Notable and Quotable (I)

ARE YOU GAME?
You don’t play to win.

California-based artist and video-game designer John O’Neill has gone back to basics with an old-fashioned board game with a twist: It’s meant to shake up the preconceived notions of “winning” and “losing.” Paradice combines the strategic challenge of checkers or chess with a thoughtful new approach to competition. A favorite at eco-conscious festivals, Paradice is a game for two to four players who switch roles between Giver and Taker as the game progresses. In the end, the Giver wins by bringing all the “humans” on the board eye to eye. The game embodies the philosophy it teaches: The set is constructed of sustainably harvested wood and nontoxic dyes. Paradice also comes in an elegant version made from hand-poured resin.

— Liz Seymour, USAirways Magazine August 2008

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Posted in * General Interest, Notable & Quotable

5 comments on “Notable and Quotable (I)

  1. rugbyplayingpriest says:

    yuch!
    Its not the winning but the taking part that counts….was clearly coined by a loser!!

  2. scott+ says:

    I agree it is not winning or losing it is about playing the game. This is often a true statement, but it is also misleading. I was for many years a competitive swimmer. I was good but not great, I won many races and lost a number. It was trying to win which was most important not whether or not I won.

    On the other hand, what I see here and elsewhere is a misunderstanding of winning, losing, and attempting to win. To me there is no value in games where there is no winning. Losing a race or a board game is not the end of the world. Losing does not make you less of a person, but I would suggest not trying to win may.

  3. BlueOntario says:

    Was this person involved in creating the Infiniti brand name or giving Artic Ice beer its name?

  4. Anglican Paplist says:

    RRRRRRRAAAAALLLLLPH!
    Soccer mom meets Ghandi. With no reality in site. And boring to boot.
    AP+

  5. Laura R. says:

    Give me Professor Plum with the lead pipe in the library any day! I like old-fashioned board games — you can enjoy the game and some camaraderie with your fellow players, win or lose.