Op-Ed Piece 20050213

Hooah! Pong! Kang!

Words that are used to great effect in a certain game called Mahjong. Mahjong, that which is usually associated with gambling, in which the usage of chips acts as a medium to have a mode of transaction in between the four players. But, to play mahjong is not to gamble, just that for all or most games, the element of money adds as an extra incentive, a kick, a desire to win.

Competition is also evident in trivial pursuits such as a game that is Pictionary. One game that pits the drawing and 'analytical' skills of your members against others, to achieve Nirvana at the end of the journey. One move by a team to gain an upper hand will always be met with swift response by the opposing teams. Competition, the survival of the fittest, the move to triumph over others, can be said to be a uniformly encoded trait among people.

Games can be said to be the release valve of tension. To protect oneself from unnecessarily having an uncontrolled reaction towards stress, to test one's agency, or to pit oneself against others. Teamwork is also evident in games, as alliances are made, especially if one is up against computer opponents or relative strangers. The bond to take on and accomplish the task and ending up having the upper hand, is strengthened even if it can be said to be initially temporary.

To understand the intricacies of what games are for, to socialise, or to have a legitimate apparatus to beat down others, one must ultimately ask oneself. The answer might be shocking, but then again, most of the phenomena occuring around us, by us, is just that. Shocking. I suppose I will just take on the challenge to master the various games some other time, as one aspect of gaming is the need for rest. Rest, something which I truly need after hours of games and fun. Today.