The Cube (game)

The Cube is a game about self knowledge and is based on asking another person to describe a series of three to five objects. The game was popularized by Annie Gottlieb's short book "Secrets of the Cube" (released 1998) and can be found being played in a deleted scene of "Serendipity".

The game

The narration phase

While there are slight variations of the game from person to person, the game begins by asking another person to imagine a scene (often a desert scene). The game then follows by asking the person to place and describe a cube in the scene. Once the cube is completely described, the narrator of the game then asks for the player to describe a ladder that is also placed in the scene. This process continues with a horse, flowers, and finally a storm.

The object most often excluded (and was excluded in "Serendipity") is the flower. Others also suggest that the storm could also be excluded, though excluding this feature is significantly more uncommon than the exclusion of the flower.

The interpretation phase

Once the narrator has an understanding of the scene described, he or she may (or, as "Secrets of the Cube" suggests, may not) interpret the scene for the player. The general interpretation is often as follows:

* The cube represents the player's image of himself or herself. A cube that is small in the perspective of the scene suggests that the player thinks of themselves as insignificant or modest while a larger cube suggests the opposite.
* The ladder represents the player's close friends. A ladder close to the cube suggests the player keeps his or her friends close and a ladder the same height of the cube suggests a balanced relationship with his or her friends.
* The horse represents the player's male lover (this game is geared toward females). As with the previous objects, the closer to the cube the horse is, the better the love life of the player is.
* The flower represents the player's children or future children. A flower close to the cube suggests a close relationship with his or her children while a beaten down flower would suggest a bad or broken relationship with them. (As mentioned earlier, the flower is often excluded in most instances of the game.)
* The storm represents the player's current problems. A storm covering the entire scene would suggest a life plagued with problems while a storm in the distance or a small storm would suggest contained or an easily managed number of problems.

Beyond the basic interpretation, the interpreter may expand on the general meaning of the relationships between the objects. Moreover, details may be hidden from the player until a second or third meeting to add an allure for that second or third meeting (used in situations such as dating).

Game background and culture

The game's origins are unknown, although some say it is of Greek, Turkish, or Sufi origins.

Someone who has already played (or has been "cubed") cannot honestly play again, because they already know what each object represents, and that will probably affect their answers.

External links

* [http://www.amazon.com/dp/0786882573 "Secrets of the Cube" by Annie Gottlieb]
* [http://www.amazon.com/dp/0062512668 "The Cube: Keep the Secret" by Annie Gottlieb, Slobodan D. Pesic]

References

* Annie Gottlieb, Secrets of the Cube: The Ancient Visualization Game That Reveals Your True Self, Hyperion