PrepTest 136 · Section 3 · Passage 4

Do You Have to Obey the Box?

Most kids at game night agree that not every rulebook deserves respect, and that once in a while you may skip a rule, as when a rule tells you to be mean to the youngest player. Still, most kids think those are rare cases: usually, if the box says to do something, you owe it to everyone to do it, simply because the box says so. But a club called the Box Doubters says no: players never owe a rulebook their obedience. Marcus calls this idea silly, because, he says, it leads to two strange results: (1) no rulebook is any better than another, and (2) players can do whatever they like at the table. Priya says neither result follows.

First, saying you don't owe a rulebook obedience doesn't make all rulebooks equal. You can still judge them. Some make games fair and fun; others make the youngest kid cry every time. Rulebooks really do range from great to awful.

Second, the Box Doubters say players still owe each other plenty: no cheating, no grabbing someone's cards, no wrecking a turn. They even say players should help one another, and a kid might do that by joining the club's team that teaches new players. And when everyone at the table follows a habit, even a made-up one, you shouldn't break it if breaking it would hurt someone. If everyone slides pieces to the left, you must not slide a heavy one to the right, where it can smash Owen's fingers. Sliding right isn't wicked by itself, but hurting a kid who did nothing wrong is.

The Case of the Free Recipe Cooks

Judge Okafor tapped her gavel. "Counsel says the Free Recipe Cooks are dangerous." Opposing counsel stood. "They claim no cook owes a cookbook obedience. So every cookbook is equally worthless, and cooks may serve anything!" Mr. Whitfield rose, thumbs in his suspenders. "Your Honor, neither follows. My clients still rank cookbooks: some give tasty, safe meals, others give stomachaches. And my clients insist cooks owe diners plenty: no spoiled meat, no hidden peanuts. They even volunteer at the soup kitchen. And if every cook in a shared kitchen keeps knives in the left drawer, my clients won't toss one in the right drawer where a helper might grab the blade." The judge smiled. "So your clients aren't wild. They just don't worship the book."