A subject told me about “Nose Goes”. Essentially, it is a game used to determine who gets stuck with a task that no one wants to do. My subject learned of the game from her younger siblings, when their mother asked someone to take out the trash. Her youngest sister put the index finger on her nose and yelled out “Nose goes!” The other siblings placed their fingers as fast as possible on their noses, except for my subject. She was not aware of the game and therefore lost it. The game is all about speed, at the person who doesn’t get it fast or is the last to place the finger on their nose – loses. According to my subject, the game is primarily used by children, to determine who will perform the dreaded task.

It is interesting how “nose goes” is like a game that starts spontaneously by one person, and everyone has to follow the suit. Now a person who is not aware of the rules is at the disadvantage. This however demonstrates the unwritten customs can shape group interactions. The game is funny because it feels fair but it really isn’t. There is no talking or deciding, just a quick reaction that determines who loses. The silly game shows how people naturally create little rules to assign tasks, giving an advantage to those who already know how it works.