The Seriousness of Play
64
and how it can keep you sane
I spent Friday afternoon playing with an eleven-month-old toddler. We sang songs, told each other stories, played peek-a-boo. Of course, she can not really do any of these yet; but she is beginning to recognize what they are, and her participation -- babbling in practice sounds, raising the pitch of her voice as I sang, and hiding behind the arm of the sofa while I wondered aloud where she could possibly be -- were all infused with utter disregard for anything other than joy at the repetitions and experimental sounds.
Children constantly use play to rehearse behaviors and test the consequences of such actions. They do so unselfconsciously. Playing with baby Gabrielle reminded me of another important component of the whole play process: it was a heck of a lot of fun.
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don't stop playing
I am reminded of one of the least simplistic and most serious articles I ever read on the inherent value of approaching life with the joy of playfulness; it was first published in 1985, and revised in 1991: click here for what might well be the most articulate piece of writing you will ever read on the importance of play, "The Abolition of Work" by Bob Black.
In this article Black examines the ludic approach to life and its intrinsic function as conduit of creativity and job satisfaction. We are all familiar with the idea of the nutty professor -- an extremely intelligent person who appears to be eccentric, if not downright batshit crazy? Well, Black examines the real utility of such an approach to life for everyone. The absent-minded professor can get away with it because we make allowances for him. Why do we not make such allowances for each other?
Further, if we grant the rather obvious fact that work makes most of us miserable, then we should rather do what we know we enjoy instead. This is not as naïve as it sounds -- sure, there will be some who would say they would love to smoke dope all day and listen to music -- but pretty soon the body galls at such inaction and craves the satisfaction of having completed something either useful or good -- whether it be tiling the kitchen or making great marinara sauce or inventing a thingumyjig that automates some aspect of the postal service or the banking service or filing or any other clerical job we all hate doing.
He continues:
Work makes a mockery of freedom. The official line is that we all have rights and live in a democracy. Other unfortunates who aren’t free like we are have to live in police states. These victims obey orders or-else, no matter how arbitrary. The authorities keep them under regular surveillance. State bureaucrats control even the smaller details of everyday life. The officials who push them around are answerable only to higher-ups, public or private. Either way, dissent and disobedience are punished. Informers report regularly to the authorities. All this is supposed to be a very bad thing.
And so it is, although it is nothing but a description of the modern workplace.
Ouch! Sound familiar? Would you like fries with that, or can I put you through to our service department?
For more information on the Fox TV show, see
airs on Saturday nights, and examines with enlightened understanding such conditions as arise from depression, suicidal ideation, manic behaviors, breakdowns, addictive behaviors, gambling compulsion -- you name it, the show's writers use humane and compassionate examples to illustrate the fact that we can understand more about human behavior, if we only try.
Mental
I was interested to see the ludic principal being examined quite thoroughly in the new Fox TV series Mental. A little research uncovered that psychiatrists are fully aware of the value of play as re-play -- reliving trauma to uncover and alleviate its burden, or examine phobia or delusion. A serious aspect of psychiatry, indeed, is to understand how the human brain can retreat from reality into a "play" world where life can be more easily controlled by those we insist on calling the mentally ill.
If you would like to learn more about this principal in psychiatric studies, read here. If you have seen the TV show, you will know that Dr. Gallagher's methods are seen as untraditional, to say the least. He understands, however, the vital importance of examining how the brain "plays" with its perceptions of reality to hide hurt or fears. And he understands the importance of play as action, too, encouraging patients -- and the other members of staff -- to break out of societal norms in favor of something more truthful.
My chief finding after research, however, is what I did NOT find: I did not find one study or article claiming that play has negative or adverse effects on a healthy mind, never mind an unhappy one. Playing properly entails casting off strictures that bind. Lose the tie. Become as unselfconscious as an eleven-month-old baby, and you might be on your way to better mental health.
[Disclaimer: I have (quite cheerfully) reduced a lot of wonderful research to several simple points. This is in no way meant to detract from the value of the original source materials themselves, and I commend them to you (see above links) -- read 'em yourselves; you will find much more of worth than I have outlined here.]
