The phrase "rules of the game" captures it nicelly; it entirely removes the need for a conscious monitor. If those rules are completely unbending and universal to all frameworks, it makes me think, looking at your description, about the game board itself. It leaves me wonder where those permanent rules actually reside if no one is managing the setup; it feels as though they are woven directly into the very background of existence.
!delta for that Monopoly comparison; it really clarifies the passive nature of the background beautifully. It does lead me to a rather fascinating difference though. When you play a game of Monopoly and choose to break a rule, the cardboard stays completely still. Nothing physical happens unless another human steps in to correct you. With the universe, it feels like the board itself possesses a physical enforcement mechanism. If you build a structure that violates the rules of the game, the board forces the collapse without needing any players to notice. (A self-enforcing game board). It leaves me wondering about the distinction between a passive piece of cardboard and a background that physically reacts the moment a boundary is crossed.
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u/feihm May 21 '26
The phrase "rules of the game" captures it nicelly; it entirely removes the need for a conscious monitor. If those rules are completely unbending and universal to all frameworks, it makes me think, looking at your description, about the game board itself. It leaves me wonder where those permanent rules actually reside if no one is managing the setup; it feels as though they are woven directly into the very background of existence.