This book was the inspiration for this website. Carse’s main point throughout the book is that there are two types of games, finite and infinite. Finite games are played within set rules and consists of multiple players where the entire purpose of the game is winning. An infinite game is played for the purpose of continuing to play the game. Carse applies his theory to a range of topics, including community and business. Most of all, playing an infinite game applies to living a life of improvement, never seeing a problem as the end point but rather another part of the journey in your life that you can learn from.
Impactful Quotes:
- “Infinite players do not oppose the actions of others, but initiate actions for their own in such a way that others will respond by initiating their own.”
- “Infinite players regard their wins and losses in whatever finite games they play as but moments in continuing play.”
- “Indeed, the only purpose of the game is to prevent it from coming to an end, to keep everyone in play.”
- “The rules of an infinite game must change in the course of play.”
- “Finite players play within boundaries; infinite players play with boundaries.”
- “The paradox of infinite play is that the players desire to continue the play in others.”
- “My freedom does not depend on your loss of freedom.”
- “The infinite player does not consume time, but generates it.”
- “Finite players are serious; infinite players are playful.”
Playing the Infinite Game 