Jumia Books Games People Play: The Psychology Of Human Relationships

Eric Berne wrote this book in 1964 in a world very different to that of today. Given the rise of PC culture in the intervening years, it is not surprising that many now view this work as offensive. However, those that cannot get past their sensibilities, will miss out on an extraordinary set of ideas that are still useful in our world today. Berne did not set out to be offensive, but his work was always controversial.
Games are based on a structure such as ‘con’ and ‘gimmick’ and eventually involve a ‘switch’ and ‘payoff’. Each of these concepts are still alive and kicking in our modern world. The names of the games may have to be updated, but their dynamics are still sound. There are still ‘Persecutors’, ‘Rescuers’ and ‘Victims’ albeit people may believe they are the ones who self-identify with the roles. Berne intended that others do the identifying, hence the real usefulness of the concept lay in therapy groups where others decided whether you were the real Victim or were Persecuting from a Victim position (i.e. a cry bully).
Our modern world is too invested in Critical Theory (Where everyone is either an Oppressor or Oppressed) to perhaps appreciate the true genius of Eric Berne.