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I'd like to play with all kinds of crafts until I could find one I'm actually good at and enjoy. I'd just do that and sell the product (assuming it was something folk would want). Thanks for coming by and reading.
I have an hour or so craft time with my grandbaby Aaliyah every day, boy do I run out of macaroni, beads, string, glue/ but it is so fun! Then it's outdoors again! Great Hub, find your tomato?
dori
That is one beautiful child. Play is the main tool for the young to learn. It is not only in humans but many animals. The roughousing of lion cubs is in preparation of the hunt.
As far a freeing yourself from the hum drum that is a lot easier if you have money or if you come from money. When you live in a poor area and the factory is the only place to work you hope to God that you get a job on the assembly line or loading the trucks on the shipping dock.
Your "disclaimer" is unnecessary - your summary is excellent! And I, for one, definitely needed a reminder to play!
Dori -- I have tried to convince myself that I only brought home three tomatoes, to soften the blow, but the fourth just hasn't rematerialized. I'm glad you are having so much fun with your grandbaby, too -- it's good for us, as well as good for them!
Pete -- ain't she a cutie? It's just as well she has none of my genes! About living conditions -- yep: that was my main reaction when I first read Black, too -- that it's impossible to escape that grind unless you have money. I've thought about it a lot over the years, and I realize that he is advocating that the system operate from the other end down, not the bottom up: if the people with money enjoy a range of activities that the human mind can envision, the geeks in the geek club will invent ways to automate dirty work (otherwise there would be an upper class of people who get to do whatever they want, and a peasant class of the vilest proportions).
But it still wouldn't work, I know.
Hey, Dineane! glad you enjoyed -- now, go out and play some more!
Teresa, I really enjoyed this, makes me very happy I have a job I can have fun in and enjoy. Playing is such an important part of happiness. :D
Hi Teresa,
Thank you, this was downright inspiring. I have been trying to remember to check out the mentalist as it seemed like an interesting show. Now I WILL remember to check it out, thanks to you. :D
I love playing with children too, they are truly amazing. I love to watch them watch me watching them. Seems it doesn't take much for them or for me to be totally amused with each another.
~Jen
Lucky K@ri! Glad you enjoy your job so much -- it really isn't everyone who can say so. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Hey, Jen -- the show is called Mental (I know there's another show called The Mentalist -- I haven't seen that one). Glad you enjoyed this -- it is inspiring to think it's really ok to be happy, isn't it?
Wonderful hub. One of the things that drives me to write is that I actually get paid to do something that you would have to pay me to stop doing (and even if you paid me a great deal to stop, it wouldn't be enough. I would still cheat and, at the very least, make stories up in my head!). However, now I am making some money from my writing I find it's not all "play" after all. I have to draw up contracts, create invoices and keep records. Is there any job that is just pure play, I wonder? At least my 2 kids are a constant reminder to play every day (even if it is time to send out invoices and update records)!
Thanks Karen -- yep, ya gotta take time out to play!
I think I heard of that show mental before. Sounds like something I am going through with all the trauma in my life. I'll go and check out those sites since I don't ever have time to watch t.v anymore. Now, I do enjoy having little visitors to our shop and entertain us with their cuteness. Thanks for sharing this hub!
Often people fail to see why we play...we play to engage, explore, and understand.
As we grow up into a society it often tends to try and tell us how, when, and why to play with what. Those who catch onto this are free to exploit the masses that have lost their childhood sense of wonderment.
Hey May -- thank you for coming by and for commenting. Don't forget to take time to play, even for a short while.
Darwin's -- experiment is play -- scientists would be lost without the "what if?" and the sense of wonder, as well as the act of wondering. Thanks for reading.
It is amazing how toddlers play teaches them (as well as us) so much. They are wiring their brains for life.
As for playing AT work, I took the most totalitarian work environment I have ever seen, and lightened it up. Making sure play does not get out of hand or become "horse play" mind you, and I was rewarded for productivity skyrocketing.
I am very interested in your links. I have set them on my favorites bar so that I can check them out when I have serious time. (excuse the pun)
Wonderful thought! A lot of people take life and their role in it too seriously...it would be infinitely more meaningful if they lightened up a bit.
