What's the game?

The origins of this blog’s name comes from the song “Unfriendly Game” by the Broklyn rapper Masta Ace. It’s a clever song that compares the life of drug dealers to that of a professional football team. This blog doesn’t have anything to do with either (although I may write about my obsession with football in the future), I think “the game” is an accurate way to describe most aspects of life.

In The Wire, which is my favorite TV and supposedly President Obama’s as well, our favorite character always talks about the game. Omar Little is the badass Robin Hood of the hood. He "rips and runs" drug dealers of their cash and stash, but he never puts a gun on an innocent. He likes to carry a big shotgun while whistling Farmer in the Dell, and his scenes are typically the "action" in the show. He also happens to be gay. To him, the whole drug trade is “the game.”

“The game is out there, and it’s play or get played,” he tells some officers in the first season.

In one of the best scenes during the five season run, Omar testifies against some scumbag named Bird, who is accused of killing a witness. The slimy lawyer Maury Levy defends Bird. Levy has been well-established before this scene as a straight up slime ball. Considering this is a show that has murderers and corrupt politicians, it’s saying a lot that he’s the most unlikable character on the show. I don't have the skills to embed videos and it's a bit long, but it's worth checking out.

Omar on Trial

“You are feeding of the violence and despair of the drug trade,” said an impassioned Levy. “You’re stealing from those who themselves are stealing from the life blood of our city. You are a parasite that leeches off the culture of drugs.”

“Just like you,” replied Omar. “I got the shotgun. You got the brief case. It’s all in the game though, right?”

Case closed.

Now I could go on and about how brilliant this show is. The finale left me depressed for a couple days because while some of the characters find redemption, others become new victims of the game, and the cycle of awfulness just continues. Usually I watch other shows and wish it was as good as The Wire. Then again, I’m addicted to crap like Heroes, so it’s easy to wish for better programming.

Anyways, the game doesn’t just apply to the courts or the streets: it’s everything. Any job you’re working can be the game, because if you don’t play it right then you’ll get played. Relationships are also a game that comes with a winner and a loser. Hell, even trying to survive on the road in Connecticut is a game due to the awful drivers.

By calling all these things a game, their seriousness may seem diminished. I just think it’s a great way of showing that anything in life can be passed or failed.