Outside the Walls

Outside the Walls

Share this post

Outside the Walls
Outside the Walls
New Game, different rules
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More

New Game, different rules

Richard Merrick's avatar
Richard Merrick
May 04, 2017
∙ Paid

Share this post

Outside the Walls
Outside the Walls
New Game, different rules
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
Share

In 1823, legend has it that at Rugby School,  William Webb Ellis decided to pick up the football and run with it. The rest, as they say, is history.

If he did that today, he'd be sent off. We have rules, and people in charge of making them,

Games are easy - clearly defined rules that change only rarely. There have only ever been three changes in the rules of Lawn Tennis since it's inception. The court is the same size, the sequence of play is clear, the scoring rules clear.

Nobody comes on to play with a golf club, or serves a rugby ball. Players can develop their skills within very tight boundaries, and can develop incremental improvements to extraordinary levels, confident that they have the time to do so.

There are very few other areas where the same applies. Even the law is subject to judgement and opinion, and the other professions have seen ingenious, often brilliant ways of circumventing rules (Tax law springs to mind.

Business is another case altogether. When AirBnB picked up Hilto…

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to Outside the Walls to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 Richard Merrick
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share

Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More