Wunneful! Contrary to what dineane said, I found the disclaimer to go straight to the point of the matter :-) The fact that you *cherfully* reduced this important message to the simple points goes to prove that "lightening" up can go a long way.
I'm like k@ri in the job department, I have fun with it, and actively seek to make it fun for others that work with me. As in, loose the long face fellers, this ain't nuclear devices we're producing here! Kudos!
PS: Gabrielle is a CUTIE!
i think people learn so much more through play than any other way. And yes, keeps the mind limber. Really, I hate getting serious about anything except for play. Play is serious business, you know. I really don't think most businesses think about the psychology when they look at the bottom line. They ought to, they'd get better production, and probably more interesting and useful products would come out. But then, some people play mean (children and grownups alike).
Elena, mujer, I'm so glad you know how to have fun at work. So many people are miserable and make each other miserable with it. Thanks for coming by.
Frieda, yep: allowing playfulness is encouraging creativity. So many businesses impose rigid processes of work designed to promote efficiency, but which really suck all the healthy willingness out of folk. Thank you for reading.
I have to say, every time I stand up in front of my Grade 4 class and start teaching, it is like playing. I act, use funny voices, jump around and play the fool. It's only the admin and interaction with some colleagues who are up themselves that make it like work. If it was just the teaching - what a pleasure!
Wow, thank you. I needed this. I'm still coming to terms with what I can only describe as a meltdown, and it was over work. One day late last year I just could not go back. I seriously could not take one more phone call, not one. Eight years of call center work ended in me just...stopping. It wasn't voluntary either. It's hard to describe. The transition was rough, with family all making extreme dire statements about what would happen if I didn't go back. You HAVE to have a job! You HAVE to take anything. Get a state job! Get a fast food job! Get any job! Meanwhile my micromanaging bitch of a supervisor called my partner (not me) repeatedly, leaving messages like, "Please please call me about Pam."
Well, that was eight months ago. I still struggle with guilt. I am worth far less financially than I was, but weirdly, we seem to be doing better, not worse. I will not go back. I mean, if I could find a half time 'real' job that allowed me to do something I cared about, yes I would do that. But I will not chain myself to another headset. As long as that's what is available, stick a fork in me.
I read the Bob Black essay. Brilliant. Yours too. Thank your for this.
PaperMoon - that is wonderful. I know productivity increases when folk can have a positive attitude to what they are doing. Good for you for making happiness work!
Feline -- thanks for coming by and reading. Yes, It's so much better to smile, innit?
Cindy - teaching, hell yeah it's playacting combined with a large dose of fun. I've had other professors come to my classroom to see what everyone was laughing at; and hell, yeah the admin crap is draining. I couldn't take it anymore, it was draining all the fun out of teaching. I bet you're a fantastic teacher, and that the kids love you dearly. Thanks for reading!
Pam -- I know exactly how you feel. A call center job (I think my nephew stuck one for six months before telling them to shove it) has got to be completely demoralizing. Don't ever go back; I applaud you for knowing not to take any job again that tries to suck your brain out through your heart valves. . . I am so much happier since I took disability retirement, so I know what you mean, there, too: and I ain't never going back nohow, either! Thanks for stopping by, and I knew you would love the Bob Black article!
My dream is to be able to write full time, but with a kid just started at university and another with 4 more years of schooling, it's just not possible!
Oh Cindy, I feel for you there, too. While I don't have kids to think about, it was always my dream to write full-time, too. It's only been six months, and I sure don't miss the teaching. Everyone thought I would. I think we put our all into the teaching, and when burn-out happens, we just can't ever do it again. Good luck with your dream - I know you will make it happen; just reading the little I know about your life, I can see how capable you are. You'll get there!
I definitetly seek more play and less work. I just need the same money
The trick is to find a way to make the money having fun. . .! Thanks for dropping by, Ethel.
Teresa this is brilliant. I think people are generally derogatory of others who engage in play because they are jealous :)
My dogs give me a great opportunity for play - they are always up for it and I am totally silly with them. Even here though, many disapprove of play type behavior with dogs - lol. I suppose once you commit to being serious, you feel you must stick to it.
