Finite and Infinite Games
by James P. Carse
A philosophical essay in numbered aphorisms: finite games are played to win, infinite games are played to continue playing. Carse applies the distinction to society, culture, power, sex, nature and religion. It is dense, strange and the source of Sinek's The Infinite Game, which is far easier and far shallower.
Read it if…
you want the original idea in its full, difficult form.
Skip it if…
you want business application; see The Infinite Game.
Three things you will actually use
- Finite players play within boundaries; infinite players play with them.
- Winning ends a game; the point of an infinite game is to keep playing.
- Titles are finite; names are infinite.
Do this first
Read ten aphorisms a day and write which of your pursuits are finite and which infinite.
Our verdict
The original, difficult and strange.
Compare with other Mindset books
Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude
Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone · Mindset
Hill, made specific by Stone.
CLICK TO SEE
Browse all Mindset book reviews or get the free Reality Code Cheat Sheet.
As an Amazon Associate, WisdomDeck earns from qualifying purchases. Links marked “Click to see” go to Amazon. We are not paid for opinions, prices and availability are not shown here and change on Amazon, and we never see your purchase details. Nothing here is medical, legal or financial advice.