How to play

Friend or enemy? Or in a little less lethal business terms: Collaboration or competition?
This primal consideration/distinction unconsciously influences any choice that involves other people. Even in my most trusted intimate relationship there is that moment that I wonder: are we doing this together or am I on my own here? What’s in it for me? Is this worth the while? On a daily base I am mostly unaware of this dynamic. Irrationally I assume some stable foundation in my culture and my habits. Yet seeing it as a homeostatic balancing act seems more realistic.

My favorite game is Hanabi. Contrary to most games it is a collaboration game: together you need to sort it out by helping the others to use your information: Can we sort it out together?
So the only enemy i am fighting is myself. My lack of presence, focus, patience, frustration tolerance, etcetera. Same thing for the other participants. I play the game almost daily with my wife, who is also a business partner and we had our most intense fights over this very game.

What? In a friendly collaboration game? YES. Actually that is why. Both of us are trying our very best to create the perfect outcome. And we need the other to do exactly what we know needs to happen. And when that fails the frustration is intense and sometimes impossible to contain. So it is exquisitely challenging. It reveals my growing edge.