In 1964 Berne published Games People Play which, despite having been written for a professional readership, became an enormous bestseller and made Berne famous. The book presented clear, everyday examples of the way in which human beings get caught up in the games they play. Berne gave these games memorable titles such as "Now I've got you, you son of a bitch," "Wooden leg," "Yes, but...," and "Let's you and him fight."
In Berne's explanation of transaction as games, when the transaction is a zero-sum game, e.g. one must win at the other's expense, the person who benefits from a transaction (wins the game) is referred to as White, and the victim is referred to as Black, corresponding to the often likely outcome of a chess game.
Some of this terminology became a part of popular American vocabulary.
Read more about this topic: Eric Berne
Famous quotes containing the words games, people and/or play:
“Whatever games are played with us, we must play no games with ourselves, but deal in our privacy with the last honesty and truth.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“Our foreparents were mostly brought from West Africa.... We were brought to America and our foreparents were sold; white people bought them; white people changed their names ... my maiden name is supposed to be Townsend, but really, what is my maiden name? What is my name?”
—Fannie Lou Hamer (1917–1977)
“Rick: You played it for her, you can play it for me.
Sam: Well, I don’t think I can remember it.
Rick: If she can stand it, I can. Play it!”
—Julius J. Epstein (1909–1952)