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The game is rigged, but you cannot lose if you don’t play.

— Marla Daniels ‧ The Wire

A die resting on a small green-and-cream checkered board, with a green pawn beside its edge.
Original artwork
Behind the line May contain spoilers.

Our reading

An editorial interpretation.

The speaker describes the game as unfair, then offers nonparticipation as protection against losing. The compact contrast gives withdrawal a practical logic. Read metaphorically, it presents a bleak form of reassurance: avoiding a contest removes the possibility of defeat within it.

Context reviewed

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