On Wed, 28 Jan 2004, David McFadzean wrote:

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Keith Henson" <hkhenson@rogers.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2004 11:56 PM
>
> > >I would add non-zero sum game rather than zero sum game.
> >
> > Ah!  Sorry about the typo, I hope the included references made it clear
> > that that's I meant too.
>
> Clear enough that I actually read it as "non-zero sum". I agree that those
> who do best in life will seek out and participate in many non-zero sum
> games. But I don't think zero sum games can be avoided entirely, so life
> is a mix of both kinds: zero and non-zero, also finite and infinite games.
> I don't see any need to qualify "game" in Lucifer's First Law:
> "Those who are doing best in life are playing it like a game."

And the final score is measured in American dollars
that you managed to spend during your lifetime?

Somehow I don't feel like playing if that's the game.

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Of course, one might add that people who do worst in life, are
absolute optimists, who expect only the best things to come true.

On Wed, 28 Jan 2004, Jei wrote:

>
> Well, here's mine, let's call it Jei's Law:
>
> The people who do best in life are absolute pessimists. -
> They never fail to achieve at least their own worst nightmares
> and thus experience only over-achievement and pure success.
>
> On Wed, 28 Jan 2004, David McFadzean wrote:
>
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Mermaid"
> > Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2004 7:08 AM
> >
> > > The Law of the Game (or Lucifer's First Law)
> > > Those who are doing best in life are playing it like a game.
> > >
> > > [Mermaid]this is vague to me. it begs the question of what 'best in life' really means...apparently, one is a winner if one
> > decides that he has won and when he will win the game. its like playing poker with oneself?
> >
> > [Lucifer] It is the nature of concise laws to be vague.
> > The point is to explore the consequences given the
> > tentative assumption that the law is true.
> >
> > > [Mermaid]On the other hand, if we are to assume that all of us are playing the same "game of life", what are the rules of the
> > game? If you really think about it, people who want to play the same games form groups and play against each other. e.g. All the
> > employees of a corporation play a game within the confined by the corporate rules.
> >
> > [Lucifer] The game of life consists of all the games you are in,
> > consciously or unconsciously. I suspect most games are participated
> > in unconciously in which case you are more like a pawn than a player.
> >
> > > [Mermaid]If I can alter Lucifer's First Law, I would say that those who do best in life are those who play the game after they
> > pick their team and opponents well.
> >
> > [Lucifer] Of course you may alter it, but then you have to give it
> > a new name. Your variation is now Mermaid's Law.
> >
> > ---
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> >
>
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Btw, a quick poll:

    What purpose do you think the universe serves, if any?

On Wed, 28 Jan 2004, Jake Sapiens wrote:

> "The optimist believes that we live in the best of all possible universes.
> The pessimist fears that this is true."
>
> A quote whose source I can no longer remember.
>
> Love,
>
> -Jake
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