That’s the entire point of the phrase, as far as how I’ve always interpreted it: don’t blame people for doing what’s best for them within a system they don’t control.

You are literally defining the meaning of the phrase. That is not a shower thought.

Yes.

Just like "it is what it is", that statement is a "thought terminating cliche" and that is what it's doing.

Yes, but the game is the problem. That's why the ecological footprint is problematic, it pushes the responsibility towards individuals rather than changing laws.

I always reply that I hate both.

It occurs to me that a great many sayings exist for the speaker to self justify their own actions

The player's job is to play optimally; the rules dictate what is and isn't optimal play. Not just limited to capitalism, this concept is a big part of game theory.

Yup, that's why people say it. "I'm an arse hole, but what do you expect?"

My first thought after hearing that saying 20-something years ago was “the player perpetuates the game.”

If people refuse to play, there is no game to hate.

Playing the game is a choice.

Learn to recognize systemic problems rather than personnel problems.

These are the shower thoughts I have. Got a whole ass manifesto cooking up there.

The definition of fascism at the end of the day is "fuck you, I have mine, stop complaining because you are a loser". Yes, fascism is the extreme end point of that view but ultimately that is what fascism is. Who cares what is fair, the losers are losers and the winners are winners and fascists are 0% interested in examining that any closer no matter how arbitrary or stupid the set of rules that determined the winners or losers are.

I hate the phrase "don't hate the player, hate the game". I'll hate the player too lol. You know what playing a sport where bad behavior is technically possible and in the best interests of a player to do, but a player refuses to do it because of a love of the sport and the desire to be a good opponent? It is called good sportsmanship. Sports/videogames are miserable experiences when it is just ruthlessly competitive people playing who will exploit any advantage, fair or not and have zero interest in sportsmanship. Is there a broken mechanic or rule? These types of people will exploit it over and over and over and over again and just keep saying "don't hate the player hate the game" even though it is them, the player, actively making a choice to make the experience miserable for everyone else.