The Glass Bead Game

[mindwanderer]

The Glass Bead Game, as seen in Herman Hesse's book "Magister Ludi", is a game in which educated elites would take two seemingly unrelated things (ideas, songs, objects) and compared them. An example needing 'higher understanding' and a wide range of knowledge would be like comparing Bach's Cello Suite #2 to The Mona Lisa... or comparing The Philosopical concepts of fear to the concrete theories behind a chromatic scale. Those may seem complete impossible, but to a veteran player of the glass bead game they're commonplace. This game will flex the parts of your brain responsible for prototypes, concepts, language, abstract ideas, and also just plain rote learning knowledge, problem solving, musical/theatrical comprehension... basically everything. It's comparing two completely unrelated things, not even in the same energy category... So it seems frustrating and difficult at first... but practice makes you better. The game itself is a learning excercise, testing you in almost every facet of understanding... Try it out... I'll give you two things... but if you can't do it, then think of your own and post the results! (no wrongs answers... all subjective) My example... Love (symbolic, physical and philosophic) <------> A rose (symbolic, physical, philosophic) yes I know it's cliche... but it's a good beginner assignment I'll also give you a few comparisons to give you the idea! Love is an evolutional trait in which parent and child, friends, and mates, display affection and consideration in order to assist each other in various areas of life. Symbolically, offering a rose is a sign of affection, and shows love. As well a rose is red, the colour of blood, which is a symbol of passion, and is also pumped from the heart... which is the 'love' organ'. That's an obvious answer... but hopefully you get the idea.

[Taosaur]

Perhaps if you provided a few sample pairings for us to riff off of, posters could choose one pairing and make an attempt?

[Invader]

Compare: A fine china plate <---> The fall of Sauron in Lord of the Rings Like that?

[mindwanderer]

Compare: A fine china plate <---> The fall of Sauron in Lord of the Rings Like that? Yep. Seems silly, but imagine how knowledgable you'll seem when you have a 750+ word composition on the similarity/differences between plates and fictional villains? LOL. But seriously... try it! And as far as getting you started... you can try this. Falling by John Frusciante<-------> Current conflict around the Gaza Strip So... this will test your understand of the melodies, tone, and intent behind "Falling", as well as your understanding of the religious, political conflict in the middle east (gaza strip specifically). This should be easy since I've given no restrictions. Compare ANY aspects of Falling to ANY aspects of the conflict. A few things to consider if you're having difficulty starting: -The 'mood' -Patterns (think timelines, chronology) -Titles -People involved (politicians, john frusciante) Remember, you can focus entirely on the melodies of the song, or ignore it and focus on the quality of the recording... whether the sounds are happy, sharp, decisive... or however you feel it. You can focus entirely on the religious aspects of israels conflict, or the politicians involved. Absolutely any aspect, of either of this subjects can be compared. Don't make it more complicated than it is... I mean it is complicated, but you can do it! And I can't stress enough... you can use absolutely ANYTHING from either of the subjects. If you want to learn about Frusciante, or perhaps use aspects of some politician who is involved or anything crazy like that then do. That's the whole point... expand your knowledge. No matter how far the stretch... there are NO wrong answers (well... you know... keep it reaasonable)

[tommo]

Compare: A fine china plate <---> The fall of Sauron in Lord of the Rings Like that? A fine china plate can break easily, the fall of Sauron = the eye exploding or whatever. Falling by John Frusciante<-------> Current conflict around the Gaza Strip The song starts and ends. The Gaza conflict has started and will end. Good enough? Also that song has a middle eastern sounding instrument in it. Not sure what it is, probly computer generated sound. Also the guitar has a middle eastern quick finger picking sound to it.

[mindwanderer]

Sorry for being a year late on the reply.... haha. That's good! I want to start up this thread again. I'll post a few things, and if others want to contribute a few subjects I'll tackle a few and post my 'answers'. the reflections made off of chaotic turbid water - the ethicality of assisted suicide the statement made by non-conformity - the act of base-jumping Go at it!! And please give me some things to try and I'll give 'em a shot and post my results.

[Oneironaut Zero]

I think I'm going to enjoy this game. A shark attack - A dollar bill Money is said to 'flow,' as does the mixture of blood and water, during and after the attack. Those that tend to choose money over ethics are often called sharks, as it is their nature to 'feed' upon the easily-exploited people around them. The loss of blood during the attack can be compared to the dollar bills that you will be losing, in medical bills - assuming you survive the attack. The eye on the dollar bill could be said to symbolize a predator, leering over its victims, systematically picking them off, to sustain its machine-like functionality. There is a great seal on the dollar bill. Sharks eat seals. The dollar bill is a note of the United States. The United States are home to the shark-bite capital of the world, which is Volusia County, Florida (where I live. Lol).