One of my favorite quotes -
"The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time." ~~ [Bertrand Russell]
Oh I like that Bertrand Russell quotation -- cool! Dogs are indeed great motivators for silliness and I admit to being very silly with my mutts on a regular basis. Thanks for coming and reading, Shibashake.
I love play and think there should be a Church of Play where everyone could go on Sunday to have fun with building blocks and crayons. Great hub!
That would be so cool -- there's nothing like losing one's inhibitions by playing with crayons. . . thanks for the read!
I like Woody's suggestion.. when I went to church, I often voluntered to help in the nursery. There was an audio speaker that brought in the sounds of the church service, but often the children we were watching were making such a joyful noise, that we thought the speakers should be hooked up in the opposite direction.
The most fun I had as a sub teacher was in doing play-learning activities. I always tried to follow the regular teacher's directions, but if the class was a bit 'unruly' I used my "play/learn" activities as in incentive to complete the regular work.
Play and humor have immeasureable benefits in education and even in real life.
Teresa, wonderful hub. I think there is a problem with our society today and the obsession with being 'busy' and 'productive.' Parents have thier kids in so many organized activities, I wonder when they get time for free play which is so important to a child's development.
I was always taught to follow your passion and the money (income) would follow. I don't know how true it is, but it would seem that your enthusiasm would create a great product or service and that customers and clients would seek you out once the word began to spread. Isn't that like being paid to play?
Great hub! More play!
Hey, Rochelle -- the play/learn strategies are sadly underused for adults, who can benefit just as much from them. Thanks for coming by to read; I loved the idea about reversing the audio in church.
Dolores, isn't it awful? Whatever happened to just going outside to play, and use the imagination?
Ron -- too bad we all have bills to pay while we are following our passion for any craft or hobby, and before the money starts rolling in. Otherwise more folk could benefit from that advice, I guess.
I know that play is very important from raising my three children and I think you illuminate many of the reasons why. I shan't derail your hub but I definitely noticed your comments on authoritarian societies and America/work. Quite so. Americans work more than any other country now, including Japan. Play is good for children, but it is also good for adults. Great hub.
Iðunn -- thanks for reading. Yup -- in America those who have jobs tend to be defined by them. And now, with cell phones and fax machines and palm pilots, etc. Americans can work on their time off, too.
I've noticed that as well. I read about other cultures and it seems at times that civilizaion has pushed us backwards, not forwards. The new technology is something I generally ignore. I'll turn off even my phone for days sometimes.... I don't need to be constantly reachable and the only people I would never ignore, my children, can come right over.
The old hunter-gatherers worked to live, we seem to live to work, and yes, often people define themselves and others via jobs/work. I don't do that, personally. People are more than just their job.
I know what you mean. Just because the phone rings does not mean I have to answer it. I don't even have a land line anymore, and don't miss it at all. Taking disability retirement has really opened my eyes to how harmful work can be and how those with jobs are trained to accept unhealthy conditions -- if not physically, then certainly emotionally.
Exactly! You and I share that. I don't like thinking technology owns me, or that others can dictate my time if they aren't paying my bills. I get downright stubborn about that. I don't mind being poor and all the rest, but I will not allow strangers who don't know or necessarily like me determine what I do with my time and efforts.
I too am disabled and retired. I am not sure when I noticed that people were judgemental and awful about others who don't work, but I think it was when I took up message boards. The american GOP view seems to be that the value of a human being can be broken down into their CURRENT income plus assets.
People are more to me than that and they were even when I worked for 26 years. I think that mentality is one of the reasons we don't take care of our poor or children or elderly in this country and why men like Bernard Madoff are the heroes to the American public.
A person is more than their income. Every human being in all stages of their life including their child stage, their eearning and family stage and their aging stage has so much intrinsic value. I have no idea why so many Americans refuse to recognize that.
I agree, totally. I wonder if this current economic crunch will make some families more dependent on having the grandparents around to help out, instead of trying to be so independent and ignoring the elderly.
I'm glad I'm retired -- I don't know how I ever did it all, sometimes. It was way too much!
