"Dad is the saboteur," Mimm is convinced and places a blocking card on the carpet in front of dad.
"I think that you are the saboteur, blocking me, so I can't dig the mine and reach the gold," dad replies and blocks Mimm in return.
"I just have odd crooked paths and can't do anything," I comment and put one of my cards down.
We look at each other suspiciously. Saboteur is not my favorite game. I try to avoid playing it as much as possible. I don't like to be the saboteur. Each time we play I hope to get the card of a dwarf, and I hope that everyone has the same, so we can keep digging the mines, get the gold quickly and play something else. I like being kind and working together. I always want to be the dwarf.
But I am not. Today I am the saboteur. I keep a straight face, lie, and trick others. They suspect nothing, only blame and block each other, making it easier for me to steal the gold from them.
I have come to a realization that sometimes I am a saboteur in my own life. I lie to myself that I could stop eating sweets if I wanted to, I find reasons to make another sandwich in the evening, I create excellent excuses for not keeping healthy eating habits. As much as I would like to portray myself as a diligent worker, on some days I detour from working toward the goal, distract myself with meaningless activities, build roadblocks into my schedule. I have not figured out what the reward is in sabotaging myself. In a game I get shiny gold pieces. In a real life just guilt and stress.
Now I wonder how I could sabotage the saboteur in me.
I have never heard of this game. I do agree with you, though. I think we all manage to sabotage ourselves ourselves, consciously or unconsciously.
ReplyDeleteInteresting sounding game - I'll have to see if I can find it. Though - I also don't think I'd be a fan given that I am more of a middle-child peacemaker. Funny how many ways we can be our own worst enemy - when it takes so little effort to be our best friend instead.
ReplyDeleteWe all need a saboteur in our personas - it's the bit that allows us to goof off, enjoy life, and take a break.
ReplyDeleteI'm like you, I wouldn't want to be the sabateur. I'm not sure why we sabotage ourselves - something I think it is an unconscious effort on our part. Good luck at sabotaging the sabateur.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I would like this game. But only you can write about in such an interesting way!
ReplyDeleteI love playing games with my kids and family members. That is one of the things I love about the holidays. My family is very competitive so I think they would LOVE being the saboteur!
ReplyDeleteRemind me not to play cards with you when we meet. :-)
ReplyDeleteShucks, Terje! Aren't we supposed to be walking this journey together for 2014??? I feel as though I have failed you - now GET YOUR HANDS OFF THE EXTRA SANDWICH! :) Funny, though, as I read the beginning of your post, it made me think of the book, "Liar & Spy" that I am reading to my fifth graders right now. One character thinks they are playing again, the other feels lied to and cheated. My students LOVE it and have really gotten into arguing the difference between lies and play. :)
ReplyDeleteAlthough I have never heard of this game I was thinking it might be fun to be the tricky saboteur... until you related it so well to exactly what I do in my own life, to myself. Not so fun, definitely not helpful. Great way of relating the game to reality. Now please share when you figure out how to sabotage the saboteur in us all.
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