I’m talking in the context of the “capitalist rules”. If you say the aforementioned sentence, you remove the responsibility of the player by dismissing the fact that the winner makes the rules.
PS: Doesn’t work for every context: if the player aims to change the rules because he doesn’t like them, he might see winning as a way to change them. “You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain” I guess…
It occurs to me that a great many sayings exist for the speaker to self justify their own actions
The player’s job is to play optimally; the rules dictate what is and isn’t optimal play. Not just limited to capitalism, this concept is a big part of game theory.
Yeah, this phrase makes way more sense within the context of a game or game theory. For me, it goes back to fighting games or sports. People play to win in those settings. The rules are heavily defined, and the players must abide. These other examples are people misusing the phrase.
My first thought after hearing that saying 20-something years ago was “the player perpetuates the game.”
If people refuse to play, there is no game to hate.
If people refuse to play, they die. The game evolved over millions of years.
There are many types of game. The saying is specifically designed to perpetuate one particular game.
I always reply that I hate both.
So you disagree with the saying? Why?
Because it implies that there are just two options while I think there is a third.
I don’t think it implies that. It just says “this is a better option than that”
Learn to recognize systemic problems rather than personnel problems.
That’s the entire point of the phrase, as far as how I’ve always interpreted it: don’t blame people for doing what’s best for them within a system they don’t control.
The system is large and powerful. However, it’s perpetuated by individuals. Apathy is a lack of empathy…
Yup, that’s why people say it. “I’m an arse hole, but what do you expect?”
Yes, but the game is the problem. That’s why the ecological footprint is problematic, it pushes the responsibility towards individuals rather than changing laws.
Yes.
Just like “it is what it is”, that statement is a “thought terminating cliche” and that is what it’s doing.
Well I’d say it’s a hate-terminating cliche. As in, “Hey let’s stop thinking about how much we hate that guy, when he’s trying to feed his family”.
“Trying to feed your family” does not excuse everything. In fact I would say “they are just trying to feed their family” is almost on par with “it is what it is” as a thought terminating cliché.