[Arra]

Maybe the person above should give a few things to compare. My biggest problem here is simply not knowing what things are. I'd respond to one of the pairs from two posts above, but I don't know what "base jumping" is nor do I know what "turbid" water is. If I knew what they were this might be fun. I'll give some random things I can think of for others to do though. The act of swiping a card in a debit machine --- The feeling of watching a sunset A child screaming - A plant taking in sunlight The act of peeling a potato - The sensation of being immersed in water The feeling of nausea - A pearl

[tommo]

I think I'm going to enjoy this game. A shark attack - A dollar bill Money is said to 'flow,' as does the mixture of blood and water, during and after the attack. Those that tend to choose money over ethics are often called sharks, as it is their nature to 'feed' upon the easily-exploited people around them. The loss of blood during the attack can be compared to the dollar bills that you will be losing, in medical bills - assuming you survive the attack. The eye on the dollar bill could be said to symbolize a predator, leering over its victims, systematically picking them off, to sustain its machine-like functionality. There is a great seal on the dollar bill. Sharks eat seals. The dollar bill is a note of the United States. The United States are home to the shark-bite capital of the world, which is Volusia County, Florida (where I live. Lol). LOL you're supposed to draw similarities between the previous poster's examples O. Not your own haha I think we should stick to just one from each person? Then the responder posts a new one?

[Oneironaut Zero]

Well this game has taken entirely too long to get started, anyway. Figured I'd entertain myself. So I guess we're going off of one of Dianeva's suggestions, now? I'll try to think of something while I'm working, unless someone steps up and beats me to it.

[mindwanderer]

@Dianeva I must have not explained this well. The whole point of the game isn't "winning" or comparing two things that you already know. The entire aim of the game is learning. Sure, you use knowledge that you already have... but essentially this game is a constant learning experience. Really, there should be one set of topics that you compare. No choices, no options. And if you don't know the subjects then you research them. If you do know the subjects, then you have an advantage. Essentially, this game is a fancy way of assigning a "compare and contrast" essay on two set subjects. However, play it how you will... but this game is meant to challenge a person. It's meant to get you educated about pre (or randomly) determined subjects in one or many of it's facets so that you can use abstract thinking to create comparisons between two 'seemingly' unrelated topics and in the end come out of it knowing something you didn't before the game. This game was a way to challenge the educated elite. To get them interested and learning new things. But, seeing as I didn't mention any of that I guess I dropped the ball. Haha.

[tommo]

A child screaming - A plant taking in sunlight Well let's start with this one then. Go.

[Oneironaut Zero]

A child screaming - A plant taking in sunlight The heat rushing to one's surface (one from within, one from without). A moment in time that one truly can feel alive. Invigorated. It is in the intake and expulsion of energy that the two acts are both opposite and analogous. A plant's absorbtion of sunlight (and subsequent photosynthesis) helps to produce oxygen, which is required for the child's screams to rise above a breathless whisper. As the dark side of the plant must succumb to the fact that it will never have as much sunlight as its counterpart, so must the child learn that its wailing for attention inhibits the development of its other, more reserved side. It is a shared duality. Whether the child's screaming is reasonable or not, it's indicative of the natural drive to be heard; to be fed; to be fulfilled; to be satiated...much like natural attraction of the otherwise 'inanimate' flower to it's 1 source of empowerment: The sun. Watching a movie in a theater - Emptying an ashtray Firing an anti-aircraft gun turret - sleeping A dragon - A camera Eating cheese - Flying a plane Go.

[no-Name]

A dragon - A camera a flash of brightness-fire/light, both are striking images, sharp inner pieces of teeth and metal, both hold memories, both use power and energy in bursts, their eyes are both very large, and their love of shiny things. glass and Linkin Park

[Arra]

glass and Linkin Park (I'm assuming you meant the band and not the place) Glass is transparent, as some believe Linkin Park is. The band's lyrics can be seen through, metaphorically, by anyone who has suffered teenage angst. Glass is a very slowly moving liquid, although it appears to be a solid. Similarly, Linkin Park's songs, as one goes from one to the next, appear to be the same but, if you pay very close attention, you might notice a difference, a change. Glass is harmless to look at, but when touched, it can harm a person. Just as Linkin Park is harmless to one who has not suffered the feelings described in the songs, but once one pays attention to its lyrics and comes in close contact with their meaning, they inspire pain. Both glass and Linkin Park show you things beyond them - glass reveals whatever is physically behind it, while Linkin Park shows you feelings and truths about life. Glass is not always completely clear and might show you things from a distorted view, just as Linkin Park reveals the world and feelings through what is perhaps a distorted view. Glass is made from sand, a substance nowhere near as elegant and pretty, just as music from the band is made from individual notes which are not themselves as elegant as music. A calculator and lust

[Xei]

Self-explanatory. Isaac Newton and Greenland.

[Oneironaut Zero]

Self-explanatory. No. Play the game or don't. (Though I got the joke, mathematician. )

[Xei]

No I think I'll make a light hearted joke and move along, actually. If you still want to use Dianeva's then use it, I don't mind.

[Oneironaut Zero]

No I think I'll make a light hearted joke and move along, actually. If you still want to use Dianeva's then use it, I don't mind. Aww. Gotta say I'm a little disappointed. Would have been interesting to see what a number-lusting fiend such as yourself would have come up with!