The whole collection · No. 11 of 36

Schopenhauer’s porcupines

For finding the right distance.

1851 · Parerga and Paralipomena

Where it comes from

On a cold winter’s day, Schopenhauer wrote, a group of porcupines huddle together for warmth, feel each other’s quills and move apart. The cold drives them together again, until they find a moderate distance they can all bear.

How to play it

Move the porcupines. Keep them warm without anyone getting pricked.

Pick it up

What it teaches (try it first)

Every team finds its distance. Too close and nobody can say anything sharp. Too far and nobody stays warm.

Ask yourself. Who is too close to tell you the truth, and who is too far away to keep warm?

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