ZUGZWANG

Zugzwang, a term from the game of chess, is described as the moment when a person knows they have lost. The end seems clear, yet there remain one or more moves that must be made for the game to play out. These moves will inevi-tably result in loss, and the player is fully aware of the hopeless situation. This mindset of expec-ting loss, but still moving ahead, creates a sad but forceful picture. Though originally associa-ted with chess, the term Zugzwang is relevant to many areas of life. But what if Zugzwang applies to something more than just a single area of life? What if it describes the very basis of living?