---
key: lens/schell-092
type: lens
id: schell-092
lang: en
title: Inner Contradiction
summary: Use conflicting desires and values to give a character depth.
updatedAt: '2026-10-10'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/lens/schell-092/'
jsonUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/lens/schell-092.json'
markdownUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/lens/schell-092.md'
aliases:
  - Inner Contradiction
  - '92'
tags:
  - Characters and world
sourceIds:
  - source-a5287443699910bb
  - source-f546a7168effffbb
sources:
  - id: source-a5287443699910bb
    title: 'Schell: 113 second-edition lenses'
    url: 'https://schellgames.com/art-of-game-design'
    verifiedAt: null
  - id: source-f546a7168effffbb
    title: Inner Contradiction
    url: 'https://deck.artofgamedesign.com/'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - title: In the original collection
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/lenses/#schell-092'
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  number: '92'
  theme: world
  author: Jesse Schell
  originalTitle: Inner Contradiction
  referenceUrl: 'https://deck.artofgamedesign.com/'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
  Original editorial explanations and review questions based on the
  user-selected Schell notes and attributed primary references. External
  concepts and source material retain their rights.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
---
# Inner Contradiction

id: schell-092
type: lens
key: lens/schell-092
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/lens/schell-092/

Use conflicting desires and values to give a character depth.

## Principle

Use conflicting desires and values to give a character depth.

## Review questions

- Which two things important to the character cannot both be preserved?
- Which action will reveal that conflict?

## Attribution and limits

Jesse Schell · Schell: 113 second-edition lenses

The concise explanations and review questions are original gamemechanics.pro wording. This is an independent reference, not a translation of the cards or a substitute for the book. Names, concepts and external material remain their authors’ work.

## Connected materials


## Sources and provenance

Original editorial explanations and review questions based on the user-selected Schell notes and attributed primary references. External concepts and source material retain their rights.

- [Schell: 113 second-edition lenses](https://schellgames.com/art-of-game-design) (id: source-a5287443699910bb)
- [Inner Contradiction](https://deck.artofgamedesign.com/) (id: source-f546a7168effffbb)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors