THE KULTURE OF GAMES:

How Board Games Continue to Reflect Growing & Emergent Communities

- Bayard Catron

The ancient Roman orator Cicero wrote of "cultura animi," a cultivation of the soul, using an agricultural metaphor for the concept of developing a philosophical soul - the highest possible ideal for human development. The great thinkers who came after him adopted "culture" as an umbrella term for all the ways in which we become fully human.

Culture exists at all levels of human experience, from the overall species all the way down to the individual - including organizations such as your game night group. Culture is the byproduct of human existence and endeavor; the shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that characterize a group or society.

Games reflect the culture in which they are created and played. Board games are cultural artifacts. They also shape culture by influencing social interactions, attitudes, and behaviors. Board games have been used throughout history as a way to share cultural values, creativity, and storytelling.

GAMES AND CULTURE: SIGNS OF THE TIMES

Games have been deeply ingrained in human culture since the beginning. Over five thousand years ago, the game Senet illustrated Egyptian spiritual beliefs. What started as a simple pastime developed into a strategic game Egyptians believed could influence their eventual standing in the afterlife. In ancient Mesopotamia, the Royal Game of Ur also had spiritual significance. Events in the game were believed to reflect a player's future, and convey messages from deities or other supernatural beings.