The Game of Life
"Be Nice, Be Forgiving, But Don't Be a Pushover."
Siquijor, August 2024
“Life is about decisions and everyone makes their own.” – Ana Rosa del Hoyo
Wise words… I don't really have much to add to that.
As I sit here trapped in my bungalow on a remote island in the Philippines, the rain plays a rhythmic melody on the roof, like a drummer who can't find the right beat. 🌧️ Bummer? Nah. As I said here in my post here,
Rain is just an excuse to find time for introspection - or in this case, the latest YouTube binge. So my initial disappointment quickly turned to gratitude when I stumbled upon a gem of a video served up by the YouTube algorithm.
Thanks also to Starlink, for the magic of satellite internet – couldn’t have done it without you! (Seriously, where would we be without the ability to binge-watch educational content while dodging the downpour?)
What’s 30 minutes for a lifetime of wisdom? I urge you to watch this enlightening video by Veritasium. If there’s such a thing as the morality of the universe, this might just be it. ⬇️
The video presents a beautiful interplay between mathematics, philosophy, biology, psychology, and the very fabric of the universe.
The Strategy for the Game of Life
Be:
Nice.Forgiving.Retaliatory.Clear.
In a nutshell:
Cooperation pays off big time; be nice. Defection is short-sighted; you won’t get very far by being nasty. You don’t have to lose for me to win. Life is not a zero-sum game.
It requires overriding the natural human instinct of reciprocity. Basically, an eye for an eye. But the problem with "an eye for an eye," as the saying goes: "an eye for an eye makes all blind. That's why I think there is great wisdom in forgiveness. You need both strength and forgiveness. But it is the only way to stop the endless cycle of violence.
Here’s same concept in other words:
Words to Live By
Tit for Tat – with a dash of generosity and a pinch of forgiveness for the win!
Remember, justice is silver, but forgiveness is gold.