In an episode of Star Trek: The next generation Data met a game master who could, in essence, not be beat. Even though his reflexes were superior to the game master, the game master’s strategy was perfect and so won. Data devised a strategy in which he aimed for loss, and this the game master gave up the game. In real life do you find this possible… or even probable? If so, how?
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6 responses to “Winning by aiming for loss”
I think I know what you mean. When in Germany for 3 years (in my early 20’s) we did not have a TV and Radio Luxembourg was only on for a limited time in English. We had many hours of boredom and my husband wanted to pass the time playing card games. I would get tired of playing and would just play to lose. It was obvious that I was not trying to be a challenge. I would fold with winning hands. He realized that there was no real challenge and he would give up and find something else to fill in his time. I lost (until I won). I got to escape from the card games and spend time doing something else.
Then there are women who will go through the motions of a handshake, but they offer only a limp hand. I have always found the women who offer the limp dishrag hand are the kind of friend that is not really into having friendships. She doesn’t put in any effort. She is never available. She never has anything to say, or share. She has no opinion. I guess she wins because I lose interest in being her friend. If we are placed together for any reason, I go silent around her. She wins by going limp.
Then there is the relationship version of that game, played when my husband has another woman and I have given up. I am not going to fight to keep a cheating man. I am now playing to lose (and win my freedom). He is going out while I stay home? I serve him a dinner before he goes out. Broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, or a big bowl of ham and beans!!! Any kind of food that makes him fart all night. It is my gift to the “other woman”. I spend my alone time getting a storage shed and packing boxes to store my belongings. I search for apartments. I plan a future for myself that does not have him in it. When the time comes that he breaks the news to me that the marriage is over, I have already made my plans. In the relationship game, I lose ——- but I won. I have my freedom and future of my own making. I got rid of the cheating husband and my life goes on. I don’t need to do a lot of packing, because I have already packed and my stuff is in storage. Bye-bye!!!
Wait,… so there exists episodes of next generation where the end solution ISN’T to shoot whatever with a tachyon particle beam?!?!?!?!?
@luftballooneyegouge you’re confusing TNG with Voyager.
@Jear77
I don’t think I ever watched V’ger?
Do you think Star Wars is going to Trek themselves by following the same path of oversaturation?
I found that in a lot of things I can focus on a certain outcome so much, that said outcome is driven further from my grasp.
I can remember several people telling me as a boy and a young man that I was trying too hard.
And when I relaxed and focused on enjoying what I was doing, the outcome I craved (or something better!) just showed up!
And years later when I took up the photography, I found a repeated affirmation of this.
its not aiming for a loss, its taking a different path.