, but we are a social action group.. The members of this online game will move into “in life” action. Whether it changes only your knowledge, or thinking in small ways or channels your energies into career choices, it will affect you.. As a long time educator, it has encouraged thinking and writing, broadened my knowledge of the world and contacts with people too. It is from this framework that I write this essay. Games and Real Life are two very different, distinct things, but only because of the effects of the outcomes. Games allow you to play at life under a specific set of conditions where you can choose to be far freer than what may be your real life situation may seem to permit. The truth is, in real life, when you know and accept the consequences of your actions, you are just as free. These are truths that every revolutionary activist knows.. Most people only fear consequences of failure. A few, the most radical of the revolutionaries in the world, only see their success. The important things -to us all- are their goals, methods, and actions. This essay will take on Life, Game playing, Cheating, Choices and Corruption.

First let’s turn to

Games:

Cheating, greed, power, manipulation are found in all games and only prevented for and by the player who refuses to use them. They are also presented to us in real life as temptations to quickly reach goals of wealth, power or influence.

This game is trying very hard to present us with both areas of decision making. From a game competition point of view, anything works that follows the widest interpretation of the rules. From a game player’s viewpoint, rules are meant to be tested, bent, and game cheats are carefully sought. It’s how you discover the underlying rules and find alternate and sometimes, creative ways to win. In most games winning is the goal Still, some players do not play that way. They play according to the ethical standards they hold as important. That puts them at a disadvantage to other players…in winning a multi-player game .

My wife will ask me why I “cheat” in Civilization II. (there is a cheat mode, so it is easy!) I am only playing against the computer, not other players. It is because I can, I want to study this game, and sometimes I’m getting angry because the game algorithm is making failure a certainty, and I don’t like it!. Sometimes I just want to kill off or control my computer opponents or even see how high of a score I can get, even with the cheating penalty a****sed. I do become a different person while playing. That alone is a fascinating exploration of temptation and what I could possibly do, if I chose another path of behavior. It also helps with the development of writing projects, putting me in the mindset of my villains! Finally game corruption. I’ve had many game disks corrupted, and played multi-games where players changed the motivational intent of the game. Why did they? Why here? They can only answer and I can only hypothesize. Here are my thoughts on this game. Nope, not going into naming any names, nor making accusations. This is hypothesizing, and means nothing beyond encouraging your thought and possible responses.!

When feeling cynical, I always look into who gains? I look at what they gain. We have been flooded by posts passed along from team to team. Why? My ideas of possible reasons are honest outrage, a mis-understanding of the game, perhaps forgetting that this IS a game, because they have become so involved in playing. Then I can go all the way to the far darker side practical gaming: the reducing or eliminating of competition. All are reasonable possibilities or expectations or explanations. Does it matter? No. it’s a game!

Each of us has chosen our route and role to play. What matters is what you do. If you see something that strikes you as wrong, report it. If you see an idea that could help the game become better, suggest it. This is a BETA, being played with over13, 300 people-at this writing- for the first time.

Real Life

For those of you who disagree that life is a game, let’s define game. (a quick search finds:)

1. something played for fun: an activity that people participate in, together or on their own, for fun

2. competitive activity with rules: a sporting or other activity in which players compete against each other by following a fixed set of rules

3. competition: an occasion when a competitive game is played

· See full definition ·

· Encarta World English Dictionary

We all want our life to be fun. We all compete for resources, jobs, and whatever our goals we seek. Darwin said “survival of the fittest” Survival is a daily competition all around the world. We are looking, here, at ways to help people survive and improve their lives and survival rate. We are looking at collaboration as a platform to achieve.

Just like real life we are playing a game. In real life, it is truly life and death for real people and choices cannot be changed without consequence, sometimes serious or fatal ones. But after all, life is a game and not merely a board game, although some people do see it as a “bored” game. Life is a more serious game because we must live with our choices and recover, if we can, from our mistakes and the many missteps through our journey. Choices count!

Now to the dark side of real life: Corruption, Game playing, Manipulation, Cheating in Real Life

Here again, I always look into who gains? I look at what they gain. It has made me more cynical over the years. We are flooded by real life news of all kinds of corruption, cheating, manipulation, murder, government oppression, destructions, disasters, mass murders. Why? My ideas of possible reasons increases with much more added to the dark side.

Certainly there is often found the honest belief that these choices, policies, governments, actions taken are right and proper. There we will also find manipulation by someone for both good and ill devised goals. Some people believe their choice is the only choice and the world will be better if we just obey, lie down and either die, accept their rules, or actively support them in their goals and actions. To me, this is a serious mis-understanding of the game of life. These people have become so involved in playing their own game that they have forgotten or do not care, or never cared that people are dying.

That is the sad truth of real life. Errors in judgment, goals, purposes, actions and intentions all kill... Then again I see a far darker side of life found in: reducing or eliminating of competition. Why? It builds political power, wealth, influence and the perception of control. Some people and governments seek to control all of us. If the world percieves they do, then they do. Certain governments mandate behaviors, making dissent fatal. Now do all of these seem reasonable possibilities or expectations or explanations. Sadly yes. Does it matter? Yes. Life is a game where people matter! Life is where people die, but do not return to start-unless you believe in reincarnation. Life matters.

I’ve read where people do not want to get involved in politics. I have to tell them, tell youall that WE all are involved in politics whenever we are working towards life changing goals or even helping someone in need. There will always be opponents of change, opponents of anything or anyone that takes money or power from others. The best you can do in that case is do all your work in the background and let others present it. So think not of fear, think of moving to a safer location, if such positive choices could endanger your life. People die-are dying as I write- because they oppose tyranny, perceived evil, poor government, dictators or dangerous neighbors. Others seek to create them for their own reasons. Security over freedom continues to be a world wide battle. Each choice you make in our shared journey through this life on Earth counts.