Finite and Infinite Games

Review

I've seen this book referenced innumerable times and was still wholly unprepared for it; Carse's ideas were novel and illuminating to me. I appreciated the breadth of exploration in the book and the careful attention to making clear distinctions that allowed for that exploration to take place. Chapters 1, 2, and 4 were of the most interest to me — I particularly liked the sections on society and culture and on worlds and audiences. Will definitely come back to this one.

To be playful is not to be trivial or frivolous, or to act as though nothing of consequence will happen. On the contrary, when we are playful with each other we relate as free persons, and the relationship is open to surprise; everything that happens is of consequence.