Common games

Explanations > Behaviors > Games > Common games

In our interactions with people around us, we often fall into common patterns of behavior, or games, that we play and re-play.

The games

The descriptions here are very brief and there are of course many more. In practice, many games can go on at the same time and can be intertwined and complex. See the references for more detail...

Game	Description	Real benefit
Stop me if you can	Damaging activity, for example using drugs.	Gets attention, avoids responsibility
Blemish	Finding fault with others. Being as picky as necessary	Distracts attention from self
Clever me	Boasting about what you have done	Get attention, sympathy, admiration
Courtroom	Describe 'logically' how I am right and others are wrong	Get support, sympathy and absolution
If it weren't for you	Blaming others for your non-achievements	Absolution of guilt
I'm only trying to help	Offering help then complaining when it is not accepted	Controlling others
Let's you and him fight	Get others to fight for you	Control of others, share of blame, friendship
Look how hard I've tried	Put in lots of effort that intentionally does not succeed.	Absolves oneself from responsibility.
Now I've got you (you son of a bitch)	Vents rage on someone and blames them for it	Displaces anger. Absolves responsibility
Poor me	Display self as unlucky and helpless	Sympathy and support
See what you made me do	Blaming others for one's own problems	Absolution of responsibility, instilling guilt
Honestly	Making empty promises	Getting one's way in the short-term
Uproar	Violent argument with deliberate pressing of hot buttons	Sustain attention, venting and displacing anger
Yes but...	Providing objections to refuse help	Maintenance of attention and control
Wooden leg	Acquire a handicap, real or imagined and ham it up	Sympathy, avoidance of responsibility

So what?

See the games understand what's going on. Either play out the script or break it.

USA:

UK:

Canada:

Common games

The games

So what?

See also