Episode 103: Wired for Play

Previously, We Discussed How Play is Non-Instrumental, Voluntary, and Unnecessary. And yet, as will discover this episode, it is a necessity for human flourishing. It is the "necessary unnecessity."
Playfulness is ubiquitous for animal life
Playfulness in Ubiquitous to Human Experience Since the Beginning - For Adults Too
* Royal Game of Ur (2500 BC)
* Barbara Ehrenreich - Dancing in the Streets - A History of Collective Joy
* Herodotus - Games invented in Lydia (450 BC)
* Chess, Go, Backgammon, Mancala - Africa, Asia, Middle East
* Alfonso's Book of Games (1283)
Playfulness is Behind Creativity and Cultural Advancement
* Steven Johnson - Wonderland: How Play Made the Modern World
* Banu Musa Brothers (9th century Baghdad)
* Merlin's Magical Museum (Thomas Denton, 18-19th century England)
* Punchcards lead to looms lead to computer programming
Play is Essential for Human Development
* Dr. Stuart Brown has written and taught extensively on this topic, discovering that play is essential for emotional, physical, and mental development and health--and that the absence of play can lead to social and emotional challenges later on in life.
* Jonothan Haidt has recently also argued for the importance of free play for human development
Play is Therefore a Basic Human Right
* J. Drew Lanham - People have fought and died for the right of others to play
* It is not a luxury; it is an essential part of being human
* Dave Bindewald - In the face of suffering, our task is not to marginalize play, but to double-down on its importance.
Jane McGonigal - Given that We are Wired for Play, How Can We Gamify Life?
* Would probably still define work and play a little differently than she does (she says play is work we enjoy), but she is great at exploring ways to bring elements of play (voluntary, unnecessary obstacles) to work
* What are some examples?
* Quests to do chores
* Tombstone Hold-Em
* Crowdsourcing Research - Three Body Problem
* However, they are still a means to an end.
So What's Going On Here? If Play is Unnecessary, Why is it Such a Necessity?
* On our next episode, the spiritual necessity of play
Takeaways
Play is a universal and essential part of the human experience, not just for children but also for adults.
Playfulness and play have been present throughout history and across cultures, from ancient games to modern-day fashion and coding.
Animals also engage in play, demonstrating the innate nature of playfulness.
Play is a catalyst for human creativity and cultural achievements, shaping our society and civilization.
Play allows for experimentation, exploration, and the development of new ideas and concepts. Play is a universal and essential part of the human experience.
Bringing elements of play into other areas of life can lead to increased creativity, team building, and enjoyment.
Games can be used to crowdsource solutions to complex problems.
Sound Bites
"Play is a universal and essential part of the human experience"
"Animals play on various levels, demonstrating the innate nature of playfulness"
"Playfulness is a major part of human culture and has shaped our creative and cultural achievements"
"Energy and capitalism and growth, you know, these new areas and fields inventions come about really through play"
"You know, can bypass our normal systems"
"Play is not a luxury. It's an essential part of what it means to be human. It's a human right."
CALL TO ACTION
Subscribe to our newsletter (https://buttondown.email/BoardGameFaith)
Support us on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/boardgamefaith/)
Interact with us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/boardgamefaith/)
Discord us Discord (https://discord.gg/MRqDXEJZ)