I do that too, look back and wonder how I survived it. I do think it's possible this recession can lead people back to valuing others for their own sake. People who have used their jobs to establish a place to look down on the disabled and unfortunate might feel differently once they are in the same place.
I've just read your Hub at the end of a long day, and am not sure i understand all the theory. However, Tricia and I (Pat writing) spent this morning reviewing the last quarter as regards our website & Hub writing. We were trying to analyse what worked and what was a waste of time. Back in May we were given tickets for the Clothes Show London. We bought the cheapest train tickets available, and pushed aside everything else so that we could have a whole day in London.
We so enjoyed that day1 And after wearing out our feet walking around the Clothes show, we sat in the late afternoon sun, outside a pub, with a glass of chilled white wine and made an 'ideas' list.
For us, it was a day of play. We did not try to think about any of the things we normally think about, just let new experiences flood in. We had our nails done, looked at clothes and make up and a hair cut demo, talked to exhibitors, laughed.
The day sort of freed up our brains. (well, such as we've got).
In our 'forward plan' for the 3rd Quarter of 2009 we have booked in another \day out'.
Thanks for an interesting Hub. Will reread when less tired.
2Pats -- try to incorporate more play into everything you do? We separate life into "work" and "play"; what we should be doing is playing all the time, or maintaining a playful attitude towards the more boring aspects of work, at the very least. One day out during a whole Quarter of a year isn't enough! Thanks for coming by and reading -- sorry you're so tired!
I remember that as a kid, play was encouraged. No not play-dates, no organized play, but just play.
I used my imagination so much. I had a little yellow lamb on wheels and since we didn't have a dog, that lamb was MY dog. Okay it was a lamb, but that is the imagination of play. It is what stretches our minds and helps with social skills.
I would act out plays, and listen to music for hours and use the steps as a stage. I listened to so much music, now when I play the piano, I can play a melody without music. For me listening to music and reading as well as playing games helped with imagination.
All done with no organized play date.
I still like to play
Lorrie Mac Gregor
Hey, Lorrie -- me too. We all did, didn't we? With imagination and no Wii's or X-boxes or whatever. The imagination is severely underserved in today's games for kids. Thanks for stopping by.
Play is their work! I got burned out as a preschool teacher - when preschool started becoming another term for day care and some children needed more attention than could be given in a class of sixteen and one of me- and still sometimes I have a pang of nostalgia. And I know some of you will believe that I actually had to teach some four year olds how to use their imagination. "This isn't really a magic carpet" some of them said. "No," I answered. "We're pretending." Without a game plugged in. Wow.
You are so right about enjoying what you do. I actually hate my full-time job. I think I would like it if there were competent people to work with :) But over all I find more pleasure in my writing and crocheting than anything else. Therefore, I published a book and am making gifts for people. I'm trying to get that play time in to keep my sanity.
You have precisely the right idea. Play is about being up and out of self. It is about enchantment, and magic -imagination. It is about creativity...Musicans play, athletes "play" sports - we should never lose that sense for fear of looking like an idiot - play is healthy. And of course, there are no better teachers about play, than your own kids -they have PHD's in play. As John Wayne said: "too bad they have to grow up
to be people." haha.
Gary
Hey Queen, RGraf, Gary -- thanks for the read. Not being afraid of looking like an idiot is key -- being engrossed in play means you don't care at all what others think. Glad you guys are able to enjoy the concept.
And what do they say about "all work and no play"? And play could also be not play per se - it's all about the simple pleasures we find in life if we only try to notice. And since life is supposedly only a game, might as well enjoy playing it :D
I agree with Cris - all work and no play makes LG very dull indeed.
Playing with Isaac is great fun, provided, of course, you aren't also trying to pay the gas bill, cook dinner, and put the washing machine on at the same time!
Hey Cris, hey LG -- thanks for coming by - and being playful!
Candie V says:
5 months ago
This is great! It would be great if we could all find work we considered fun/play but that really isn't gonna happen for most of us. It also occurs to me that a lot of people have no idea how to play when they get done with working. To find the perfect hobby/hobbies that make us shine when the work day is over. Thank you T!