On Alternatives to Competitive Games: Think synergy, cooperation, unity, and an experience of interdependence

I came across an amazing pdf document online consisting of 154 pages on games people can play that are more in keeping with the spirit of the age as reflected in the Writings of Baha'u'llah. The document was last updated just a few weeks ago. Thanks, Linden Qualls, for doing this! -gw

http://home.earthlink.net/~l.qualls/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/1agamesrules.pdf

Children's understanding of oneness derives from concrete activities which promote synergy, cooperation, unity, and an experience of interdependence---all of which are inherent properties of cooperative games. Cooperative games are a concrete metaphor in action for unity in diversity and oneness.

My personal opinion is that under most circumstances, most competitive games tend to promote values and attitudes that directly undermine unity and the oneness of humanity paradigm. Children can't learn oneness and unity when they are being taught to dominate, to control, to be superior, to succeed at the expense of others. Think of the themes found in typical competitive American board and group/team games:

• Us versus them
• Play to overcome and beat others
• Were number one, we’re the best
• Exulting in other’s failures, depending on it for own success, feeling good when others have faults, weaknesses, or make mistakes
• Yay winners, boo losers—lack of respect and exclusion of the weaker and less coordinated. (Think of “last one there is a rotten egg”)
• Being first, or having the most is the criteria that establishes the winner

Remember, the themes in games influence formation of our social attitudes.

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