The value of play
I think I've previously written that one of my less well known time sinks is playing video games. A lot of people at age 33 have grown out of video games and sort of eschew them all together.
More somber people than I, it seems many of my peers have to engage in more structured, productive or measured ways to spend free time, being nearly upset to 'waste' time playing a game. It seems to me, these friends and colleagues only narrowly see productive activity as a justifiable use of their time.
In some ways it's hard to advocate for wasting time. After all time is precious, finite and always running out. Yet, on the other hand, cramming as much as possible in a day does not seem like a recipe for a life well lived. I'd also argue that games, play and fun teach us a lot, even as adults. Play is, I think, linked to creativity, levity and perspective. Taking things, or taking ones time, a bit less seriously is also really good for the soul and outlook. There's a rigid tension in the people meticulously tracking every second of their day that seems fragile in a way similar to how glass easily shatters.
There are arguments that games, or playing, allow us a chance to vent, to escape, for release, etc. But sometimes I don't really care about quantifying value in terms of productivity. Isn't it exhausting to cast every positive as tied to work, or recuperating from labour? I find it more refreshing to let things be valuable on their own terms, though I think that's an unpopular and easily dismissed idea.
Artistically, I really admire artists that manage to bring play into their practice. There's an immediacy to perfectly imperfect work that owns its roughness and joy. I can't always let go or be that free when creating, and sometimes I think we admire most what we can't do ourselves.
Personally, I think that play is tied to humour and friendships. I don't know if I play many games with my friends, but I'm always very playful, which is a big part of my personality. I don't care much for self-seriousness or dourness. My least favourite co-workers are the ones always pointing out how jokes aren't quite accurate (duh, it's humour not wikipedia, see the forest from the trees, have a laugh).
Anyway, I didn't have much on my mind this week - but I did listen to a podcast about the value of games and figured, why not talk about that?
In other news:
Tall Poppy Press' fourth book is available for pre-order - check it out :) - this is a big swing for us, so if you know anyone who might like this please send the link their way
I hope, if you're in Melbourne, you'll stop into MEL photobook fair on March 18th and 19th and say g'day