'Life is a game that one plays according to the rules'

'Life is a game that one plays according to the rules'

This sentence is situated page 9 and is said by old Spencer. It has already been said before to Holden by Dr Thurmer when they talked about Holden leaving the school.
If He doesn't agree to the fact that Life is a game, it's because for him a game is something you play on a consol or computer. A game is something you can have fun playing at.
So for Holden, Life isn't a game.
But when we analyse all this and see it closely, we have to agree with old Spencer and Dr Thurmer. Even if it's not a game where you fight against other people like on computers or consoles. Even if it is not always a funny game you enjoy everyday. Life is a game and it is kind of a survival game! And to survive, you have to play according to the rules.
Indeed, since the beginning of humanity, humans created rules for themself to help living together. So then, if someone wants to live with them, he has to go according to the rules made. Right now, it is almost impossible to live all alone and out of the society.

Rules are there to be broken. I don't think you can say that we're just prisoner of the system and that we can't do anything. According to my opinion, if you say that you just search some excuses to don't think and just obey.
In a sens of course we need rules and we need to follow them. If not, world would be a jungle and life in society would not be possible.
But if you just think "my life is mapped, I just have to apply the rules and I will be happy". I think it should rather say  'Life is a game (because it is) and the best cheaters are the ones who wins'

I agree with you for some points. It's better to not always follow rules to enjoy things because otherwise Life would be too strict. And we also we have fun and feel kind of more powerful after breaking a rule. But it's not great to never follow rules because you put yourself out of society and it's difficult to live like this (or I think so).
We shouldn't forget also that the sentence has been said by a teacher and a headmaster to a student. So of course the wouldn't say 'You can break rules if you want to'. They have a different point of view than us.
I also don't agree with your last sentence. Win what? If it's hapinnes or something like that, then it's ok but otherwise, Life isn't a game one can win...

In the life there's people who wins and people who loses. It's, I think, thé only reason that motives us doing what we do.
Actually, for exemple, I want to proof I'm right and you want it to. (Or you just want to make you 4 contributions but anyway) If I can proof what I affirm, I'll be the winner and I'll be happy about that. If I lose, I will forgot but for a little time I will be disapointed.
Cheaters are the ones who doesn't respects social, tacites, legal... rules.
Of course you can't win your entire life but you can win every single part of it. Life is a war and every fight is important

Elisa, I don't think that the life Will be too strict if we folles the rules, there are rights too.And we aren't in a country like Panem in Hunger Games where the life is too strict and where we play real our life.

I totally agree with you about being disapointed when losing or happy when winning. Anyway I still keep my mind about the game of Life impossible to win (but I think you understood me and agreed with me for this point).
I just don't agree about winnig being our only motivation. We are also motivated by having goals to achieve. Even if we don't reach those goals, we will be happy just by trying. So not only win or lose motives us. Of course we don't want to lose, everybody hates losing (even those who have accepted the fact that loses are part of life still get disapointed when losing). And there are many other way to motivate us.

Diogo, I really think that if we follow each little rules set by the society, life would be much more annoying. Of course, the big and important rules are really useful and we have to be able to live with them even if some of them seems awful to follow. But some of the Swiss rules for exemple are really stupid and not everybody follow them. I don't know if it's a true rule, but I heard somewhere that normally we can't flush the toilet after 10pm if you live in an appartment. I know it seems logic because it makes some noise. But I don't think everybody follow this rule and it is alright like that. Some rules don't have inevitably to be always followed... (Yeah I know the exemple is really really stupid but it's the only one I couls be able to think about..)

I think loy aren't the only rules who exists. There is social rules (like you have to be friends with people, you have to be part of a group) and tacite rules (you can't poo in the road, insult someone, you should arrive at time and offer something to the personnes who invits you, ...) and so on.
And our society wants us to accept everything and just to obey. No we aren't in panem, but I'm sure it's better. Because our society lies us. We have always heard you're free, do what you want of your life. But as soon as you are born, your life is ritten by someone else.
At the beginning, you HAVE TO do what your parents want. After, you go to school. There you will HAVE TO do your homework, HAVE TO listen the teacher, HAVE TO make you friends and HAVE TO do anything you can to keep in touche with them.
Then, we arrives at the big choice of your life. You will HAVE TO chose your job, what will you do of your life? But the real questions that you ask your self are "if I do that, will my parents be proud of me?" "Will my girl friend support this idea?" "Will I earn enough money?" You make your choices for other or for stereotype of hapiness. But if you don't society won't accept you.
Of course our reality is too strict, of course it is a prison. A golden prison.