Any game where the goal is to build territory has to be beautiful. There may be phases of combat, but they are only means to an end, to allow your territory to survive. One of the most extraordinary aspects of the game of go is that it has been proven that in order to win, you must live, but you must also allow the other player to live. Players who are too greedy will lose: it is a subtle game of equilibrium, where you have to get ahead without crushing the other player. In the end, life and death are only the consequences of how well or how poorly you have made your construction. This is what one of Taniguchi's characters says: you live, you die, these are consequences. It's a proverb for playing go, and for life.
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About Muriel Barbery
Muriel Barbery was French novelist and philosophy teacher. Muriel Barbery is a French novelist and philosophy teacher. Her 2006 novel The Elegance of the Hedgehog quickly sold more than a million copies in several countries. Read more on Wikipedia →
Themes
- Inspirational — Uplifting words to motivate and inspire positive action
- Life — Reflections on the meaning, challenges, and beauty of life
- Philosophy — Deep thoughts on existence, knowledge, and the nature of reality