Werewolves in Sheep’s Clothing – The Daily Reckoning

Next week in Frankfurt I will be teaching “soft skills”, interpersonal skills that enable effective communication, collaboration and problem solving. These skills cover a wide range of areas such as presentation skills, negotiation skills, business writing skills and other critical and transferable skills.

I am always looking for new games and simulations because chalk and talk gets boring fast, the only way to learn those skills is to do them.

During my research I came across the most fascinating game I have ever heard of. It is directly applicable to what is happening in the western world. I am sharing it with you now.

The wolf at the door

The game “Werewolf” (or “Mafia,” as it’s sometimes called) is a game of social deduction in which players are divided into two groups: the informed minority and the uninformed majority. The goal for each group is simple: survive and eliminate the other. What makes Werewolf fascinating, however, is how it reflects social dynamics, power struggles, and the subtleties of influence — dynamics that pertain to modern American politics.

The Origin of Werewolf

Werewolf is a variation of the Russian game “Mafia”, created by Dmitry Davidoff in 1986. Davidoff designed it as a psychological game to explore social behavior, communication, and the loss of trust in groups. Originally used in classrooms and psychology studies, the game quickly gained popularity, spreading to parties and conventions, and eventually spawning several iterations, including Werewolf.

The premise of Werewolf is simple: a village is plagued by werewolves and each night a villager is killed. During the day, the villagers must try to identify and lynch the werewolves hiding among them.

The tension of the game is created by the fact that a small, informed group (the werewolves) knows who they are and secretly coordinates their actions. Meanwhile, the larger, uninformed majority (the villagers) must attempt to discover the werewolves’ identities through conversation, accusations, and often unfounded suspicions.

The ignorant majority

In Werewolf, the uninformed majority are ordinary villagers. Their only advantage is their numbers, but their disadvantage is their lack of knowledge. They do not know who the werewolves are, so they must rely on intuition, social cues, and communication to discover them. Throughout the game, villagers are vulnerable to misinformation, manipulation, and internal division, and often turn on each other in desperate attempts to identify the wolves.

This reflects the challenges faced by the general public in political environments. In any society, most voters (the uninformed majority) do not have access to the same level of information as political insiders, campaign strategists, or policymakers (the informed minority). John Q. Average makes decisions based on limited information, media reports, political rhetoric, and often partisan bias. In this environment, misinformation spreads easily, creating confusion and distrust.

In recent American politics, we have seen how easily the uninformed majority can be misled. From the proliferation of disinformation on social media platforms to the growing polarization of traditional media, voters are being bombarded with conflicting messages — especially from their government!

Just as the townspeople in Werewolf must decide who to trust based on incomplete information, American voters must navigate a complex landscape of political messages, fake news, and emotional appeals to inform their opinions.

The informed minority

In Werewolf, the werewolves are the informed minority. They know who they are and use that knowledge to mislead the villagers. Their goal is to sow confusion and distrust among the villagers, thereby diverting the distrust from themselves. Often, the werewolves accuse innocent players or try to exploit existing divisions among the villagers to weaken the majority.

Similarly, the informed minority in politics consists of politicians, lobbyists, and other insiders who have access to far more information than the general public. They understand the nuances of policy, the complexities of the political process, and how public opinion is formed. Often, this informed minority will use their knowledge to manipulate the uninformed majority, whether through targeted advertising, misleading statistics, or emotionally charged rhetoric.

This has become increasingly evident in American politics, particularly with the rise of highly sophisticated political campaigns that use data analytics and behavioral science to target specific groups of voters. Political operatives craft messages that play on voters’ fears, prejudices, and insecurities, just as the werewolves in the game attempt to manipulate the paranoia of the townspeople.

A striking example of this was the 2016 US presidential election, where micro-targeted ads on platforms like Facebook were used to influence key swing voters. The informed minority in this case were political consultants, data scientists and social media companies who understood the power of these tactics, while the majority of voters were unaware of the extent to which they were being influenced. Fortunately, the Hildebeast did not win that time.

The erosion of trust

A key aspect of Werewolf is the gradual erosion of trust within the group. As more players are eliminated, the remaining villagers become increasingly suspicious of each other. Werewolf is a game of paranoia, where no one is entirely sure who is telling the truth. This reflects the decline of trust in American politics, especially in the age of hyper-partisanship.

According to the Pew Research Center, trust in the U.S. government is at an all-time low. This distrust extends not only to politicians and institutions, but also to fellow citizens. Political polarization has created deep divisions in American society, with people increasingly viewing those with opposing political views as enemies rather than fellow citizens with different opinions. This is the essence of what happens in a game of Werewolf when players begin to turn on each other, unable to distinguish truth from deceit.

The role of the media: a double-edged sword

In Werewolf, players rely heavily on communication and persuasion to navigate the game. Some players dominate the discussion, while others can’t get a word in edgewise. The same goes for American politics, where media plays a crucial role in shaping the narrative.

The media serves as the primary source of information for the public, but it is also a tool for Deep State manipulation. Just as werewolves in the game can spread misinformation to mislead villagers, the Deep State and its media minions use media outlets to promote stories that serve their interests. This is particularly evident in the rise of partisan media, where different news outlets use the exact words to report stories, further fueling divisions among the electorate.

At the same time, the media is supposed to act as a guardian, exposing corruption, revealing hidden truths, and holding the informed minority accountable. (But those days are long gone.) In this way, the media plays a dual role in American politics, much like certain players in Werewolf who have special abilities, such as the Seer, who can secretly reveal the identities of werewolves. However, just as in the game, the alternative media’s attempts to reveal the truth are undermined by those who would discredit them, by labeling unfavorable reports as “fake news” or biased.

Lessons for American Politics

Werewolf is a game of survival, strategy, and social dynamics. Its lessons extend far beyond the gaming table and offer valuable insights into the nature of politics, particularly in today’s United States.

Misinformation leads to disastrous outcomes, both in Werewolf and in politics. The ability of the informed minority to shape the narrative and manipulate the uninformed majority is a powerful tool. Voters must critically evaluate the information they receive, question sources, and seek out multiple perspectives.

In Werewolf, trust is the key to success for the villagers. Similarly, in politics, trust in institutions, leaders, and fellow citizens is vital to a functioning republic. The erosion of trust leads to division, making it easier for manipulative actors to gain power.

The unwitting majority in Werewolf only wins by coming together and working as a cohesive unit. Division and infighting only weakens them, allowing the Werewolves to win. In American politics, overcoming polarization and finding common ground is crucial to addressing the nation’s challenges.

Just as the Seer in Werewolf must use his powers wisely to reveal the truth, voters must remain vigilant, informed, and hold political actors accountable. Blind trust or indifference leads to the rise of damaging forces within the political system.

Complete

At its core, Werewolf is a game about power dynamics, trust, and deception. These dynamics also play out in American politics, where an informed minority has the upper hand over an uninformed majority. However, by recognizing the strategies of manipulation, building trust, and promoting unity, the majority can regain control and ensure that the government works in the best interests of all.

Understanding the lessons of Werewolf may not solve all the problems in American politics, but it provides a useful framework for thinking about how power is exercised and how the public should resist manipulation in an increasingly complex political landscape.