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    Cover of Games People Play

    Games People Play

    Eric Berne · 1964

    Games People Play (1964) explores the fascinating and bizarre world of psychological games, where players unconsciously manipulate each other into acting in alienating and self-destructive ways.

    Psychology & Behavior
    Open LibraryAmazon
    Stats for nerds
    31recommend
    51mentions
    46people
    2009–2026years
    69% recommend31% neutral

    Mentions per year

    2009201120132015201720192021202320252026

    What Hacker News says

    1. User23May 2026
      You should read a little book called Games People Play. Focus particular attention on the section on the game "Indigent."

      This isn't a resource allocation problem, or rather, it isn't a resource allocation problem the way you seem to think it is.

      thread
    2. OgsyedIEDec 2025
      Games People Play (1964)

      Seeing like a State (1998)

      thread
    3. QuinzelNov 2023
      A book I found helpful for general insight into human interactions, was “Games People Play” by Eric Berne. Some of the stuff in this book isn’t really specific for work interactions, but it is a pretty interesting read. I read it in a day because I enjoyed it so much.

      But other books I’ve read recently that are specific to work which may help were:

      Organisational Behaviour. 6th Edition, by McShane, Olekalns, Newman, & Martin.

      Group Dynamics for teams. 5th edition. By Daniel Levi.

      I also have a heap of really interesting readings on dark triad personality traits in the workplace...

      Hogan, J., Hogan, R., & Kaiser, R. B. (2011). Management derailment. In S. Zedeck (Ed.), APA Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (vol. 3, pp. 555–575). American Psychological Association.

      Tourish, D. (2018). Dysfunctional leadership in corporations. In P. Garrard (Ed.), The Leadership hubris epidemic: Biological roots and strategies for prevention (pp. 137–162). Palgrave Macmillan.

      Tourish, D. (2013). The dark side of transformational leadership: A critical perspective. Routledge.

      Chapter 3: Coercive persuasion, power and corporate cults Alvesson, M., & Blom, M. (2019). Beyond leadership and followership: Working with a variety of modes of organizing. Organizational Dynamics, 48(1), 28–37.

      thread
    4. neovialogisticsNov 2023
      You may massively benefit from having a greater foundational knowledge of transactional analysis, both as a tool to understand how to efficiently manipulate the thought processes of others and as a tool for incisive self-inquisition.

      I recommend the 1964 book Games People Play, which should be available at any decent library (possibly from an inter-library transfer). If it isn't at a library near you, it has additionally been uploaded to libgen.

      thread
    5. QuinzelOct 2023
      A book I really enjoyed was “Games people play” by Eric Berne.

      It made me reflect a lot on the interactions I have with the people around me, and I think I needed to develop a deeper level of self-awareness than I had prior to reading it. So I’m glad I read it.

      thread
    6. chordalkeyboardMar 2023
      > I also grew up in a dysfunctional family environment (toxic parent relationship, some narcissistic/borderline traits in them) and have been struggling with the consequences of that on my development and mental health.

      I know what you mean here. Victims of narcissistic abuse often become vulnerable narcissists and codependents, deferring their own needs for those of others until the damage becomes too great to ignore.

      You didn't mention what psych books you read so I will suggest Games People Play by Eric Berne.

      thread

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